So, I decided to drop on the bandwagon! Safire talked about the warrior, father, and sage, so I’m going to tell you about the maiden, mother, and crone!
The Triple Goddess is more of an archetype than an actual deity. Sometimes the Triple Goddess is accepted as just a group of three Goddesses, such as the Greek Moirai, or Fates, and sometimes one Goddess is depicted as a triplicate, as many do with Hecate (which I plan to talk about how that train of thought goes in a separate post later). Either way it all breaks down the same way as Safire’s post, the three aspects of the Triple Goddess represent a stage in the life of women.
Maiden
Represented by a waxing crescent, the maiden, much like the warrior, is the first form of womanhood. Virginity, wildness, huntress, these things are commonly showed as a young attractive woman. She’s full-on life and discovering herself. The maiden may be naïve but is full of hope and promises of the future. In the case of the Fates, she represents the past.
Mother
The full moon, the mother stage is when a woman reaches the prime of her life. Sometimes that’s by actually becoming a mother, or a wife. Sometimes it’s because she found what she feels is her purpose in life. The mother is wise, mature, and nurturing to those she loves. Don’t let her calm demeanor fool you, a mother is as strong as any Goddess, and she will protect her own till her last breath. The mother is the Fate of the present, and in many depictions is a pregnant woman.
Crone
Finally, the waning crescent, the crone is when a woman is past child baring age and is seen to be as wise as the sage. She is full of the wisdom of her life but is often only regarded as a hag. Aging, especially for woman, is seen as a bad thing, she loses her beauty and becomes what society now deems as unwanted. But the crone holds as much, if not more sometimes, wisdom as the sage. She’s had a life full of love, nurturing, and growth. In older cultures she is regarded as something sacred, to be protected. I myself rely on my mother, who would be considered a crone now, for just everything still. The crone is the Fate of the future, and I wish she was represented in a less non flattering way.
So, this is much the same as the Triple God. But certain aspects of men verse woman are interesting to look at, namely the fact that woman are not seen as strong as men, they are shown to be delicate, and needing protection. But try to attack any mother in the animal kingdom and you could lose something you planned to use later.
What are your takes on the Triple Goddess?
