She's a woman of "a certain age." Our culture thinks those words are better than saying "she's old." Well, I'm a woman of a certain age. I'm certain of who I am, certain of what I want, and certain of what I have to offer the world. I'm 72 and I'm a Crone. I claimed that title in a ritual called "Croning." 

A croning can never be like a surprise birthday party or a married-at-first-sight reality show. When a woman decides to claim the title of Crone, she needs to prepare herself. Doing so could take a full year, or more. 

There are many kinds of croning rituals. The one I created is detailed in this episode.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Deeply Into the Bone: Re-Inventing Rites of Passage by Ronald L. Grimes

Crones Don't Whine: Concentrated Wisdom for Juicy Women, by Jean Shinoda Bolen , MD

The Grandmothers, an oracle deck, by Megan Garcia