Creatrix Rising

Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women

By: Stephanie Raffelock

Narrated by: Stephanie Raffelock

Ever since Eve was banned from the garden, women have endured the oftentimes painful and inaccurate definitions foisted upon them by the patriarchy. Maiden, mother, and crone, representing the three stages assigned to a woman’s life cycle, have been the limiting categories of both ancient and modern (neo-Pagan) mythology. And one label in particular rankles: crone. The word conjures a wizened hag - useless for the most part, marginalized by appearance and ability.

None of us has ever truly fit the old-crone image, and for today’s midlife women, a new archetype is being birthed: the creatrix.

In Creatrix Rising, Stephanie Raffelock lays out - through personal stories and essays - the highlights of the past 50 years in which women have gone from a quiet strength to a resounding voice. She invites us along on her own transformational journey by providing probing questions for reflection so that we can flesh out and bring to life this new archetype within ourselves. If what the Dalai Lama has predicted - that women will save the world - proves true, then the creatrix will for certain be out front, leading the pack.

©2021 Stephanie Raffelock (P)2022 Stephanie Raffelock

A keeper

Last year, Creatrix Rising was one of my Top 21 Reads of 2021. After this re-read, it’s one of my favorites of 2022 as well. With nearly 4,000 unread books in my TBR mountain, I don’t often re-read. I made an exception for this book because I know my time and attention will be rewarded with invaluable pearls of wisdom, uplifting affirmations, and unparalleled inspiration.

"These writings are meant to inspire you to tell your own story about how you are claiming your voice as a mature woman, and to recognize how truly powerful, remarkable, and noble that is.”

Read by Ms. Raffelock herself in her pleasingly melodious voice, the Creatrix Rising audiobook takes on a conversational tone. It is more informal, more intimate, and more personal than the written version. If the listener takes the time to respond to the guide questions in the For Reflection, Activity, and Journaling section as I did, the audiobook becomes even more interactive. In this version, Ms. Raffelock’s role as mentor, friend, and confidante is magnified.

"You’ve been passed a torch. Now you hold that light to help not only yourself, but other women as well. It’s time to name and claim your power.”

Impactful. A book that deserves space in the Keeper Shelf. I will re-read and re-listen to this every year.

Short but powerful memoir \ call to action

CREATRIX RISING is a short but powerful read on the power of mature women, and women in general.
In this book, Ms. Raffelock is suggesting the replacement of CRONE in the Maiden, Mother, Crone archetypes with that of the Creatrix. Creatrix here is used to describe older women as still vital to society, creating and teaching, rather than withering away. Honestly, I’ve not spent a lot of time thinking about crone as it applies to women outside of fairy tales, or myself, in particular. (My feminist line in the sand is being called a spinster. Having a spouse does not make one complete. Especially when someone is too young to make that decision.) Given that, I appreciate the acknowledgment and the importance of older women in society.

“… here in America, we shame women for growing older, rather than revere them.” [Punctuation my own. Audio downside!]

Men are allowed to age gracefully in society. Here’s to women doing the same!
I found the memoir portion of CREATRIX RISING meaningful, especially in the context of the lineage of women who came before the author or influenced the author in her life. Notably, I identified with the section of the novel where Ms. Raffelock describes time spent with her grandmother, gardening, cooking, learning. This was very poignant for me, remembering my own time spent with my grandparents. My mother has on more than one occasion pointed out the importance of grandmothers to young children. And I would agree, wholeheartedly.
CREATRIX RISING includes guided prompts for journaling and reflecting. While it’s difficult to reflect while listening\driving (HELLO BIG SEMI!), I can easily see myself listening to prompts, pausing the audio narration, reflecting, and then resuming the narration. I can also see having a print or ebook copy in addition to the audio for jotting down notes or thoughts.
I listened to the audiobook of CREATRIX RISING, which is narrated by author Stephanie Raffelock. The narration is conversational and intimate. It’s similar to what I imagine a conversation with Ms. Raffelock would be. The author’s familiarity with the subject makes listening enjoyable. As I listened, I can’t compare it to the reading sensation. As of this writing, 80% of my reading this year has been via audiobooks. I’d rank the listening experience of this novel near the top of my list of listens for the year. The audio production is smooth, with no issues. (I listened at 1.25x speed.)
Part memoir, part self-help\how to\call to action, CREATRIX RISING is an inspirational tool for any human, and highly recommended in any format.

Compelling Self Discovery Memoir

The author takes a stance on highlighting aspects of her life where she has worked to take back the authority taken from women by men for decades. She shares stories of family, the choices of women in her life, relationships, survival, recovery, healing, loss, forgiveness, and her life in the workforce. She talks about the impact of every relationship she developed and her connection to her ancestors. She begins to fully understand the choices her mother and grandmother made in their lifetime and starts to see them as the women they were. Throughout the entire novel, we get a chance to truly understand how the author has grown to become the person she is today. She finally finds her voice and learns to share her story and allow her story to impact others. This includes her being able to watch her life come full circle and inevitably achieving her dream of becoming a writer.

This central text provides such a diverse set of contexts that you are able to connect to every story shared, every moment of realization, and every relationship dissection. I highly recommend this novel to any woman regardless of age. This novel highlights many aspects of a woman’s life and the challenges women continue to face. It will reignite a fire in you that encourages the reader to give themselves space for their creative minds to prosper. This book and author are truly one of a kind and I cannot encourage you to run to shelves to grab yourself a copy of it.

My own personal cheerleader! Go 55-year-old me!

"We leave one beauty behind us for another that rises with the moon."

Almost exactly a year after reading CREATRIX RISING (that print review below), I listened to it. The author's outstanding narration adds a whole new layer of richness to the book. I found myself noting all new passages and absorbing new truths that apply to the now fifty-five-year-old me. We change a lot in a year!

One stand-out again is that Raffelock reminds us that we should be living life on our own terms. I realized that I am mildly uncomfortable with this truth, but I'm doing it. I am learning that it's okay to do things for me when it makes others -friends, family, business associates - who are accustomed to me living my life on their terms, unhappy. (What I have found is that they get over it.)

I am so impressed with Raffelock's level of self-awareness and her ability to self-assess. I am pretty good with these skills, too, but Raffelock goes one step better -- she takes action. #goals I know I'll get there.

As I have revisited chapters in my print copy, I will revisit them on audio to hear Stephanie Raffelock, my own personal cheerleader, coaching me in the right direction.

2021 Print Copy Review
We weave together tales of our past and present, helping us make sense of the ideal we strive for: the freedom to do life on our own terms.

Reading Stephanie Raffelock's book -- part memoir, part call to action -- was so powerful and empowering. Her fascinating life stories, and how she learned and grew from them, force the reader to reflect upon her own life stories and the people who helped mold her into what she is today. Raffelock reminds us that we can break those molds at any time or stretch them to fit who we want to be. But more importantly, Raffelock shows how women all have the potential to evolve and take their rightful places in the world by throwing out the horrible accepted norms and definitions of mid-life women.

I'm past the mid-life point, and Raffelock's pointed (and more subtle) questions she poses for self-reflection are ones I will keep revisiting as I continue to reinvent myself and grow.

Highly recommend CREATRIX RISING for ages 40+ women -- and for the men who are in their lives.

Become Best Version of You

A year ago, I read Creatrix Rising in September 2021. When I got the chance to listen to review the audiobook edition I jumped on it and I’m so ecstatic I did.

The Creatrix Rising audiobook became the perfect reminder of the positive uplifting affirmations from the actual book I read. And to be honest, have needed it in these last few months of my busy life.

The message from this author is for older women to not stand still, not become some old croone is enhanced with the audio version. That’s the beauty of this book – it shows women that accepting your past, talking about it, and evolving to become better is what is supposed to happen. All women should evolve to become better than we were in our 30s and 40s.
Thankfully, Stephanie is not the first person I have encountered stating the Bible is a metaphor for living for a past long gone. I love how Stephanie helped teach women in a detention center.

The author performed her own audio for her book. Her voice is pleasantly pleasing and her story is ecstatically delivered. I listened at 2x the speed. Inflections of her words and tone were perfect.

The only challenging part of the audiobook is that after each chapter Stephanie provides a follow-up area for readers to delve into personal practice on reflecting, activities, and journaling you can do at your own pace.

Creatrix Rising is an impeccable book reminding me to stop self-doubting myself. And it will remind you as a woman to stop self-doubting yourself. Creatrix Rising is the perfect audiobook for women ages 30 – 80 who have no time to actually read and most importantly to help you become and create the woman you want to be. Now to make this so…

Stephanie’s Creatrix Rising is the perfect book to help you become a better you.

I love this writer!

This author is a storytelling poet. Her words are melodic and she paints a crisp clear picture that ignites all of your senses! A great book for women. Particularly 40 and up. She teaches us this can be the most magical time in our life where so many just call it empty nest. It was also great to hear it in her voice.

Phenomenal job on narration!

Creatrix Rising is not only an encyclopedia of spirituality in the aging process, but for men it’s also a blueprint of how to help and understand a woman going through one of the worst periods in her life: menopause.

I initially wanted to read Creatrix Rising to maybe give me some insight to my wife’s emotions as she continues to annually climb another rung on the ladder of aging. However, I quickly learned that this book is not only for women, but for anyone experiencing the aging process (including men). A good part of the book is unisex. After all, even men experience internal changes-both physical and non-physical- during the aging process.

The first few chapters discuss the author’s broken family, her relationship with her mother, as well as the hole of self-deprecation she ends up in after leaving home before finishing high school. Including all that in the beginning of the book did two things for me. First, it provided a basis for everything that was to come, and second, the candor in the author’s writing in those first few chapters lended credibility to what was to come.

The talk about menstruation and menopause really blew me away! I guess I never really thought about what menstruation means to a woman psychologically. But more importantly, I was completely clueless on what menopause does to a woman both psychology and physically. (I so wish I could have read this book before my wife took that journey.)

The subject of spirituality comes up many, many times. Not so much in a religious context (but there is some of that), but rather in a psychological sense - our inner being.

The author wrote (said), “In music, it’s not just the notes you play. It’s the spaces between the notes - the notes you don’t play - that lend themselves to the character of a piece of music.” She said that as an example of looking inwardly; what we don’t see is just as important as what we do see. For example (in my mind), if you look inside and don’t see hate, you’re doing good. If, however, you look inside and don’t see love or empathy, you’re in trouble.

There is also homework. At the end of each chapter, there is a section called Reflection, Activity and Journaling. One of the chapters gave the reader this assignment: “How would you describe yourself using only positive words? Write them down and let yourself take in the description.”

As you can imagine, there is much discussion about our psychological and spiritual life and well being. In another related assignment, the author said, “Coloring, doodling or working with clay are great ways to bring out your creative nature and to contemplate the current state of your life.” I never really considered that before, but she’s absolutely correct, in my opinion.

I was quite surprised by the Epilogue. It was called, “The Gift of COVID-19 from the Perspective of the Creatrix.” In this chapter, the author gave Coronavirus a real persona and discussed thoughts and actions from that perspective. I found it quite ingenious and interesting!

If you are unaware, author Stephanie Raffelock does the narration in this audiobook. Technically, the narrator can “make or break” the success of an audiobook. In my opinion, the author did a phenomenal job! She has a very calming and engaging voice, instantly putting the listener at ease. As the author, she was able to provide the proper timbre in the proper places. Her voice helps the listener to look internally and reflect on what is found.

I’m sure I could gush for many additional paragraphs, but I think you get the idea by now. My enjoyment and engagement of this book are over the top! I cannot think of anything else that will only take four hours and forty-three minutes of my life, yet provide so much information and advice.

Part memoir, part self-help, completely inspiring!

In "Creatrix Rising," author Stephanie Raffelock introduces and discusses society’s, including women’s, beliefs about a woman’s place in the world once reaching menopause. Early women’s studies have classified a woman’s life into three ordered stages or archetypes: maiden, mother, and crone. It seems that we as a society have an ingrained sense that a woman’s entire worth culminates during the mother phase, on one’s ability to produce children. Once that is no longer an option, a woman moves into the crone phase, one of less or no value.

As I’ve aged, and as my friends and family have also done so, I have heard that wistfulness in the tone of voice when we talked about entering menopause. It is a change to one’s identity, much like when one retires. (But as I liked to think when I retired, I’m just retiring from HERE (that job), I’m not retiring from life. Frankly, I’ve got stuff to do, places to go, and people to see.) But even before retiring from a job, menopause happens, and the insidious labeling of irrelevance can start to invade. Raffelock proposes we jettison the image of the crone as no longer relevant and replace it with the more accurate archetype of Creatrix: a woman who is comfortable and free to be true to herself and embrace the creativity she has within. The book fleshes out the nature of the Creatrix and how it manifests under current circumstances much better than I can.

The author narrates the audiobook edition of the book herself, and she is captivating. I can absolutely understand why she would be in demand as a speaker (which makes one of her life vignettes regarding her speaking to groups particularly poignant.) Raffelock puts her life on view for the reader, warts and all, describing her personal experiences and revelations on her way to where she is today. Like everyone, she made some mistakes in her life, and she is very candid about hers. This book is inspirational and illustrative rather than simply biographical, but I imagine her complete life story would make for fascinating reading. This book was absorbing, and found it difficult to pause my listening to the audiobook.

Each chapter concludes with a set of outstanding questions for personal reflection and journaling to assist the reader in recognizing the Creatrix in themselves and promote thoughtful consideration. Sometimes the questions were difficult for me to find a starting point to form a response to; others served as an open door. Many made me wish I was listening to the audiobook with friends and family because I wanted the discussion that was sure to follow after.

I will recommend "Creatrix Rising" to those friends and family and women approaching this pivotal point in their physical life and psyche.

Inspiring, relatable, and insightful tour de force

Creatrix Rising is an insightful reflection of the stages of a woman’s life through the eyes of Stephanie Raffelock. Sharing her meaningful life experiences highlighted her journey of people, places, and decisions. Her running theme includes none of us are perfect. For her this started when she decided to quit high school and move to Los Angeles—her mother drove her and set her up in an apartment. For many years she blamed her mom for allowing her to go on her own until she learned to take responsibility for her actions.

Creatrix defines the creative nature of women that begins in youth but gets hidden in the rigors of working and building a family yet can reemerge in midlife. The steps of a woman from a child to a teen, into a young adult, onto an adult, and mature adult that have archaic labels, such as a crone, get discarded by today’s women with self-empowerment. For Stephanie, dreams of being a songwriter took her to Los Angeles. She realized how ill-prepared she was to make good adult decisions and began hiding behind stories to make herself more likable. Fortunately, she spent years and eventually clawed her way out of her poor choices, becoming clean and sober.

People she met along the way guided her to discover her talents, authenticity, self-forgiveness, and valuable relationships. Each chapter delivered a positive message and story from her life to emphasize her points. The additional tool she provided at the end of each chapter includes reflection, activity, and journalling topics and questions. Valuable to the individual and easily incorporated into women’s groups or families.

The organization of The Creatrix is easy to follow, well-written, and worth referencing in one’s life journey. The clarity, pacing, and delivery of the narration by Stephanie Raffelock were flawless. I recommend this book for women who want to discover and explore the options for graceful maturation through increased self-awareness and self-acceptance.