Meeting the Enchantress

Some of you know that I have been open and embracing about my journey with “the BIG M” - menopause. Upon a routine visit to my doctor for annual bloodwork, my hormone levels were tested, because I was “at that age” when you look at that stuff. I remember vividly receiving a follow-up phone call where the kindly nurse simply said, ‘well, your estrogen levels indicate that you have entered menopause.”

And that was that.

I remembered hanging up the phone and thinking - wait just a damn minute! That’s it?!? I mean, in our culture we tend to celebrate young girls and their first menarche, and then we pull out all the stops for the wedding, and don’t forget the baby shower when we are becoming a mother - LOTS of celebrations.

But after that? Silence.

Well, I wasn’t having it! I called up several of my besties - some who had been through menopause, some who were in perimenopause - and we gathered for a beautiful afternoon of craft making, journaling & reflection, deep discussions and even deeper laughter, capped off by a “Crone Ceremony” where we honored each other for all our wisdom and achievements in this life. It was beautiful and just what I needed.

While I have enjoyed some of the gifts of menopause (increased confidence, stronger boundaries, deeper friendships, no more f*cks to give, etc.), I still felt like something was missing in our reclaiming the Crone archetype. No disrespect to her whatsoever, to be sure, the Cailleach is formidable and I aspire to embody her strength. It just feels like there was a part of the story that we’ve overlooked.

Enter Lauren, a menstrual cycle coach, small business mentor, and creative cheerleader who lives in Scotland (swoon!). You can find out more about her here: Finding Julian | Creative Menstrual Cycle Coaching

My beloved Nature’s Coven invited her to come and speak to us about women’s cycles and I fell in love! She took us on a journey through women’s cycles, and while most philosophies describe the feminine life cycle as the triple goddess - Maiden, Mother, Crone - Lauren aligns the cycles with the 4 seasons. And get this - the cycles are: Spring - Maiden, Summer - Mother, Winter - Crone, and the forgotten season…

Autumn - the ENCHANTRESS. Oh, HELL yes!

Lauren indicated that this stage is really from the years of 50 - 75 and is marked by increased value on autonomy, authenticity, emotional depth, and stepping into full power. She is the Enchantress - she knows who she is and what she wants, and this is VERY very sexy. In fact, she may feel a sort of “spring-like” awakening as she leans into juicy sensuality with her body and senses, enjoying all that life has to offer her. She is the magician, carries a sword to cut the ties that bind her and fight fiercely for who and what she loves. Again, I’m not resisting becoming a Crone, I just want the full seasonal cycle experience - there is no need for us to rush any of these seasons of our lives.

So, what does this all really mean for me? Well, for one, I just really love the idea of being an enchanting goddess who wields a sword! (Still looking for my Aragorn, btw…) Deeper than that is the idea that I can take my time, savor the experience of ALL the seasons of my life and lean into their wisdom.

Our culture tends to write off women after their kids leave the nest, and for those of us who never had kids, well, some of us can be damn near invisible. I think its vitally important for us to keep telling these archetypal stories so that we can reclaim the narrative and own our power. It is potent and it is more needed than ever. For me, there are some days (many days) that I need to take up that sword and remind myself that I have something powerful and valuable to share with the world, that I am not “past my prime”, I am the embodiment of it. I am the sacred energy of LIFE. I am the sun, the moon, the energy that causes the planets to dance in the cosmos.

I am that I am.

In our February Nature’s Coven, we journeyed with the goddess Estsantalehi, the Dine/Navajo sky goddess of change and time. She is always changing - she is young in the summer and old in the winter. It is said that as she ages, she walks into the direction of the rising sun, where she is met with her younger self and is renewed. She is the Turquoise Woman who took the sun as her husband.

Now, THAT is the very definition of the Enchantress. And like her, I will take the sun as my lover and dance and sing all the rest of my days.

The Sun As My Lover

how you creep in gently

to part the door of our bedroom

your warmth reaching

for me

over the horizon

and through my window

slowly advancing

across the landscape

of my skin

your gentle embrace

the kiss on my cheek

you linger

winding your way

into my heart

to ignite the sacred flame

of our love

you whisper to me

like dappled light

through clouds

to tell me that

behind the darkest sky

you are always

with me

and you will

never

leave