Croneology: Poetic Reflections on the Crone

Dear Friends, Poets and Sister Crones,

“Brigid! Keeper of the Flame! We gather in your name, never lost or forgotten.”  ~  Flora Ware

Imbolc Blessings! As the Goddess Persephone and the seeds of spring stir below, Saint Brigid’s Day feels like the perfect time to release my new book, ‘Croneology‘, into the world. The book introduction follows …

“Two years ago, a week before my sixtieth birthday, I had a profound dream where an old woman with a determined stride, walked right up to me and instructed me to write sixty new poems. Despite her age and heavily lined face, I noticed that she was exceptionally feisty! At first I thought I knew her because her face seemed so familiar to me, but I just could not place her. Dressed in old fashioned clothes, this spirited dream character ab-soul-utely terrified me! On waking, two thousand years and two minutes later, I thought ah, the archetypal Crone has paid me a visit and I must listen well. And so, as I followed her instruction and reached for my pen, Croneology began.

Alongside sixty new poems, including my Celtic inspired ‘Poetry of the Wheel’ series, I start this book with a spiralling Jungian themed essay about the Crone. I explore the stages of womanhood from a Greek mythological perspective, together with reflections on several important ‘outer’ and ‘inner’ events of my life in recent years. I include “The Healing of the Wounded Healer”, a prose poem that simply flowed out of me after I turned over the Tower card in an Ostara tarot spread. Truly, I had no idea it would be so challenging to step onto the Crone’s path, but here on the other side of Her first lesson, one of many I am sure, I would not miss this healing journey for the world.

Later, my croning ceremony held in sacred landscape provided much love and light, in contrast to many dark, transformative times. It marked a rite of passage that celebrates the wisdom I am slowly gaining and the new role of Crone I am taking on. These transitions, I know, are not just outer events, for they mirror the inner events of my integration with the archetypal Crone. And now, as I approach the threshold of retirement in the third act of womanhood, musing on what new adventures await, I hope my poetic reflections help to bring you a step closer to the Crone’s embrace on your own journey of individuation.”

For those interested, you can find the Ancient Crone who graces my front cover in the churchyard of St. George’s Church, in Crowhurst, Surrey. Known as the “Crowhurst Yew”, a male tree with a female branch, believed to be around four thousand years old, and yes, that wooden door is real! Likewise, the ancient yew roots displayed on the back cover can be found at Wakehurst Place, Sussex. In pure synchronicity, my mother’s name was “Yvonne”, a feminine name of French origin that means “yew” or “tree”. My wife, Linden (it’s a pattern, I know!), created these beautiful book covers. I love how everything connects so deeply!

If you would like to order a copy of ‘Croneology’ or any of my books, please visit my author profile on Blurb Bookshop or use the links on my Books page. At the top of the Blurb website page, you’ll find a flag in the right-hand corner. Click on the flag icon to select your country and the currency will automatically change. For example, post and packaging in the UK is priced at £7.99, so the total cost for a single book is around £17.50 or less. However, Blurb Books offer regular discounts, so be sure to check their website for more details. There’s usually a banner across the top of the page with a code to use when placing an order.

So, what’s next? After a short writing break, my next creative project will be to craft my archetypal, psychological and mythological memoir based on ‘Croneology’s’ central poem, “The Healing of the Wounded Healer”. I realise that a memoir will be my final opportunity to make revisions to the story I’m living, my last chance to reconcile holes in the plot and move my story forward to its inevitable end. While I’m uncertain about how or which myth to explore, these two books are proving to be excellent starting points as I contemplate, above and below, this brand new ancient journey. And so it begins …

Thank you so much for all the love, encouragement and inspiration you’ve generously and compassionately shown me over the years. In August 2025, I will celebrate a decade of blogging here on my poetry and Jungian thought website, where I’ve shared nearly every page of all my books with my loyal readers. Believe me when I say, I couldn’t have written ‘Croneology’, let alone my heart’s quaternity, without you. If you would like to post a review of any of my books after reading, please head over to my dedicated Books page to help spread the love and the word.

Before I go, I’m excited to share that I’ve just joined Substack and will be posting there soon. Stay tuned for my first newsletter, where I’ll be sharing my creative projects and connecting with kindred spirits. If you enjoy my writing, please subscribe to stay connected and support my work. For continuity, I’ve titled my publication The Liberated Sheep … I hope to see you there!

Lastly, for all those celebrating Imbolc and Saint Brigid’s Day today, please click the link at the end of Flora’s lyrics above to listen to her beautiful song in its entirety. It’s my all-time favourite Imbolc song!

Blessings always,

Deborah

 

© Deborah Gregory 2025
Image: Lin Gregory 2025

12 thoughts on “Croneology: Poetic Reflections on the Crone

  1. Oh my goodness Deborah, I’ve just returned from a short trip and now, catching up on my emails, I see this wonderful news. Congratulations on the birth of your fourth book – how exciting, my order has already been placed and I can’t wait to read it.

    You’ve chosen the perfect time to launch too – Imbolc, one of my favourite times of year. After the dull, cold days of January all the new shoots that come with this time brings new hope and a smile to my face, as I know spring is not far away. I have played Flora Ware’s song as I read your post – so haunting and ideal to celebrate this wonderful time! Thank you for sharing it. Many Imbolc blessings, Sophia.

    1. Imbolc blessings Sophia! I hope you had a wonderful trip. Thanks so much for your lovely, kind-hearted words and yay! for ordering a copy of ‘Croneology’. Imbolc has always felt like the ‘true’ start of the year for me (if that makes sense!) unlike January with its ‘false’ start. I don’t know why I feel this way but I do … and so I’m always looking forward to the great Wheel of the Year turn to February.

      Flora Ware’s beautiful song of Imbolc has been on a loop in my head all week! I love how she captures the essence of this stirring season. Many thanks for all your love, friendship and encouragement over the years … honestly, I couldn’t have done this without you! Love and light, Deborah.

  2. Beautiful!! My copy is ordered from Blurb. You produced your opus right when you said you would–so that’s the first miracle. I had to look up a female branch of a yew and learned that’s the branch with the most berries. That suits my interest at the moment since I’m reading The ServiceBerry by Robin Kimmerer and now I know female branches are laden with fruit. I know your book will be filled with poetic tasty berries and archetypal gifts. And it makes me happy to see Lin’s beautiful photography and to know you will both be on Substack. As we discussed, it may be time for me to step away from imagined big projects, but I can still read your books and whatever you share on Substack. It’s a world filled with plenty in the midst of the angry chaos if we keep looking to Nature to hold and help and teach us. Love to you and Lin–and thank you for your generous hearts. I can hardly wait to get your book in my hands.

    1. Thank you so much Elaine for sharing your own beautiful and generous heart! Oh, I’m over the moon that you’ve already ordered a copy of ‘Croneology’! Re the front cover, as soon as I discovered this incredible tree in one of Lin’s books, I knew I was looking at the front cover of my next book! Luckily, its location was only an hour’s drive from home.

      Stood before this ‘male’ tree, I smiled when I spotted a ‘female’ branch laden with berries. Back home, I researched further and discovered, to my delight that Yew trees, although not common, they can and do change sex! Nature’s wisdom never ceases to amaze, does it?! Great image for Crones and Elders, with integrated feminine and masculine aspects.

      I’m delighted that you love Lin’s photography too! Your support and encouragement mean the world to us. Yes, Substack will be our new adventure! As you begin to step away from long term writing projects, know that your pen and presence are deeply loved and valued by so many in this world. Nature, indeed holds and teaches us, offering plenty amidst the chaos.

      I can’t wait for you to hold ‘Croneology’ in your hands and (hopefully) experience those poetic and archetypal gifts within. Robin’s new book ‘The Serviceberry’ (I loved ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’!) sounded such a treat that I’ve just added it to my ever-growing wish list. Sending you much love and light across the oceans and oak tops between us, Deborah.

  3. This is very exciting news Deborah! You continue to be an inspiration to me personally and I know to many, many others. Happy Imbolc and St. Brigid day. May love surround you always.
    My fractured radius on left wrist is still in a cast. And while it’s been a great handicap in many ways, so far I’ve survived it and I give grateful thanks for my blessings. I’ve HAD to pause. Today is the first day in a long while I’ve felt fractionally better. Must be the stirrings of St. Brigid & Imbolc even though the hemispheres are far apart. But, there’s a radius there that transcends distance.
    Much love, susan

    1. Happy Imbolc and Saint Brigid’s Day to you too Susan. Thank you so much for your kind-hearted and generous words! Please know that I’m always deeply touched by your love, friendship and inspiration throughout the years – especially your great skill of what I call ‘wordplay’! Radius, hmm, I see what you did there! May love & blessings always surround you too.

      I’m so sorry to hear about your fractured radius, but pleased you’re feeling better. Pausing sounds like it’s been the best way to recover. The energy of St. Brigid and Imbolc indeed transcends distance, bringing hope and renewal to us all. For me, Imbolc is when the year truly begins. Sending much love and light, hope and healing, across the oceans between us, Deborah

        1. Many thanks dear Susan, love to you and yours. What a transformational ‘Year of the Snake’ 2025 is going to be, as old skins are shred and new beginnings emerge.

  4. That is a splendid summary of the efforts behind your remarkable works, my dear Deborah. I hope readers seize this excellent opportunity to acquire these treasures. I am sending you my best wishes and blessings.

    1. Thank you so much Aladin for all the love, inspiration and encouragement you’ve so freely given me over the years! I couldn’t have written this book without you and your wise, generous heart. I hope you’re enjoying a restful and relaxing weekend. Love and light, Deborah.

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