The Archetypal Journey of the Wise Woman and Why Midlife Is the Most Potent Time of a Woman’s Life
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 30
- 5 min read
Elaine McGoogan is the founder of The Oneness of You and is a transformational guide promoting self-realisation and oneness. She focuses on embodied transformation and holistic self-awareness. Her programmes, 'Transformational Journey' and 'Living Your Magnificence', aim to reveal an individual's true essence expressed through the body.
There’s a moment quiet, unassuming when a woman realises she can no longer tolerate the superficial. It might come after a big life event, or it might arrive slowly, gently. But suddenly, she finds herself yearning for something deeper. Richer. Truer.
This is the start of the Wise Woman's journey.
It doesn’t necessarily arrive with grey hair or retirement. In fact, in my work with women across many different life stages, I’ve seen this energy awaken in those as young as their late 30s, though it often begins in earnest somewhere in midlife.
The point is, this isn’t about age. It’s about openness to your own inner world, to your intuition, to the deeper rhythms of life.
This is a journey of reclamation. Not just of wisdom, But of life force, the vibrant, sensual, creative current that society often tells us fades with age. The truth? It deepens.
The crone, the wise woman: Letting go, leaning in
If you’re completely exhausted by all the roles you’ve been playing and ready to let go of what came before, you might find yourself standing at the doorway of the Crone archetype.
The Crone isn’t the old hag society warns us about. She’s the truth-teller. The boundary-setter. The one who sees through the nonsense and no longer needs to perform.
The Crone archetype does not ask for permission. She arrives when the old ways no longer fit. She invites us to peel back illusion, release identities that no longer serve, and embrace endings as sacred. Her medicine is that of truth, sovereignty, and soul-level discernment. Often solitary, always powerful, the Crone is the one who whispers: You were never meant to shrink to fit. Stand tall in your knowing.
For me, the Crone showed up when I started to say no without apology. When I stopped tolerating energy-draining conversations or keeping peace at my own expense, when I realised I could hold both love and discernment in the same breath.
The Crone doesn’t need approval. She seeks authenticity. And when she arrives, life begins to reorient around truth.
The heart: Coming home to the centre
As we walk further into this journey, it’s the Heart that begins to take centre stage. I don’t just mean the emotional heart we’re talking about the archetypal Heart: the deep inner centre that connects us to life, love, grief, and joy, everyone and everything. The archetypal Heart brings us to the portal to connection and coherence.
The Heart asks us to feel everything tenderness and pain as well as radiance. It’s where old griefs come to be witnessed, not fixed. It’s also where we reconnect with our joy-deep, resonant joy that comes from simply being alive and in our truth. It’s our bold, steady centre that holds paradox and loves unconditionally. To live from the Heart is to walk the path of embodied wisdom.
For me, this part of the journey feels like softening into who I’ve always been, underneath all the roles. It’s slower. It's more real.
The vision: Seeing beyond the horizon
There’s a kind of vision that sharpens in midlife. Not the 5-year-plan kind, but a soul-vision. A clarity about what really matters.
I often encourage women I work with to pay attention to synchronicities, dreams, and gut feelings. These aren't fluff they’re invitations. Your inner Vision is speaking, and often it’s saying: Let go of the noise. Come closer to what’s true.
Vision in this context isn’t just about planning for the future it’s about perceiving what truly matters.
Vision doesn't always look logical. But it feels deeply aligned. That’s how you know.
This archetypal energy sharpens our imagination, but grounds it in purpose. Vision tells us not just what is possible, but what is essential.
Eros: The sacred flame within
And finally, the why of our journey, the initiation – Eros. This archetypal energy is often the most misunderstood, especially in women over 40. We've been told for so long that sensuality, desire, and creative fire fade with age.
But Eros isn’t only about sexuality it’s about aliveness. It’s about that feeling of being in the flow, in your body, in your joy. It’s the spark that ignites art, intimacy, dance, and laughter. It is deeply vital.
Too often, women are taught to suppress Eros as they age, as though desire and vitality are reserved for the young.
But in truth, Eros is our life force. It is what animates the wise woman’s presence, her art, her laughter. Eros connects us to nature, to pleasure, to the divine. It’s a sacred reminder that we are still becoming, even as we are ripening.
That’s Eros: the life force reminding you you’re still here. You’re still becoming. You’re still alive.
The wise woman’s path: Walking home to ourselves
The journey isn’t neat. It doesn’t unfold in a straight line. One moment you feel grounded in your Heart, the next you’re questioning everything. That’s normal. The path may be quieter, more solitary, but also more luminous.
The key is to listen. To honour the archetypes as they arise, The Crone, The Heart, The Vision, Eros –not as abstract ideas but as living energies within you.
There will be surprises. Synchronicities. Times when old friendships fall away and deeper alignments emerge. Moments of deep remembering.
Let the Crone help you release. Let the Heart teach you how to feel. Let Vision guide your becoming. Let Eros remind you that you’re not just wise, you’re also wild, sensual, and alive.
You are not fading. You are ripening
If you find yourself standing at the doorway of this powerful archetypal energy, I would love to support you on the journey. Through energetic work, what no longer serves you can be cleared and space opened for the magic that’s waiting to unfold. Visit here to learn more about my offerings and connect, I look forward to walking this path with you!
Read more from Elaine McGoogan
Elaine McGoogan, Energy Worker & Transformational Coach
Elaine knew from the age of 30 that her mission in life was to support people energetically during change and transformation. She understands very well the challenges we face when making changes, having travelled and lived in many countries. The biggest constant in her life has been her work in the fields of energy and transformation. She trained for 6 years with the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, focussing on energetic body-centred personal process and healing, and has been working with clients since 2007. Elaine is particularly adept at creating a safe space for clients to explore their true nature, their magnificence, and mastery. A space that connects you to the bigger field of all possibilities.
.jpg)
