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The seventh age of woman - death and beyond.
How do I react when I consider my death? Do I see dying as an integral part of living? Do I keep my death always before me - so that I will not squander this one and precious life?
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Old age. Crone. The sixth age of woman.
Old age is an invitation ... to reflect, to share, to re-orient the self, to reduce, to mentor, to celebrate, to be grateful. I wonder what riches are in store for me. The fifth age of woman ... adulthood. A time of reproduction and child-bearing. But we are not all willing or able or called to bear children. Some of us generate ideas and vision. Some of us sow seeds for future generations to reap. Some of us nurture and enable and empower the children of others. Consider these words by Thich Nhat Hanh... "When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow, do not blame the lettuce." When I first reflected on the seven ages of woman,
I hadn't considered where I fit - and I found I didn't:-( So I have added Empty Nest - that time after child-rearing and before retirement. There seems to be a desire to 'down-size' - to reflect on what is necessary and what is burdensome. There is a constant nagging to find meaningful work - to contribute to the quality of my life, of those I encounter, and of the wider community. There is an over-arching desire to live a compassionate life. I find I enjoy silence and seek solitude. Others relish the opportunity to engage in activities they have set aside during busier times in their life. Others like to mentor younger people - enabling and empowering. It is a time of transition - what do we use to help us cross the threshold? Young adulthood - the fourth age of woman.
How do we realise the idealism and potential of adolescence? Do we follow the advice of others or choose our own path? Are we enculturated or indoctrinated to act in a predetermined way? It is a time to follow our heart - to hold onto self-belief, to be brave and focussed, and enrich the world with our unique contribution. Adolescence is the third age of woman. A time filled with potential and promise. An age imbued with the innocence of childhood and the idealism of young adults. A roller-coaster ride of emotions and physical changes. A straining for independence. What do we use to light our path? Childhood is the second in the Seven Ages of Woman. I recollect play and creativity and freedom and drama; time and space to explore and relate and dream; a world rich in challenge and possibility; a life full of wonder and curiosity and desire to learn. As I stitched, I wondered: what suppresses these innate impulses? how do I re-create the simplicity and innocence of childhood without becoming childish? how do I reclaim and re-ignite the power of curiosity and wonder in my self and in my community? I have been thinking lately about the passage of time.
Have I been attentive to life's passages? How have I acknowledged the transition from one age to another? I happened upon a tutorial for hand-stitched dolls and agreed with the designer, Anna Branford, that they could be an honouring way to celebrate transition. Infancy is the first of several pouch dolls each exploring the seven ages of woman and beyond. I found it very healing to imagine my infancy - the expectant joy of my parents awaiting the arrival of their first child. A koan to ponder: "What was your face before your face in your mother's womb?" |
AuthorI am Liz Pearce. Making dolls allows my soul to sing and my spirit to soar. The dolls are companions for my journey. Categories
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