Age Gracefully

What does it mean for you?

Age Gracefully

I have often wondered what those words mean, without some product for sale attached to it.

I have lived 71 years around the sun and I’ve thought about what it means to age gracefully.

Firstly, I feel immense gratitude that I have had the privilege to live this long. A privileged life too. Food, shelter, work.

I’ve gone through many life phases in my decades long life, and now consider myself an elder. A crone. A wise woman.

It’s such an honor.

And while it’s confronting at times to watch the body age, wisdom shows me that it’s only my conditioning that finds it confronting. The years of seeing marketing ads, and magazine covers makes one  think that ageing is a negative thing and must be avoided, in some way or product, to live onwards like a maiden.

Wise woman crone

Well here’s what I read today and I LOVE this. Thank you Clarissa Estes Pinkola

“Dear brave souls,

I warmly invite you to come be at the fireside with me and the Dangerous Old Woman and the Power of the Crone. Who is the crone? She is the most dangerous, the most radical, the most revolutionary woman in existence. Whether in fairy tales or in consensual reality, the old one goes where she wants to and she acts as she wishes; she lives as she chooses. And this is all as it should be. And no one can stop her. Nor ought they try.”

And so my dear friends,

THIS

It’s coming up for all of us women, young and old, that NOW is the time to step into your sovereignty. I wrote about this in my blog, Sovereignty is the New Guru.

What  that means is that we no longer can depend, nor should we, on outer authorities. It’s about stepping into our true power, and empowering others by doing that. 

Being true to who we are.

That is our power. 

When we understand and live it, we live as sovereign beings who contribute our uniqueness to the whole. 

Keeping it real …

The body at 71 has more folds, more wrinkles, more sagging, more graying hairs, more SOFTNESS. Can I be ok with this natural process of ageing?

It is also strong and vital in a way I’ve never felt before.

I’m no longer fearful of what it means to fail or take risks. 

I’m open to trying new things that life brings my way.

I’m not so serious. 

I live with love as my compass. Joy as my guiding light.

I LOVE hard because who cares if you get hurt if you’ve loved with all your heart.

Crone wisdom

We all have the crone archetype within us, no matter what age we are. Here are some tips to try out:

• Make yourself number one priority. Giving to others without receiving empties your cup and there is nothing left for you to give. Find your balance between giving and receiving.

• Watch your self talk, and notice when it is unkind. Treat yourself as you would your dearest friend who needs support when they are down.

• Give yourself the space to rest whenever you need to. You are strong but you may also tire easily and there is no shame in giving yourself the rest you need it.

• Feeling stuck? Ask your inner 90 year old what she would do. You may be surprised at how happy she is you should ask - and the wisdom she will impart when you are open to listening to her sage advice.

And so my friends, I know in my bones we CAN change what ageing means, one sovereign wild woman crone at a time.

Let me know how this lands inside you. I’d love to hear.

with gratitude,