The Triple Goddess
*Original text from "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" by Silver RavenWolf*
���������The idea of triads involving Gods and Goddesses are much older than the Christian archetype. In the Craft, the triad is symbolized by the Maiden, Mother and Crone.
���������The Maiden signifies youth, the excitement of the chase, and the newness of life and of magick. In human age, the Maiden would be between puberty and her twenties. She doesn't have a mate. Her colors are soft and life, such as white, light yellow or pink.
���������The Mother stands for nurturing, caring and fertility. She is a woman in the prime of her life and is at the peak of her powers. She protects her own and will ensure that justice is done. The Mother usually has a mate. In human age, the Mother would be seen as a woman in her thirties to mid-forties. Her color are much warmer than that of the Maiden, such as green, red, or royal blue.
���������The Crone is a being of age-old Wisdom. She is shrewd and counsels well. She cares for the Maiden and the Mother along with the off-spring thereof. She is logical and can be terrible in her vengeance. She stands at the door to the dimension of death. In human years the Crone would be approximately 45 or older. The Crone is the most difficult of the three is put into human age because some women do not realize the heavy responsibilites that come when they give up lesser responsibilities are that associated with the Mother. The Crone's traditional colors are black, grey, brown and midnight blue.
���������In a coven specific women take the roles of the triple goddess. The High Priestess is usually considered the Mother, a young woman in the coven would represent the Maiden and an Elder (could be a past High Priestess) would represent the Crone.
���������Because Witches believe that in the beginning there was the Mother and all things come from her, the Triple Goddess role is more pronounced but is by no means more important than the role of the male. ���������