Rite of Passage Case Study: Rainbow

My Danish friend Rainbow invited many of her female friends and neighbors to join her for her Croning Ceremony. The timing of her croning ceremony was important to Rainbow as she had reached her second Saturn return (at age 59) and now having turned 60 she decided to mark that year with a Croning Ceremony as an acknowledging of the path she was now beginning to walk.

A Warm Welcome

As women arrived each added a specially prepared dish to the growing potluck. This was a wonderful welcoming time where folks got to eat, drink, greet old friends and meet new ones.

The Circle

The invitation to join the circle came in the form of two women drumming – softly at first and then rising to a crescendo, an invitation for everyone to join the circle. The large room had been arranged with all the chairs, sofas and cushions creating the circle. Each woman was invited to name herself – stating their name, and naming themselves daughter of (their mothers name), granddaughter of (their grandmothers name), and great-granddaughter of (their great-grandmothers name).

Song: Grandmothers by Jennifer Berezan

Red Thread

As an introductory gesture for the evening a red ball of yarn was passed around the circle, each woman speaking briefly about her journey with her menstruation. As each woman speaks they are invited to create a knot in the yarn, holding onto that section as she passed the ball to the next woman. Once every woman had spoken loose end of the yarn is rolled up into a small ball and presented to Rainbow who places it on a small altar in front of her.

Once the ball of wool had travelled around the circle and was returned to Rainbow her friend and priestess Kaitlin Ilya then welcomed everyone to the circle and outlined what was planned for the rest of the evening.

Song: Sacred Blood of the Mother

Each woman was invited to tell the story of how they knew Rainbow which was a great way to gain insight to the many different connections that wove together and gave some women, who might have known rainbow for years, new weavings into the deep tapestry that made up the fabric of this woman’s life. Once everyone had spoken it was Rainbow’s turn to tell her story of the major decisions she took in life and what ideas unfolded and travels she undertook. She tells the circle stories from different ages of her life in 7 year cycles.

Song: Dance In a Circle of Women by Marie Summerwood

As a gesture of ritual to all those years in which she was actively menstruating Rainbow takes a small bag with 40 red glass pebbles (see photo above) and gives thanks for all those years and the cycle of menstruation. She states her intentions for her time as Crone and the next phase of her life, as she shares these words she offers a gesture of ritual pouring water from one glass into another symbolizing a marking of this powerful transition.

Song: Step Into the Flow by Suzanne Sterling

Crossing to the Isle of the Crones - The Main Ritual

For the main ritual of the evening several women, already in their crone years, stand in the middle of the circle which represents the Island of Crones. Rainbow stands blindfolded just outside of this circle, her staff on the floor acting as a bridge - connecting the shore with the Island of Crones. She is guided by a crone who takes her arm and guides her over the staff and onto the Island of Crones.

Another crone removes the scarf and welcomes her as another woman reads a passage from Susan Weeds Menopause Book which speaks to the wisdom of the Grandmothers. Rainbow then receives a gift from each of the seven crones - a poem, a rock, a hand fan, two necklaces, a bag of frankincense, and a bottle of champagne – the she is pronounced a Crone!

Song: It’s Time to Be a Crone by Susan Weed

Rainbow then danced with her staff within the circle as everyone sings then all the women rearrange themselves in a spiraling line from the youngest to the oldest, the ritual comes to an end with a special song and then each women who wishes to presents Rainbow with a gift with the very last gift a foot bath with herbs flowers and then sweet deserts are served to all the guests.

Song: We Are Sisters on a Journey by Marlena Fontenay

Rainbow created a decorated ‘Crone Box’ as a reminder to what she wanted to engage with within her Crone years - adding notes and ideas

Note from Rainbow:

When I asked if she had any other insights that women might like to think about in creating their own Croning ceremony Rainbow added that she wouldn’t have been able to plan all this without lots of help:

• The women who co-ordinated the food for the potluck (reminders for women to write out the ingredients)

• Women who greeted folks as they arrived

• The drummers

• The woman who facilitated the entire evening and helped plan all the stages of the evening and who knew all the songs that were sung (a woman who has performed many rituals and ceremonies within rainbow’s community)

  
  - Kaitlin Ilya is the priestess who facilitated and co-created this Croning Ceremony. She is passionate about ritual and its importance in the lives of human beings. Kaitlin is a Priestess of Cycles- she focuses on the many cycles around us and within us all the time. Click here to visit her website
  

Breaking Down Rainbow’s Croning Ceremony:

 Beginning

• Pre-planning of the entire evening & asking women to perform certain roles

• Arrival and potluck

Circle

• Drumming announced women to gather in circle

• Women naming themselves

• A beginning song

Middle

• Each woman telling the story of how they met Rainbow

• Rainbow telling the main stories of each 7-year phases of her life

• Gesture of honoring her bleedings years

Ritual

• Arriving to the Island of Crones

End

• Sharing gifts

• Celebrating with dessert

• Rainbow was assisted in the planning by her friend and priestess Kaitlin/ www.priestessofcycles.com, based in Back Mountain, NC.