All Hallows: Senex, Crone and Refusing Despair

We come to the end of the Celtic Year on Oct 31. Because I am traveling during this period of time I’m providing links to previous All Hallows blogs, all of which I loved writing. Many of recently subscribed folk have not seen them, and others may enjoy revisiting their favorites. These previous blogs focus on Crone energy.

In this blog I offer some information about the Senex. A straightforward explanation is available at Wikipedia and a gift both archetypes can offer: Refusing Despair.

A Few Comments about Senex and Refusing Despair

I have not written about the Senex archetype before. The Wise Old Man is an honored role, and I’m privileged to know many worthy men who embrace being in their Senex role. Wikipedia has a good summary at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wise_old_man

Robert Bly, poet and storyteller, explored both being one and having others come as teachers to his annual Great Mother Conference. A friend from that conference, Nils Peterson, fully embraces his Senex role.

Nils comments:

Yesterday there was a party here at my senior residence to celebrate all those who were born in October. … One woman who was there will be 100. So, on we go. As I said, “Aging is a kind of war,” but this can be a good war and you are privileged if you get a chance to fight in it, mostly. You won’t win, but you can have fun along the way. That is a kind of victory.

Nils is a poet and musician. I think these quotes open up a wider view of Senex energy:

I was privileged to sing in the chorus for a performance of Vaughn Williams” First Symphony, a choral symphony based on Walt Whitman’s poetry and quite wonderful. “Passage to India” is the basis for the fourth movement, a movement filled with astonishment. I can’t say my thought begins to span that “vast Rondure,” but it certainly begins to brood over it a lot.

Almost at the end of it, this is what he sings (you can say writes if you feel pedestrian).

Sail forth— steer for the deep waters only,
Reckless O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me,
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

I don’t feel as bold or as brave as these words, but I admire them, and in truth, I’ve been impressed, that is in the old sense of being taken up against your will to be a sailor, by Captain Time and we’re setting off. Right now, land is still in sight, but we’re entering the uncharted sea … which once seemed so far.
Well, Captain Time has rounded the Horn and carried me along. We’re entering the Sea of 90. What disasters and wonders will we find?

Photo by Hossein Nasr on Unsplash

About Despair

Nils wrote two years ago:

All of the while I’m writing this I’m aware of the wars in Israel, the Ukraine, and know that there are many more places in the world where similar things are happening that I just don’t know about.
In one way, I’m like Nero fiddling.

In another I’m trying to vote for living in a good world and not casting my ballot for despair.

Despair is a harder enemy than aging. It insists on a giving up, an unconditional surrender, a living death. We must not let it win.

I think I’ll go read some Mary Oliver, better than booze or drugs. They’re secret agents of despair.

I have let these words grow in me, teaching me that Despair is an enemy to be fought with Hope. The more evil the world seems the more we Wayfarers can embody its opposite. Stop “doomscrolling” and go to work building our sense of Hope for the Future, for kindness and wisdom. We are all Light Carriers for life’s companions.

A Few Comments about Crone and links to previous All Hallows blogs featuring Crones

Crone in our time is a term used for a wise elder woman. Crone from the 14th Century to recently referred to a cranky, ugly elder woman. Senex is the male word for her counterpart but has always meant “wise old man.” We will hear women say “I’m a Crone now,” based on a birthday they judge as being putting them in the elder category. I have a friend who said that when she turned 40, sadly. 40 is the age of a Matron, a fully knowledgeable woman working in the spheres of her choice.

Here is the link to a previous All Hallows blog about being Crone—the page also has links to three other blogs about All Hallows.

Please feel free to comment and I’ll respond to them when I return from traveling.

This blog was composed by Lola Wilcox with the benefit of AI for Apple Air spellcheck and grammar, internet research for multiple components of the blog, and author verification of quotes/poems. Unless indicated otherwise, I am the author of the text.