Crones at Elderflower 2008

Early Years

In the early years of the festival, the Crones estblished themselves as a distinct group. They set all of their own policies at Elderflower. When the need arises for a change to be made, the interested Crones in attendance that year meet in council and come to a decision.

2006

We met in council at the festival in 2006, and through the consensus process we have made a change to one of our policies. The new policy is written here as it will appear in the Elderflower program for 2008:

Crones are women of wisdom, age and power. They embody all the wisdom grained through their experiences of the three phases of womanhood - Maiden, Mother and Crone. We will each progress into Cronehood s our lives continue.

Some of the qualities that characterize a Crone are that her bleeding hs stopped for at least year and a day, she is either literally or figuratively grandmother, and she has experienced her second Saturn return, which always occurs between the ages of 56 and 60. She has often developed deeper awareness of her own mortality, either through her brush with death or through facilitating the passage of another. She is shifting from an external focus to a more introspective state. She experiences a sense of urgency to get on with the real business of her life, and she has begun to shed the old in order to pursue what has now emerged as her life purpose.

At Elderflower, any woman 56 years old (or older) who choses to claim her status as a Crone is invited to attend a pre-Croning workshop in preparation for declaring herself a Crone at the Croning Ritual. The Croning Ritual marks the beginning of a woman's transformation into Cronehood, into the beauty and expression of her inner Crone wisdom and her deeper Crone understanding.

At Elderflower, Crones are honored by having a dedicated table at mealtime. Others may join them there by invitation.

Not every woman who is 56 or older declares herself a Crone. When to make thta declaration is every woman's personal choice. If you aare 56 or older and interested in becoming a Crone, check in with the Crone Coordinator at the Crones' table in the dining hall.

Any woman between the ages of 50 and 55 or older who wants to explore the meaning of becoming a Crone is invited to attend the pre-Croning workshop and to sit at the Crones' table where she can interact with Crones at mealtime.

This topic has been under considerataion by the Crones for over 10 years, and we have come to the decision tht this is the right time to make the change.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the 2006 (Susan D.) or the 2008 Crone coordinator (Doris B.) directly. Call Elderflower phone message line for the phone numbers.

Crone Program

Read the Crones' program page