Great book, I totally recommed this!

This is an absolutely delightful little book and would make a wonderful gift tfor the older woman or for those who are dealing with the "change of life." Ms. Gardner relates the stories of many women within the pages of this book, telling of their emotions, sharing their strength, fears, and tears with their close friends. It is most heartening to find books about women, real women, and books that will help us come to an understanding of who we are as people.

Ms. Gardner begins with the basics, discussing women in general, and the symbolism in their lives. She tnen teaches you how to create a meaningful ritual that is unique to each person. The bulk of the book however, is true stories of women and their crowning rituals. They will make you laugh, shake your head, and cry, all at once! The back of the book has some poetry, songs, and other information to assist you in your celebration. Thank you Ms. Garner!

Celebrating the Crone by Ruth Gardner A Book Review by CharLittle@aol.com

Every woman of age needs to celebrate being a Crone. A year ago the Desert Crones of Tucson, AZ. met in the Saguaro National Park where this old woman was crowned a Crone in a spiritual ceremony rich in ritual. It was a moving experience and I had no difficulty relating to the Sacred Feminine since masculine and feminine are both an integral part of myself and my own spirituality. I knew little about Goddesses at that time but it didn't matter. What was important is that I was gaining a new and positive perspective in my own aging process.

How I wish I had Ruth Gardner's book, Celebrating the Crone before my crowning. I had never read about this ceremony and never attended the crowning of a Crone before my own. Gardner's book is a blueprint for those who desire crowning in a special coming-of-post-menopausal-age ceremony and ritual. Ruth Gardner, a retired Registered Nurse with a B.A. in Human Resources, has also been a member of the Minnesota Society for Clinical Hypnosis. At one time she owned and operated a Training and Development Company. She has published books on the the subject of Handwriting Analysis, which is quite a stretch from nursing, hypnosis and croning.

After Gardner retired she felt a desire to celebrate her own aging process and devised ritual and ceremony which she executed in 1993. Several women, including her daughter, were present. After viewing a video about Ruth's croning the women wished to meet again as elders with common goals, thoughts and feelings and eventually, these women became the Desert Crones of Tucson. Gardner affirms in her book that there is an elder women's spirituality movement that is worldwide. After thousands of years of patriarchy, awareness of women as healers, priestesses, wise women and female divinity, is lost from our memories. Women like Gardner are reclaiming their power as older women. We are redefining the term, "Crone" by accepting and loving who we are. It is okay to be old. It is a good thing to be a Crone. As Gardner states, "we defy those who disparage us."

In her book Gardner tells a story about the time in Arizona when the police were called to stop a croning ceremony because they were thought to be witches in the park. There has been much opposition even among Crones themselves. There have been Crones who have not discussed their crowning ceremonies thinking it may be too threatening for family and friends to understand. Regardless of negative cultural attitudes towards old women, the Crone movement progresses and Gardner's book takes it one more giant step forward. She discusses the "jubilee" celebrations which are passage ceremonies for aging women held in some churches. Gardner asks if these two kinds of celebrations are so different. Another question which arises in my mind is "Can a woman be on a spiritual path without organized religion?" Gardner states that croning was a spiritual experience for her and so it was for me. Wherever there is compassion, love and peace, spirituality exists. It is an inexplicable, quiet feeling that there is more to life than what is tangible, more than what one sees and more than what any of the five senses can convey to the mind. Spirituality allows the Crone to experience the mystery of life in her heart if only for a brief moment.

Ritual and ceremony enhance the capacity for feeling the mysterious. In Celebrating the Crone one may read and choose whatever is fitting for her own Crone crowning. Although Gardner discusses some of her favorite mythical Goddesses I think the strength and power of this book lie in the definition and narration of a variety of ceremonies, scripts and stories for and about croning. There are many suggestions for staging this ritual, including comments by women who have experienced it, along with poetry, music and meditations. There are numerous resources and references cited in Gardner's book all of which can assist an aspiring Crone to produce her own croning ceremony.

When I was younger I was an active feminist and I remain an advocate of women's rights. Partially, I see the Crone movement as an older woman's version of feminism. It is a calmer, more peaceful way of asserting ourselves as women. Older women are smarter and wiser and we know who we are. We are becoming a stronger force for good in the community and united Crones would not only be powerful but formidable. Being crowned a Crone is another small step which an elder woman may take in this direction and Gardner's book simplifies the task.

(All rights retained by author. Celebrating the Crone by Ruth Gardner, A Book Review remains her own property.)

Copyright 1999