Date of Award
5-2011
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies
Department
Holistic Health
First Advisor
Carol Geisler
Department/School
Holistic Health Studies
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to describe the lived experience of women who resonate or activate crone archetypal images. The literature describes the crone archetype as a pre-existent form in the collective unconscious that embodies instinctive ways of channeling wisdom, inner knowing, and intuition, guiding us through the transition of life, and going inward to bring forth the light for transformation. When women resonate or activate the crone archetypal image they tap into the psyche, to reclaim primordial images and receive the power within them that honor older women. Seven in-depth interviews were completed with older women who described their experiences of resonating with crone archetypal images. In order to reflect the psycho-spiritual nature of this research, the method utilized was organic inquiry. To ensure this research reflected the women‟s perspective about their experiences and in their voice, critical feminist ethnographic principles were employed. The results of the interviews demonstrated that when the women resonated with their images, they embodied the dynamic forms of the crone archetype explained in the literature. However, most significant was the finding that the women affirmed their authentic self and trusted their inner feminine way of knowing. The implications of this research suggest that when women resonate or activate crone archetypal images that honor older women, they find a positive sense of self and purpose that ultimately can benefit society and integrate them into the culture as they transition through aging.
Recommended Citation
Ott, Joanne Sienko. (2011). The Crone Archetype: Women Reclaim Their Authentic Self by Resonating with Crone Images. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/ma_hhs/17