September 17 – 21, 2008
“Northwest Passages”
Doubletree Guest Suites
Seattle, WA

Crones Counsel XVI was held in Seattle, Washington. The Northwest Passage theme was incorporated into the activities, including Opening Ceremony, Storytelling, Crone Circles, Honoring the Elders and Closing Ceremony.

Story telling and Crone Circles were at the heart of the Gathering where the focus was on passages. Passages from one place to another, passages through narrow spaces when the light at the end was not apparent, rough passages and smooth. We have learned to ride the winds and waves, and according to legend, maybe even a whale. Stories of passages through the wind and waves of time, space and circumstance were shared. Laughter and tears, singing and dancing abounded.

 

Enid, my bus buddy, and I had a delightful bus ride into downtown Seattle where we had uninterrupted time to share stories and connect deeper with humor and wisdom. We found we had yet another connection: our nursing training had both begun in St. Louis — nearly 50 years apart. We were dropped off in front of the 1961 Space Needle. Just the short walk from the bus in the rain reminded us “desert dwellers” that sandals do not work for strolling. Enid suggested that we spend time observing all of greater Seattle from the top of the Needle. This gave us a majestic bird’s-eye tour while keeping our feet warmand dry…

Thank you to those who participated in the Advance Directives Workshop for Healthcare. I enjoyed sharing topics of aging with you. We told our grief and loss stories, and we learned from each other…
– Meg Randle

I found partaking in the Crones Circle was equally rewarding, as each woman shared her special knowledge, wisdom, and insight with the group. I discovered that one of the women in my group, Kianna Bader, lived fairly close to me in California and we agreed that we would stay in touch. I was given the opportunity to present a workshop on the “Sacred Feminine,” a program I had recently developed. I was hopeful that it would be well received by the women who attended. I was so encouraged by the positive energy of the group. It was a wonderful, life-affirming experience and the women there gave me the inspiration I needed to continue my work in the area of women’s spirituality.
– Marilyn Nutter