Last weekend I attended the annual “Celebrating Women” weekend in Boulder, Montana. And it amazes me how I forget what it’s like, and how important it is, to connect within and with others on a deep level as a group of people until I dive back into it, and realize, “Oh yeah, this is what matters in life.”
When we’re going through the motions in life: going to work, feeding the kids, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, paying the bills; we forget what’s at the center of it all, our health and vitality, our purpose, our heart, our connection with others. We get on the hamster wheel of going non-stop, adapt, and forget what it’s like to slow down, and more importantly, how we feel when we slow down.
This past weekend we sang and danced together, we laughed and cried together, we opened our hearts and shared our deepest selves. And what I want to share with you was something really special that I have not taken the time to fully appreciate before, and that was the wisdom of older women in my life.
Sunday morning we witnessed something called the “Crone’s Counsel.” Hearing this you might think, “Oh, God, a crone? I’m not a crone,” or “I don’t want to be one, because that means I’m old.” If that’s so, I want to open your mind to thinking about this differently.
The Crone’s Counsel was a group of seven women ages 55 to 65, who were asked three pointed questions about life. They were honored for their wisdom and years of experience on this planet. I had no idea how much I had to gain from it. Their careers ranged from a psychotherapist and writer, to a zoologist, high school art teacher, college psychology professor, and dance teacher.
Here are some seeds of wisdom they shared:
- “Know what matters to you/what your passion is and go share that with the world.”
- “You can heal physical, emotional, and psychological pain through spirit.”
- “Free yourself from the old programming of believing you’re not good enough.”
- “Stop rushing through life so you can enjoy it.”
- And one quoted Mark Twain, “The two most important days of your life are the the day you are born, and the day you know why you are here (meaning your purpose).”
The final question they were asked was, “How do you feed your inner fire?” And this is what they said:
- Stillness
- Meditation
- Peaceful practices in nature
- Gratitude prayer
- Practicing letting go of ways of identifying myself (mother, care giver, teacher)
- Meditative time
- Slowing down through dance, dancing naked, prayers
(I promise I did not make this up so you would sign up for a meditation class with me!)
The older women in our life have incredible wisdom (and the men do too!). And recognize and honor when you are now a crone. You are now the woman who has wisdom to share with others. The world needs you to share this wisdom.
I asked how a crone is defined, and she is said to be one who has passed through menopause. What a beautiful way to think about aging – passing on your wisdom, or gaining wisdom from those who are older.
Take a look around you and ask the crones in your life, “What feeds your inner fire?” And listen, truly listen to what they have to say. Or if you are crone, listen to what your heart has to say…
Categories: Feminine Power