Maiden, Mother, Crone: The Triple Goddess Journey

The idea of the Triple Goddess – expressed through the archetypes of Maiden, Mother, and Crone – is one of the most enduring symbolic frameworks for understanding the cycles of life.

The Triple Goddess is widely associated with modern Paganism and Jungian archetypal psychology, but its roots stretch back much further, going all the way back to classical mythology and prehistoric goddess worship.

The Maiden, Mother, and Crone are symbolic for the developmental stages in women’s lives, as well as universal forces within the human experience. Jung himself did not explicitly frame these three as a triad, but later Jungian analysts (e.g., Jean Shinoda Bolen) linked them to stages of feminine identity.

These archetypes are ways of understanding how we become, create, and eventually let go. Each stage has value, and its own lessons to teach. When we see them as connected, we begin to understand our lives differently.

The cycle of becoming → creating → releasing

The Maiden-Mother-Crone arc isn’t just symbolic of life, it’s a recurring cycle that shows up everywhere once you start noticing it. 

No matter where we are at in life, there are always things growing and coming to an end. The Triple Goddess arc is a beautiful reminder of the impermanence of life and can help us make peace with these natural transitions.

The archetypal journey of Maiden, Mother, Crone

1. Becoming: The Maiden archetype

Keywords: youth, curiosity, beginnings
Age: adolescence, early adulthood
Moon phase: waxing crescent
Passage: initiation, threshold, self-discovery
Season: spring

The Maiden archetype represents a slow awakening, a time full of possibility and curiosity. In mythology, we encounter her, among others, in the stories of Persephone and Brigid. The Maiden is curiosity in motion. She represents the courage to step into the unknown and can guide us in times of new beginnings. This is a season to explore, learn, and, yes, even make mistakes, as they are part of becoming who we are.

The Maiden’s energy can also tip into shadow. When unbalanced, she may be too naive or passive, resist commitment or shy away from taking responsibility for her life. In shadow, the Maiden becomes a drifter, easily manipulated or taken advantage of, searching for herself in everything outside her. The lesson here is balance: to explore boldly while not losing herself.

2. Creating: The Mother archetype

Keywords: creation, nurture, abundance
Age: adulthood, midlife
Moon phase: full moon
Passage: responsibility, fertility, growth
Season: summer

The Mother embodies creation in its fullest form, literally carrying the ability to bring life into being. Even though birth is a typical rite of passage in the life of a woman, this phase is not necessarily about having children per se. The Mother, or Nurturer, archetype shows up whenever we start taking responsibility and pour love into something, hoping to make it grow. Whether a child, community or an idea – what was once potential, now comes into being.

Yet in the shift from Maiden to Mother, the outpour of energy can become a burden. As we can see in the myth of Demeter, this archetype’s shadow emerges when she over-identifies with her role as giver, protector, or caretaker, forgetting her sense of self. The Mother's greatest challenge is remembering to tend to her own as lovingly as she tends to what she cultivates, and to look ahead with the optimism and courage of her younger self.

3. Releasing: The Crone archetype

Keywords: wisdom, transformation, release
Age: elderhood, later life
Moon phase: waning/dark moon
Passage: endings, reflection, legacy
Season: autumn/winter

The Crone emerges as the Mother’s work of creating and sustaining begins to wane. In nature and life, on truth is unavoidable: everything must come to an end. In Greek mythology, we witness Hecate standing at the crossroads, holding the lantern of guidance between worlds; in Celtic lore, the Cailleach rules the winter. This is a time for reflection, and often an opportunity to guide others through the changes we've been through ourselves.

Even so, the transition from Mother to Crone can feel like loss. You may struggle to let go of youth, of former roles, of relevance. In her shadow, the Crone is at risk to withdraw into bitterness, clinging to the past or resenting what has changed. This stage can be emotionally difficult, but we can use it to honor endings (and the later stages of life) as sacred passages. The Crone’s true gift is showing that every ending holds the opportunity for a new beginning, closing the circle only so it can turn again.

A critical perspective on the Triple Goddess arc

The Triple Goddess is a poetic and empowering framework, yet, I think it's important not to take it at face value. (That's good advice in general when working with feminine archetypes, as it is not a system that is meant to put us into boxes, but to teach and liberate us.)

Nowadays, women live longer than ever, and many feel like three stages are by now means enough to describe the fullness of a human life. Also, while motherhood remains a central female experience, not every woman is able to or desires to have children of her own. This is also why, personally, I prefer to work with the term Nurturer instead of Mother for this specific archetype.

In general, the number of archetypes is not limited, nor is it linear. There are many other archetypes associated with adulthood, such as the Queen, Huntress or the Mystic. Potentially, they all live in us.

We also may find ourselves catapulted back to the Maiden stage at any point of our lives, be that after a divorce, finding our way out of loss or embracing a career change.

Still, I believe the Maiden-Mother-Crone transition has its place, as it gives us the language to understand the transformations we go through. It also beautifully places value on aging and endings, something that is often neglected in modern culture.

I suggest to hold the arc lightly: to use it as a symbol, not something set in stone.

Affirmations for each stage

If you want to connect more deeply with each archetype, here is a set of affirmations that can help you anchor the energy of the three goddesses into daily life.

You can use these words as gentle reminders, say them out loud, repeat them as an inner mantra or use them for your journaling practice. Feel free to make them your own. What matters most is the intention: to honor where you are in the cycle and to welcome its wisdom into your journey.