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This is the second part of a series on the feminine archetypes that symbolize the four phases of our inner cycles. To view the previous posts in this series, click here:
Who Is the Mother-Creator Goddess?
Season: Summer
Moon Phase: Full Moon
Sun Phase: Noon
Harvest Phase: Growth
The Mother archetype is one of the most recognizable archetypes, because all of us come from mothers, and need mothers (or mothering figures) in order to survive. The Mother-Creator Goddess represents the energy we settle into in the second stage of womanhood (following the Virgin-Warrior stage). Whereas the Virgin-Warrior holds the seeds of potential, the Mother-Creator is the energy that gives birth to creation, and in doing so, realizes this potential.
The power of the Mother-Creator is really quite awe-inspiring. She nurtures with the protective love of one who has given her own flesh and milk to gift the world with life. She is pure, unconditional love because she, more than anyone else, knows the sacrifice that has been made in order to create.
Although we most often think of the Mother as giving birth to a child, as the Creator that she is, she may also give birth to other things: works of art, ideas, communities, a business. She may also play the role of caretaker for someone else’s children in her community, or for aging relatives.
No matter the case, the Mother-Creator reminds us that we are sacred vessels. Our wombs are wombs of the earth, wombs of creation. When we give birth to and nurture someone or something, we are channeling our Mother-Creator.
What Does the Mother-Creator’s Energy Feel Like?
It is important to be able to recognize the energy of the Goddesses in our lives. In this way we can learn to call on them at times when we our intuition tells us their power is needed.
The signature of the Mother-Creator is the feeling of fullness. She is full of joy, full of love, full of warmth. Her language is that of sensuality, and she is capable of feeling the highest degree of pleasure, whether she is playing with her child, feeling the sun on her face, eating a piece of fruit, or having sex.
We can recognize her energy in our lives when we feel drawn to give our attention, love, time, and energy to someone or something. Although giving implies that we have lost something, the Mother-Creator knows that she has only become more full.
The Shadow Side of the Mother-Creator
All archetypes have a shadow side. The shadow side is essentially the natural powers of an archetype running unchecked and out-of-balance, their strengths misaligned from our true selves. This can happen if an archetype’s energy is not properly allowed to express itself, if it is denied, covered up, shamed, or otherwise unappreciated. It can also happen through influence from others – those who have fallen into their own patterns of disempowerment.
Although the Mother-Creator’s ability to nurture comes naturally, it is still a choice, which means that she can also choose not to nurture. If she is not fully invested in her creation, she may neglect it. If she doesn’t fully believe in her own ability to nurture, she may enter into co-dependent tendencies with her creation, seeking validation that she feels she cannot get from herself. She may also experience guilt if she sees herself falling short of ideals, imposed either by herself or others.
The Mother-Creator must stay rooted strongly in the sense of self she created as a Virgin-Warrior, otherwise she may become so focused on caring for others that she neglects herself. It is important for her to turn her nurturing energy inward on herself as well, and to do so without shame or guilt. She holds inside herself the divine source of love from the universe, and she must realize that, no matter what the world tells her, she has unlimited love. The more she can show that to herself, the more she can show it to her creations.
The Mother-Creator’s Sacred Work
The Mother-Creator has the most sacred task of bringing forth and nurturing life. It is important for her to attune to her heart to know what it is that she wants to nurture, and not what she is told she should nurture. She must be fluent in experiencing joy, gratitude, and pleasure in order to find her answer to this question. This will allow her to tap into the infinite flow of love inside herself.
In this stage, there is also a call to accept responsibility. In the Virgin-Warrior stage, we answered only to ourselves, but now someone or something is depending on us to thrive. When we accept that role, we accept the responsibility to be attentive, generous, compassionate, and selfless.
The Mother-Creator in the Moon Cycle
The Mother-Creator rules the ovulatory phase of our moon cycle, when our bodies and souls are most attuned and attracted to the power of creation and manifestation. Hormonally speaking, this is when we are most likely to get pregnant. We may naturally feel more attractive and sensual, and may be more drawn to activity and social settings. This is the time of your cycle to pour your energy into whatever you are nurturing, whether that’s a child, a friend, a project, or something else. It is the time revel in abundance and delight, and to share this abundance with those around you.
Finding the Mother-Creator Within You
Take some time to reflect and journal about where you see this Goddess within yourself. What experiences did you have in your young womanhood that indicate her power was moving through you? What experiences do you have now that indicate her presence? Where in your moon cycle do you feel her energy most strongly? How does it show up? Do you see signs of her shadow self either now or in your past? Why do you think her shadow was appearing at those times? What practices could you do to strengthen her energy inside you?
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