Introduction

In this wonderful talk, Joan Harcourt brings the wisdom of Marion Woodman, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Jane Prétat as well as her own life experience and work with older women’s groups to the powerful image of the Crone. Once a source of respect, healing and wisdom, with the rise of patriarchy the image of the Crone was diminished and demonised. However, as Joan says, the word ‘Crone’ is derived from Corona, the word for Crown. With age and experience, the Crone conveys an ability to sit with conflict; to stay with embodied and imaginal knowing and allow the energy of grounded reality and new options to arise for both women and men.