MAIDEN, MOTHER, CRONE: THE TRIPLE GODDESS

MAIDEN, MOTHER, CRONE: THE TRIPLE GODDESS

Kate Belew Kate Belew
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The Triple Goddess is an ancient symbol that has been celebrated across cultures and for centuries. Women, Witches, and those who work with the phases of the moon may already be familiar with this deity. The Triple Goddess is Maiden, Mother, and Crone. She celebrates the waxing, the waning, and the full moon. She is the embodiment of the moon in all of its phases. She teaches us how to live in balance, fully embodied in each phase of our lives.

Who is the Triple Goddess?

While the origins of the triple goddess are unknown, its symbol has deep roots in Paganism.

Robert Graves popularized the archetypes of the triple goddess in 1948 and Carl Jung also celebrated this archetype, but many believe that the goddess Hecate was the original triple goddess. Hecate has been worshipped since the 8th century BCE.

Hecate is the ancient goddess of witchcraft, the moon, and of witches. As a triple goddess, Hecate, stands and looks all the ways down the crossroads at once. The crossroads have long been considered a symbolic juncture between this world and the next. The triple goddess rules these intuitive waters where our world and the otherworld meet.

The triple goddess contains the Maiden, Mother, and Crone archetypes. While these archetypes can stand alone, in their own power, they are meant to work together. They are the phases of life and the moon. The Maiden, Mother, and Crone archetypes are three different sides of the same story, but when we meet all three, we are rewarded with a deep, full, wild, and intuitive life path.

Meeting The Maiden

The Maiden is the archetype at the precipice. She is ready to leave home, enter the underworld, go into the depths, and self-initiate. You may know the story of The Maiden through tales of Persephone, Vasilisa and Baba Yaga, Artemis, and Innana and the Underworld.

The Maiden has often been depicted as a damsel in distress, but that’s not who she truly is. The Maiden belongs to no one. She is independent and moves through the world with authenticity, intelligence, and a fierce curiosity.

The Maiden is associated with the waxing moon. To work with the Maiden archetype, imagine this sort of energy rising or building in yourself. Seek out creative projects, say yes boldly, ask questions, and make mistakes.

Meeting The Mother

The mother is the natural caregiver and full of wisdom. She is fierce and full. This stage of the triple goddess is filled with fertility, ideas and projects. You may recognize The Mother archetype in stories surrounding figures like Gaia, Demeter, or Isis.

Mother is an archetype that teaches us about standing on our own two feet. After we enter the underworld, self-initiate, and come to womanhood, who are we? What have we learned as we come into our power? What have we given birth to? And this doesn’t have to be birth in the traditional sense, but can include creative projects, partnerships, dreams, and businesses too.

The Mother is often associated with a full moon. To work with the Archetype of Mother, consider crafting some intentional rituals in your life.

Some questions to ask yourself: What rituals can you put into place; especially around the full moon that connect you to this side of yourself? What projects or feelings or dreams can you nourish? How can you connect in with the earth in new and sustainable ways?  

Meeting The Crone

The Crone is the archetype of the wise woman. The crone is in touch with the liminal, the intuitive, and the psychic. She is all knowing. You may recognize the tales of The Crone in stories like Baba Yaga, Le Befana, and the Cailleach among others. The Crone is associated with the waning moon.

The Crone is also known as The Wise Woman. The Wise Woman knows the power of transmutation. She knows the value of the shadows, and of the moon slipping away into the deep of the sky.

The Crone asks us to take a new perspective, she asks us to trust ourselves, she asks us to let go of what we thought we knew to slip into something more intuitive, and more magical.

When we work with The Crone we may have to ask ourselves the hard questions. We may have to move beyond what is comfortable, or the expectations of society. The Crone will support us every step of the way, moving slowly, singing songs, and doing whatever she likes.

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