Goddesses in Plain View: Listen To Your Mother and Grandmother Too! (New Essay)

Goddesses in Plain View: Listen To Your Mother and Grandmother Too (an essay from the heart) by Tim Kavi

Long-time readers and new readers, I hope too, realize that I write a lot about Goddesses and that I am writing in reverence, about archetypes (in a mythological and Jungian perspective) that can empower men and women alike, (as well as all persons), respecting mythology, and the tradition and empowerment of matriarchy over patriarchy.

Thus, I come before you with an essay that reminds us that goddesses are not as distant in history and development as one might think. Indeed, there is a strong mother goddess tradition in many traditions, as well as the older woman as a wise and guiding spirit. But these are not just abstractions or archetypes of the realization of potential. They are lived out realities manifesting themselves in personality cores and collective memories as long as there has been storytelling and nurturing.

Likewise, local manifestations of many goddesses may be much nearer than you think, perhaps embodied in your own mother, grandmother, mother-in-law,  wife, or a woman who is special to you, including heroines. But it is the mothering goddess I emphasize today. And as you might know, my own mother and grandmother are very, very, special to me. I have often written about my grandmother and mother, who penned poems about family life as an inspiration. And in many ways, they have instructed me throughout my life, even though they have both passed, their goddess natures and guidance still speak to me. When they do, I must listen with careful attention! Sometimes they are at the seashore, sometimes in the mountains, sometimes in a quiet whisper, sometimes in a heart tug of direction, and sometimes even in my dreams.

The following list shows how the mother goddess can be Jungian archetypes:

Psychological Meaning (Carl Jung Archetypes)

The following goddesses represent deep universal patterns:

Creation instinct

Maternal protection

Life–death cycles

Emotional nurturing

Cosmic origin

These appear independently across cultures because they reflect fundamental human experience of motherhood and existence itself.

The next few charts outline many mother-type goddesses. (Forgive me for exclusions, as there are many more than I can list here.

Archetypes of the Divine Mother

Archetype	Goddess	Culture	Role	Symbols
🌍 Earth Mother	Gaia	Greek	Primordial Earth, mother of all life	Earth, fruit
	Pachamama	Andean/Inca	Sustains crops and humanity	Mountains, soil
	Demeter	Greek	Agriculture and maternal grief	Wheat, torch
	Ninhursag	Sumerian	Creator of humans and nature	Omega symbol, womb
	Nerthus	Germanic	Sacred earth mother	Cart, earth
	Jord	Norse	Mother of Thor, embodiment of Earth	Land, fertility
🌌 Cosmic/Primordial Mother	Isis	Egyptian	Universal mother, resurrection	Throne crown, wings
	Aditi	Vedic Hindu	Mother of gods and cosmos	Sky, infinity
	Tiamat	Babylonian	Chaos mother, creator of gods	Serpent, ocean
	Eurynome	Greek	Creator goddess of the universe	Cosmic dance
	Coatlicue	Aztec	Mother of gods, life and death	Serpents, skulls
	Papa	Māori	Earth mother of all beings	Earth, embrace
❤️ Compassionate/Protective Mother	Parvati	Hindu	Universal mother and protector	Lotus, lion
	Tara	Buddhist	Compassion and salvation	Lotus
	Guanyin	Chinese Buddhist	Mercy and maternal compassion	Vase, willow
	Hathor	Egyptian	Motherhood, love, joy	Cow horns, sun disk
	Frigg	Norse	Protector of children and family	Spindle
	Yemaya	Yoruba	Mother of oceans and humanity	Ocean, moon
⚔️ Warrior Mother	Durga	Hindu	Cosmic protector	Weapons, lion
	Kali	Hindu	Destroyer of evil, liberator	Skull garland
	Sekhmet	Egyptian	Divine vengeance and protection	Lioness
	Anat	Canaanite	Fierce protector and mother	Weapons
	The Morrigan	Celtic	War, fate, sovereignty	Crow
	Cybele	Anatolian	Wild nature and protector	Lions

The most important mothering goddess is the one you are "listening" to right now; (or need to listen to), whenever you have need, and long to make a difference, in a world that truly needs care and nurturance, not to mention yourselves, and those around you! Namaste~~TK

Oh Goddess! You Fill The Earth (new poem)

Oh Goddess! You Fill The Earth (new poem)

by Tim Kavi

Across the withered plains

there are currents in the sand

marks of played-out destinies

gleaming in the desert sun

burning like flames consume a book

my knowledge has become desolate

quaking at the power of Nature

searching with a lapping tongue

looking for, and 

desperately seeking

the oceans of your love.

so O goddess

fill the Earth

with the fruits of your being

let the dancers, rejoice

let the singers, sing

and let the poets speak.

for great cedars shall grow

where once it was desolate

and hearts frozen cold

shall beat again; in the power

of your love.

Gaia's Heart (new poem)

Gaia's Heart (new poem)

by Tim Kavi

there was the burning path

crackling in the wind

as I traveled up the mountain

to the shrine of your love 

would your love save me

and the rest of us

in this burning world?

awaken, you said with a wink

as your gown flapped in the wind

it is almost too late, humans

your goddess said

Gaia shook with tears as they rolled down her cheeks

Her eyes were darting to and fro

for a friendly face

but there, the world had forgotten

your saving grace 

it was almost too late

with urgency and haste

She speaks the message

save the planet

off-worlders may be too late

will Gaia act quickly?

to rebound, and save her living face?

silly humans

she said

as the Earth ripped open and bled

her heart was beating now

but not for long

in your reliance on me

YOU forgot that this was your own undoing

your swan song

change, redeem, reverse

don't just trust engineering

correct your poisonous ways

before it's too late! 

Flitting Sounds (new poem)

 

Flitting Sounds (new poem)

by Tim Kavi

flitting sounds, Spring has come

mountain streams awaken from slumber

robin comes calling, tiny swallows

flitting sounds like ruffling paper

on the branches.

overlooking like a protector

arms outstretched while She gathers her young

mother Gaia in the Winter soaked trees

waters the furrows in the ground where flowers

will spring forth in my Grandma's yard.

there is everywhere a straining, a waking up

new phases traded for old states

where once the withered and dying

now teems with new lives, full of promise

and heralding birdsongs.

I am made the Singer of Spring

the lyricist of eternal hopes

in the face of even fading suns

We are made whole in the love and tender mercies

of Spring's arrival.

Gaia (new poem)

GAIA (new poem)by Tim Kavi

birdsong

rain's pitter-patter

children ask

plants; why

do you grow?

the sweet refrain

only calls

GAIA to see

what's the matter.

I Looked At (new poem)

I LOOKED AT (New Poem)

by Tim Kavi

I looked at

water coming forth 

from the rocks

streaming down 

the mountainside

becoming a stream

a river

and then a mighty ocean

I looked at

the harbored life

living so small

I could not see

but still believed

becoming greater

swimming lives

across eternity's tide

I looked at

temples burning

incense in blossoms

of lovely surprise

becoming deities

in the smoke

that did arise

winged ministries fly

I looked at

my planet; hoping

for love to save it

some are sleeping

to garden it

to appreciate

Gaia's keeping

to nurture it

I looked at

starry skies

saw many suns

blinking in the night

realizing cosmic scale's

awesome humbling

powers; across the

vast cosmos

I looked at

me; and then You

saw a thunderous

glory in the meeting

of the between

You and I

face to face

in every place

where souls are greeting.

Garden's Delight (new poem)

Garden's Delight (Poem)

by Tim Kavi

The beauty of flowers

illuminate dusty corridors

of garden paths in my mind

their living love shines

wavelike webs hang on

forested branches of green

protecting the lovely living

things that move across forest floors

into lanes of memories

clearly defined and refined

by history's marching dialectic

across all time

on the porch, she looks

like Gaia, a grandmother sees

the sprouting earthy designs

she resigns to peace, for a grandma's love

is the garden's delight.

afterword: on the first day of Spring a poem about gardens and the gardeners of Nature in the ever tending wisdom of the ancient goddess and elder wisdom.~TK 

Spring Garden (new poem)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Spring Garden"

by Tim Kavi

wondering about the Earth

there are only the glorious

colors, wings, of the seasoned

pushing forth

of Spring's new birth



gentle footsteps

down all of the paths

brings only the Mother

to her young



who is gathering eggs

that contain treasures

nearby



and dreaming of tea

with her tea set



until the sun greets

the raindrops on the

little plants



both she and her beholden ones

planted in the garden

by Gaia's loving hands



until all is revealed

in the gardens

of Spring.

Celestial Meadow (new poem)

Celestial Meadow

by Tim Kavi

gentle lands of rest

stretch across maps of peaceful

bliss of grassy green

my feet float on airy paths

of glorious silence

stretching to the horizon

sparse trees dot the place

that beckon to places

of pause and reflection

away from all the stress

away from racing thoughts

not just to survive

but to bravely exist

gentle bluebirds

of my Mother's voice

Gaia would you sing to me?

black crows wait to pick

but I know

that your beauty prevails

you will live longer

than humans have tread

oh pray

they will not kill you dead

for in your silence

they gravely mistake

you are not there

but there is only

too much noise

to hear you and be blest

but at moments like this

I only can gently walk

on the pillows

of your endowment

in the shadows of forest

and the paths of wooded trail

the stream flows nearby

into the ocean it flows

goes to the clouds

descends to the earth again

born again

to live again

and to see your glory

in forest, and stream

celestial meadows

where I see all my friends

playing again. 

Gaia--Not to Touch the Earth (new poem)

GAIA--Not to Touch the Earth (Poem)

by Tim Kavi

Gaia

speaking messages

not heard

there is quaking

terrible shaking

ridges of trembled history

continental drifts

of worries of collapsed kingdoms

underneath changing

geographies

of postpartum birthing

memories of the way things were

before flags were planted

before urban density

throwaways of modern and postmodern

plastics

filtered the purpose

of your message

but we still try

to touch you

to touch the Earth

to know your glory

to esteem and respect

to be moved by all

that you are.

we long to respect you

goddess

before it's too late.

Honey in Sight! (New Poem)

Honey in Sight!
by Tim Kavi

when she walks
and talks
I hear honey dripping

sweet dew is ascendant
from fresh petals
derived from Mother Earth
the dirt smiles
knowing the sweetness
is given

heaven to some
those in flight
line up like eager ones
awaiting sleep in the night

all wonder
the direction
of nearest supply
'tis my love ascendent
winged sweet bringer
of afternoon delight

back to the hive
our minds
all connected
stay in the Queen's
blessings

sweet nectar
stored
until the next flight

I see my love
silhouetted in the gardens
of the world
admiring her art

honey drops
in all her kissing
and hugs to last
a life.

Heal Each Other (New poem)

he"Heal Each Other"
by Tim Kavi

and in the gleam of the madness eye
there is a long table
of eternal recurrence
that has no end
and no soulful sleeping

for the Earth has shook

but even there
is a between
transfixed
as I see my suffering
brother
friend
mother

Gaia
knows no earthlike song

in the collapsing
chaos
of poisoned
darkened
earth

where nothing
grows
but the distaste for
each other

such bitter
seed
nothing can grow
from it

until
they bind
each other's
wounds

her love
her creation and I
heal each other

before it is too late.