Tantra’s Transition to Crone (a note from Jackie)

When Tantra left for her sabbatical, I knew things were about to change. For months, Tantra has been in the throes of ‘pre-transition’. As often happens when something no longer fits, everything begins to collapse, and even things which work become intolerable, because they are incorrect. This is the cycle of movement- building something, seeing if it can be sustained and maintained, and then letting go what does not hold to collapse as we build on what DOES hold.

So, when Tantra told me that she very much wanted to start a conversation about aging, it wasn’t a surprise to me. For years, at least as long as I have known her, she has said that at 72 she would be retreating from the world. And I see that happening now, as she moves fully into embracing the Crone stage of life. What I mean by this is that Tantra, always a wise woman and spiritual guide for many of us, is moving out of the stage where it is necessary to prove to the world she’s got the skills, or to put out her sandwich board and come up with a catchy jingle to try and entice people to listen to her. Now, she is moving into the space of being able to say ‘no, those that want to participate can find me’. I recall, years ago, having a dream about Tantra sitting on a hilltop, and Con, her dear friend in Ireland, was guiding people like a Sherpa to the top of the hill where she was waiting, and this is what I think she is moving into; a time where those who know her and her value, who wish to work closely with her in her work of evolving consciousness, will be bringing other like-minded folks to her.

When she was talking to me of her plans to focus some of her attention on the ‘privacy of aging’, I was clear how necessary the conversation is. The path of aging is something that everyone has to deal with, and society today doesn’t allow much room for honest, deep exploration of the ‘good bad and ugly’ of that process. To have someone giving voice to her own experience, and to allow room for others to express their own experience, or at least give validity to that experience and ‘permission’ to discuss it openly is something that is so necessary. We’ve seen this recently in many areas, where people once felt required to stay silent, but now are able to come together and speak out; supporting each other with their own stories and voices, giving strength to others to do the same- building a bigger and bigger field.

Fitting that she should have positioned her sabbatical to coincide with Halloween, Samhain in the old Celtic cycle- a time when the onset of Winter was welcomed as the world died down and began to rest in preparation for the vibrancy of Spring. Returning from her sabbatical, she can begin to embrace the endings of many things, laying to bed those things which no longer serve her, Creation, or her clients, and preparing the beds for what new possibilities will spring forth. I know I am looking forward to seeing what comes of this.

So, we will move into a transitional period, a process many of you have been through with Tantra before! For the month of November we will be looking carefully at each of the offerings Tantra makes time for: consults, public events, writings, etc and seeing if they still fit in this new phase. In December, we will be moving to a new mailing system, and Tantra will NOT be bringing her old mailing list forward. This means that if you wish to continue to move with her, you will need to re-subscribe. We’ll be sure to make the details how to do this available with plenty of time!  We will also be looking at the systems and structures that we have in place, and letting go of those that are now incongruous, ineffective, or no longer serve Tantra and her clients.

You will probably be hearing more from Tantra during this transitional period. Transparency is, as always, so important to her, and she believes that making sure the process of this transition includes all of you who wish to walk with her is vital.