How do you see the Maiden, Mother, and Crone?
It has come to where I have been contemplating how I view the stages of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. I do not have a set principle at the moment, because I had taken them as serious stages of life. For example, I have two kids, so I am now in the Mother phase, passed the Maiden, and haven't reached the Crone. However, I have been contemplating that maybe this isn't something literal, and, instead something more deeper than what I might think. So I decided to ask you guys. :)
- Do you see them as literal phases of your life? If you have never had children do you see yourself as the Maiden, with children as the Mother, and later in age as the Crone?
- Or do you see them as archetypes of yourself and can represent different stages regardless of which phase of life you are in (such as a person who never had children being able to be the "mother" as well)?
- Can you explain your reasonings?
- How does this effect your view of the Wheel of the Year?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Edan on -
I don't think about the Maiden, Mother, Crone aspect in a deity format simply because it is, I believe, a predominately Wiccan philosophy. As a CR it really has no place in my beliefs. However, when I was studying Wicca as a possible path I found it very enlightening from a philosophical perspective.
I don't see it as a physical age issue. How many of us have shaken our heads and said, "Babies havin babies" , lol. This would be an example of a physical mother, but in reality just a maiden.
As with all things in life however, there needs to be a balance in all things. I think that phases of these aspects are allowed to shine at moments in our life, however, they should not be in a constant state of control. This includes men as well, for the male counterpart of the maiden, mother, crone aspect.
If all three of these aspects have balance in our life, then we should be responding as necessary to every situation in our life. And letting a particular aspect come out to play from time to time, is also very healthy. The ever attentive mother, having a night out on the town for example with a lover. This is a healthy release of stress and keeps people feeling young. The young girl in high school faced with peer pressure, but choosing to be wise enough not to give in. Here she is tapping into the Crone aspect. (Of course there are equivalent male scenarios).
So again all things in balance and moderation, but realizing that every once in a while we need more of a particular energy has always been good advice in my life.
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Permalink Reply by Leisha on -
After years of trying to fit the MMC into my spirituality and not succeeding, I don't work with that lore structure. Part of it is that I don't feel most women that I know resonate with it, and that there are so many other ways to be a woman other than a focus on procreative status. YMMV.
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Permalink Reply by Edan on
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Well that's only if you're thinking about it in a more literal, physical way. Philosophically, and spiritually speaking it is very intricate and thought provoking.
Leisha said:After years of trying to fit the MMC into my spirituality and not succeeding, I don't work with that lore structure. Part of it is that I don't feel most women that I know resonate with it, and that there are so many other ways to be a woman other than a focus on procreative status. YMMV.
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Permalink Reply by Leisha on
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For me, as above, so below. If the deity forms I want to work with don't correspond to my experience in reality, it is something I personally do not work with,
Draoi Edan Nightoak said:Well that's only if you're thinking about it in a more literal, physical way. Philosophically, and spiritually speaking it is very intricate and thought provoking.
Leisha said:After years of trying to fit the MMC into my spirituality and not succeeding, I don't work with that lore structure. Part of it is that I don't feel most women that I know resonate with it, and that there are so many other ways to be a woman other than a focus on procreative status. YMMV.
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Permalink Reply by Asdea (Jasper) on -
Yes, it is the Hag
Ron Stemko(Ameris) said:What of the fourth phase,The Hag? I believe Lark wrote alot on this issue.
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Permalink Reply by MJ on -
http://realpagan.net/profiles/blogs/the-fourth-face-of-the-goddess
This is the post you are refering to ....The one in which Lark explains how her tradition, recognizes the fourth face of the goddess...
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Permalink Reply by MJ on
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Lark also posted another blog that I think may offer you a profound look, at where someone's understanding of their own personal path has taken.
http://realpagan.net/profiles/blogs/delving-into-the-deeps
She has offered and shared her wisdom. I hope this helps you in your journey of growth and understanding.
MJ )O(
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Permalink Reply by Leisha on
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When I get home, I'll dig out an essay I found from years ago about the five faces of the goddess, just to add into the mix.
At this point in my life, I'm working with the idea of two faces of the goddess and two faces of the god: The Goddess of Beginnings and the Goddess of Endings, and the God of Light and the God of Shadows.
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Permalink Reply by Ree on
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The reason I was asking is because the lore is beginning to confuse me. :) Being as I have a Wiccan-flavored path, I have a lot of outer-court material in my practices. I have books where it touches the subject briefly, but they are 101 books, which do not answer all of my questions.
Ron, I have read Larks essay about the Fourth Face of the Goddess, but I had forgotten about it when I was writing it, so please forgive me for that. I have not been in the right mind frame lately to think properly being as I am concentrating on a newborn, a thee-year-old, plus moving to a new home. XD MJ, I didn't see the other essay, though, and will definitely read it when I have the time. Thank you for linking me to both again for me to re-read or read. :)
Draoi, I understand where you are coming from. :) Philosophically and spiritually. I like the explanation given, and it makes me think a little bit more on how the aspects are viewed. I will need to read Lark's "Fourth Face" essay again to see how that fits. lol.
Leisha, first can I ask what "YMMV" means? XD I am a little behind on my acronyms. Just out of curiosity, and for learning purposes, how/why did you have a hard time incorporating the MMC aspects into your practice? I would love to hear your thoughts on this, even though you do not incorporate them into your structure. :) Also, how did you come to work with the two faces of the Goddess and God which you are working with now? I am really interested. :) Plus, I would love to be able to read that essay whenever you dig it up. ^_^
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Permalink Reply by Leisha on
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YMMV = your mileage may vary. :)
On an iPad right now, so no long answer, but the short of it is that MMC didn't fit into the wheel of the year for where I grew up as well as not fitting into the large number of independent and child free women, by both choice and circumstance, who were in my life at the time.
The system I am working with now is a system that we are developing on our own in our home. Some of this has come about from our life experiences, some from our studies over the year, and some from meditative and mediated work.
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Permalink Reply by Ree on
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Oh. I think I remember reading your post on a "Secular Wheel of the Year." So, I don't think a long answer is needed. :) I am interested in the system you are talking about though, and am wondering what it consists of. If you are willing to share, that is. lol. If not, then I understand. :)
P.S. Thank you for telling the the meaning of the acronym. lol
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Permalink Reply by Aislynn on -
As a lot of you know, I cannot have children due to medical issues. That said, I do not have a problem incorporating the MMC aspects into my practice. It took me a long time to deal with the procreation-centric ideas expressed therein and in a lot of the Neo-Wiccan materials, however, I've reached a point where I see more than that. Yes, I realize where they came from, but I know too that there's more to the maiden than a young woman, more to the mother than a woman with children, and more to the crone than an old lady.
That said, it's difficult for us to realize what phase we're truly in a lot of the time. Some days I see myself as the maiden and others as the mother, even in my 20's. I see the crone in some friends who are only into their 30's. So, age isn't necessarily an indicator.
As it has been discussed, we often don't see mothers in those that do have children (in cases of infanticide, teenagers having and giving up or not caring for babies, etc.). We also don't necessarily see the Crone in every older woman nor the maiden in every young woman (as in girls who have been forced to grow up too fast or who are far more mature than their age group). It is not about age or circumstance but about attitude, lessons to be learned, and the overall embodiment of the archetype. The maiden learns about the world, the mother provides for others, and the crone passes on her knowledge. Of course there are much more to each of these archetypes, but that's a basic skimming the surface of them.
I don't know if it affects my view of the Wheel because I have issues with the MMC ideas on the Wheel to begin with to the point that I'm questioning my belief in the "Wiccan/Neo-Wiccan mythology" of it all. So, I guess I can't really answer the last question very well.
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