Altars for a Wise Woman Ceremony

 

    One of the ceremonies I created and performed in my capacity as a life-cycle celebrant was my version of a wise woman or croning ceremony. Traditionally this ceremony was celebrated by pagan women to honor their passage through menopause into wise old age. My non-traditional ceremony included an altar that I decorated with items symbolizing young womanhood. Later in the ceremony I replaced or transformed these items into symbols of older and wiser womanhood. 

    The bouquet of flowers symbolizes the freshness and beauty of youth. The spiral on the goddess figurine symbolizes spiritual growth. The clock is a reminder of how regimented our daily lives were when we set the alarm to get up for work or to take the kids to school. 

    The stacking dolls represent a mother with her young children. The spoon symbolizes the nurturing we did for our families. And the closed shell contains the annoying bits of life that we had to deal with in the quiet of our individual minds. 

    The painting that I used as a backdrop was done by Jody Primoff, an artist from upstate New York where I used to live. The mother and the little boy in this lovely watercolor always reminded me of myself and my son, Peter. 

    During the Wise Woman Ceremony I altered the altar to symbolize some of the ways a woman's life might change in later years. 

    The fresh flowers have been replaced with dried Baby's Breath which exudes a quieter and longer-lasting beauty. The stacking dolls have been put inside the mother doll because our children are grown now but remain forever within our hearts and minds. The shell has been opened to reveal the pearls of wisdom that have formed while we were dealing with life's challenges. The spoon has been replaced by a mug to remind us that we can take more time now to care for and nurture ourselves. The goddess figurine has been turned around to display the tree of life which connects the physical and spiritual worlds. As wise women we feel the connection more deeply. 

    The clock has been replaced by a kaleidoscope. Many of us played with kaleidoscopes as children. We were fascinated by the changing designs of shapes and colors as we turned the dial. The kaleidoscope reminds us of the way life is constantly changing, and yet we can find beauty and meaning in each new chapter. Now it is time to focus on new ways to create joy and beauty in our lives.  

    The little boy in the painting might represent my grandson now, but I still see Peter when I look at it. In my memory, he will always be my sweet little boy, just as my daughter, Vera, will always be a little girl in my heart. 

    Near the end of my Wise Woman Ceremony I asked each participant to light a candle while telling the group about her hopes and dreams for the future. The candlelight symbolized the light of their wisdom in the world.