A woman in the prime of her life can be said to be living under the aspect of the Mother, who personifies fertility, growth, sexuality,
ripeness, strength, and stability. She is the gentle nurturer as well as the fierce lioness.
The Full Moon corresponds to the Mother, as does the color red and the seasons of Summer & Autumn.
Working with the Mother often happens when projects are reaching fruition, in rituals as part of marriage and childbirth, for protection of people or animals, and when working with plants.
Lastly, and by far the most misunderstood and yet in many ways the most deserving of reverence, is the Crone, who holds within her
all of the wisdom of the journeys of womanhood within her. The word crone once meant simply 'Wise Woman' and, in ancient times,
was a term of respect. The Crone was a voice of wisdom, an elder, a healer, a counselor, and a teacher, who had traveled the paths of
maiden and mother and possessed the accumulated wisdom of youth, adulthood, and old age.
She represented the fulfillment of maturity and the knowledge that could only be obtained through a life well lived.
The Waning moon is associated with the Crone. Like the moon phase, the death she represents is necessary for rebirth.
Winter is her season and her color is black. Working with the Crone is related to rituals that are about the ending of things (quitting a job, divorce, etc.), moving out of a home, passing through menopause, or dealing with a death.