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

Publication Announcement: "'More About Goddesses" Column To Feature Wider Scope

 Dear Readers:

As I've mentioned before, one of the most visited features on this blog has been quite popular with readers from all over the world. Lately, this has been especially true with my "More About Goddesses" columns, which feature summaries about various Goddesses from all sorts of traditions. I will be broadening the scope, to include many more  Goddesses, beyond the main ones typically thought of, and from various systems of thought. As such, I am especially moving into columns about Buddhist Goddesses, and soon will be including more Goddesses from Brazilian and other South American cultural influences. I will not neglect the others either, so don't worry, bringing in a good mix that I hope you will enjoy.  Remember, I strive to share about Goddesses so that we can understand them archetypally, learn something (both you and I) from their stories, deeds, and powers to make some changes in our lives and the world for better.  And ultimately, to eat away at the misuse and abuse of patriarchy,

In light of this, my next columns will continue to feature new Goddesses with my new emphasis, with an Afro-Brazilian Goddess named. Lemanjá, also known as Yemanjá, or Yemoja. That column should be posted here on this blog, Kup of Kavi next week. Happy reading and thanks for your support and prayers, so I can continue to write and share with you my heart. For it is a heart filled with wonder and love and thankfulness to be here, in this time, and to share together the path towards wholeness and meaning, and to be part of each other in the world. In dialogue, I am Tim Kavi. ~~TK

My previous columns and some not on the blog are in this book:

(You can click on the cover image, to get a copy for your very own).

Rising Goddess in the Night (new poem)

 

Rising Goddess in the Night

by Tim Kavi

across the majestic sands of time

arises a crescendo of light

from the sounds of crashing waves

the dark moon shines

the horsemen ride

leaving tracks in the sand

to be washed away

like forgotten memories

I thought I saw Her face

there before, She is met

By Herself, there was eternity

in her breath

there is only the longtime

sculpted, across all the faces

of every goddess

there is a reckoning

a sure awakening 

of her might

for she rides in

on the tide

the rising goddess 

in the night.  

Things Remain Unspoken (new Poem)

Things Remain Unspoken (Poem)
by Tim Kavi

when through all time

I wonder at what was uttered

I realized that the best

things remained unspoken

whether history's deeds

revealed the corrupted kingdoms

growing moss on the muttered

I surmised the most was lest

things remained unspoken

then I sat in the growing
objections to the projections

of enslaved abjections

I realized that promised freedoms

were but vocations given in jest

things remained unspoken

and when I saw what glorious

possessions did break through

and last with due obsessions

then was when I saw your lasting

face washed across existing space

of the revealed woman so blessed

things remained unspoken

things remain unspoken.

New Column: More About Goddesses: Athena: Queen of the Air and Breath of Inspiration by Kelli M. Webert, guest blogger

More About Goddesses: Athena: Queen of the Air and Breath of Inspiration

By Kelli M. Webert, MA*

Athena is commonly known as the goddess of wisdom, but in her early inspirations she was associated with wind and storms. Like the wind, Athena was portrayed as being cool and clear, which later led to depictions of her being clear, rational and objective. As a goddess who was focused on the strength of mind rather than the strength of body, she eventually lost her association with weather and became a figure associated with inspiration.

In Greek culture, it was believed that the organs which were located higher on the body were more important. This meant that the brain or the mind was the most vital organ in the body, making a goddess like Athena especially important to their culture. Mythology reveals her to be the favorite daughter of Zeus, one of the most powerful characters in the religion. She would often show favor to those who were shown to be shrewd, industrious or moral. These associations made it natural for her to be used as a symbol of inspiration for thoughtful members of Greek society.

Athena was often known to teach the Greeks about aspects of technology which would help improve their society. One of the most well-known examples of this was the creation of a navy which helped the Greeks win many important battles to help preserve their land. This type of work combined her role as a goddess of inspiration and the wind, since both were needed to create and power the vessels.

Athena is often portrayed as an owl, due to her association with wisdom. Owls are known to be very shrewd and cunning animals, making it the ideal fit for a goddess thought to offer battle tactics, philosophy and other bits of inspiration to those she favored. The owl was also a creature known for soaring quickly to hunt and maneuver, which once again ties in the original idea of associating Athena with wind or storms.

This goddess, among many others, is associated with battle due to her tendency to offer tactics to the sides she favored. Because of this, Athena is often depicted as a strong woman, more often than not a warrior watching over her people. Her goal was often to restore peace to troubled lands so that society could continue to grow and prosper, creating beautiful works of art and inventing new forms of technology. She would also act as a muse for artists and craftsmen. It was not uncommon to associate those who did especially well at their craft with the work of Athena.

Above all, Athena would always strive to bring order where there was none. Like the wind, she would gently cool the chaos around her by ushering in a gentle, cooling breath. Though Ares is in charge of war, she would often step in to calm the wreckage his battles left behind by creating viable strategies for the soldiers to use to end the war. These divine tactics make her an incredible inspirational piece as well as a fierce contender in Greek mythology.

*Guest blogger for this column. Reprinted with permission from the Foreword of: Athena Queen of the Air by John Ruskin  ( I (Tim Kavi) also have a piece on Athena in the same book).~~TK

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.

Athena's Laurel Calls My Journeyed Soul (New Poem)

Athena's Laurel Calls My Journeyed Soul
by Tim Kavi

oh I didn't know you were close to me
I thought it was just the stardust
or the whispering sea
I can see you still talk to me

across the history
glimpsing you
I thought I saw
a memory

there is only
the laurel leaves
scattered by the wind
where Owl watches over me

that is where the gentle
sounds of our love misgiven
led to bad steps
and misplaced heaven
the day the winged bird
took you away from me

I began the mountainous climb
a journey to the sacred heart
longing left me famished
my song carried no more rhyme

spirits were broken
the people were wandering
in the valley below
the shepherds were themselves lost
the leaders blinded by the dark
and the prisoners remained chained
against the rock

only the annointed ones
dare come up here
olive oil burns not only the lamp
but annoints my forehead

I cry out like a madman
there is no one to hear me
it echoes against the rocks
where lumber is free
from too many shipwrecks
skeletal hands clutching for
your Grecian shore

I try to find you
but in the darkness
you are not found anymore

what greatness is this?
your temples once majestic
lined a path upwards
up high to a cloudy
celestial throne
where once you blew me a kiss!

How did I know that kiss
was a good bye kiss
to me and the world?

now there is only ruin
return to Your Greatness
perhaps men will yet invoke
your name
rebuilding temples won't be the same

but there is still power
in the virtues
of your name

oh a calling
a certain shrill
breaks the night
and my stubborn will

I will climb up higher
I will look for you
and I will kiss you again
and again

can you imagine
how much I missed you?
your glory as a woman
is everywhere
yet the priests stop and stare
but in your Goddess face
is only the visitations
of everlasting grace

your look is on them too
that woman just killed
the male shame
of violence
makes me want to jump
off this hill

hear the words
priests too
the hour is late
there is much to do
respect Athena
and all her sisters
or tales of woe
will never be few

I will burn my skin
and twist my robe
pluck hairs from my head
pray pray pray
until the truth be said

stop my sisters'
blood running red!
Athena has now said!

so here I sit all night
your tears watered
pools at my feet
I can only bow my head and worship
Goddess come back
we are so sorry that some have hurt you

wear your laurel wreath again
entreaty forgive our sin
you think you bad ones can easily make right
but your weapons
and hate
and violence
must go away...

for Athena comes
in sacred flight.

More About Goddesses: Aphrodite and the Story of Eros and Psyche (new column) (Tim Kavi's VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE: Posting 9)

Aphrodite observes Eros & Psyche (classical view)

More about Goddesses: Aphrodite and the Story of Eros and Psyche 
by Tim Kavi

Aphrodite is often hailed as the goddess of beauty, love, procreation and pleasure. She is also hailed as the protector of sailors as she was born from the sea foam. Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, making her one of the most vital goddesses in Greek mythology.

Given her nature, Aphrodite is a very personal and intimate goddess, invading the secret places of her followers and remaining close to those that are loyal to her. She can easily bring about a feeling of wonder and magic, particularly encouraging a natural feminine power, but Aphrodite is also capable of deceiving the heart when exalting the sensuality of a couple’s union as she sees fit.

The nature of Aphrodite and her ability to manipulate the magical or deceptive side of sensuality is noted in her son Eros’s union with Psyche. Eros is the god of passionate sexual love while Psyche was a princess that was so beautiful that many treated her like a goddess. Some would even make sacrifices or perform symbolic gestures in her name, which caused much jealousy among the other goddesses, particularly Aphrodite.

In her jealousy, Aphrodite sent her son Eros to put a spell on Psyche, making her fall in love with the ugliest man on the Earth. When Eros arrived, he was so stunned by Psyche’s beauty that he accidentally pricked himself with one of his magical arrows, falling in love with her instantly. Feeling guilty for his deeds, Eros worked to undo the spell and then left. Enraged that her son could not manage this deed, Aphrodite cast a similar spell to seal Psyche’s fate.

Concerned that their daughter would marry a monster, they summoned the Fates. They told her parents to take her to a mountain to leave her for her beastly betrothed. Her parents eventually obliged, and Psyche was left on the mountain in her sorrow. Seeing her tears, Zephyr the West Wind took her away to a lush forest in the valley below. Here she wandered until she found a palace with invisible servants and an invisible lover that would care for her.

Psyche was welcome to enjoy these benefits so long as she only united with her lover in darkness. After much time together, Psyche could no longer manage her curiosity and lit a candle to see her lover, Eros. Hurt by her suspicions, Eros flew away. Psyche’s suspicions show the conscience’s unwillingness to live with a relationship surrounded in darkness. Given this impossible task, Psyche appealed to Aphrodite asking to be reunited with Eros with no conditions.

Aphrodite conceded, provided Psyche enter the underworld and place a drop of Persephone’s beauty in a box. Persephone is known as the beauty of the depths because she was taken down to the Underworld to be the bride of Hades. Determined to be reunited with her lover, Psyche completed this final task, achieving a state where the dark anonymity of her previous love and the divine, personal aspects of love could merge.

Eros and Psyche were given one of few wedding ceremonies given in the presence of all the gods on Olympus. The gods celebrated this new union with a great feast that celebrated the union of the soul, and Eros, the representation of sexual love. At this blessed union, Aphrodite danced in celebration.

Poet's Afterword:  Appropriate for Valentine's Day, today's blog celebrates the balanced love of Psyche and Eros (aka Cupid) --the love that came to light in complete openness and blissful reunion.  A love that Aphrodite and the enitre Greek pantheon celebrated. This concludes the First Annual VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE daily blogging celebration leading up to Valentine's Day.  However, there will be a special Valentine's Day poem posted tomorrow. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all of my readers--may your lives be filled with love and loving others.My writings and love poems are always an encouragement to love--for life is just too short for anything else.~~TK

If you liked this column you will like my eBook Collection, More About Goddesses, even more! You can order it here! Also, don't forget it's simple to view a Kindle ebook on any device with an App (or even in a web browser), the FREE apps for doing so are here.  My kids and I appreciate the support, you see, they need me home, and I'm trying to get there!  Thanks!~~TK

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay)

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay) by Tim Kavi

Although there are different manifestations of  the Hindu goddess Ma Durga, such as Lakshami, Parvati, and Durga herself , it is my encounter with Ma Durga as a mother figure that has made a lasting impression upon me.

For as she gathers those that need help in her arms of compassion, and leads them gently from times of trouble, her caring is so apparent. For it is as a gentle mother and caring one that She leads me to safety and protection that resonates so deeply within me again and again. For as we humans well know, we needn't go looking for troubles, sometimes they will find us!  Never do we need the touch and care of a friend more, a companion, a brother or sister in dialogue--the caring of family and loved ones--as it is then that the gentle leading of the archetypal Mother Goddess is ever needed!

And thank goodness, when called upon She arises, and gathers us in Her arms.  And yet, She does not wait to be called upon--for like any good Mother she responds to our distress.

Her eyes are certainly seeking, searching, and settling upon those in times of trouble, they are gentle, reassuring, and if need be, drawing us to attention.

Her smile is as the dripping honey on the lotus.  She warms the hearts of all India, and the world.

This tiger riding Goddess is the ultimate mother!

Several years ago, I had a deeply meaningful and especially vivid dream about Ma Durga.  I  knew right away in my dream who she was and what the dream was about.  I could tell the woman in the dream was Ma Durga because of her attire, her Goddess face, and those eyes that only Ma Durga has!

Anyway, in this dream that I readily recalled upon sudden awakening at its conclusion, the events went like this.  I entered a supermarket, and I felt like I was lost from someone, or had gone ahead of someone.  But I also felt ashamed, like I was 'in trouble', or had done something that I felt 'stupid' about. Sort of like a kid who had done something wrong, but didn't want his parents to know. I was a grown man in the dream however.

So I went down the shopping aisles filled with all sorts of foods and plenty of them. I came upon the glass enclosed cold storage units, the units where they keep frozen packaged products like pizzas, ice cream, frozen dinners, etc.  Well, I climbed up on top of one of these units, and laid down flat on my back. I laid down as flat as I could, so as not to be readily or easily seen by anyone who might enter the store or was walking nearby. From where I was, I could turn my head and see the main entry of the store however.

So for some reason, I turned my head towards the entry doors. It was if I was waiting for someone, anticipating someone coming, but I didn't know for sure who it would be.

Suddenly, I saw Ma Durga come through the doors.  She was walking towards my location! I tried to melt into the metal of the casing so as not to be seen. But there was to be no hiding, as she lovingly approached.  She was a fully radiant being, and was smiling as she approached, her eyes taking in everything around her. As she came closer, she grew and magically became taller.  As she got to where I was, she was now taller than the enclosures, and easily saw me.

She looked at me with so much love and acceptance, my heart melted. It was if her eyes could see everything about me, accepted me, forgave all my troubles, or made them all vanish in the manifestation of Her power. In that one look, was all this and much more instantaneously. Love, acceptance, forgiveness, reassurance.

She calmly put her hands on her hips, looked into my eyes with her Ma Durga Eyes, and She said: "Well, are you coming? Get down from there and follow me!"  

I hopped down and immediately left with her out of the store with all of its materialism and wealth, and happily followed Her.  The joy and relief was enormous! I then awoke with a start.

This dream deeply resonated with me, although I knew I was a mature man in the dream, her loving approach to me elicited both a son like sense, and also a childlike sense.  I knew I had done something, and felt like I might be in trouble.  So I was trying hard to hide from 'Mom'.

Still, when Ma Durga 'found' me, I was overcome by several feelings at once, love, acceptance, and reassurance. I expected wrath, but got deep love. I also knew I was totally safe with her, protected, and that all my troubles were solved and no longer as important as I had thought they were. So I was eager and readily able to hop down and follow her out of the store.  Happily returning to everyday life and then, transcending the world, protected by the Goddess, I suddenly awoke with this realization deeply embedded in my consciousness.

It was a wonderful experience, and although some people think dreaming is just the firing of neurons, that dream was one of the most meaningful dreams I've ever had.~~TK

Poet's afterword:  Later, I wrote a poem called Ma Durga's Eyes.  Although it could never capture the true magnificence of Her eyes, it is a step in that direction. It is one of the most popular poems on my blog and can be read here: Ma Durga's Eyes (the poem)

Also, as I write this, the significance of the calendar in regards to Ma Durga cannot be overlooked.  We are just now in the beginning of the Hindu holiday, Navratri, also known as Durga Puja, where all over India and the world,  Ma Durga is celebrated in her various manifestations across Nine Nights of  bliss. ~~TK

And now it is April 2013, and we are on the eve of Vasant Navratri again and as India, Indians, and Hindus all over the world prepare to celebrate Nine Nights of Celebrations of Goddesses; I am again reminded of my blog entries about the Goddess, Ma Durga.  Including (not linked last time) my newer "More About Goddesses column that features Mahadevi Durga .~~TK

Tim Kavi's Poetry Collection 'Emerging Goddess' is Now Available.

Announcing the publication of My Poetry Collection 'Emerging Goddess'. Get yours today!

A poetry collection by mystic philosopher Tim Kavi that celebrates the Sacred Feminine, Goddesses from mythologies past and present, and emerging goddesses everywhere. These are sacred love poems that celebrate spiritual and temporal planes of love and devotion.