There was a time when the Goddess was worshiped in all her forms. Cities, temples and statues erected in her honour. Women and mothers were revered as sacred people, doing a sacredjob. Giving birth to the children of society, and in turn, giving birth and life to us all. Since the 1970s Goddess divinity has made a comeback. Sacred rites of passage celebrations at puberty and pregnancy are becoming more common. The divine feminine acknowledged, and our divine femininity and deep, true power brought back into existence in our daily lives. Slowly, and surely we are reconnecting to our power within, and our power to birth our babies as we wish. Our journeys are more sacred and honoured. Our awareness expanded. We become radiant beacons of love. Glowing brightly, as the givers of life that we are.
The Divine Feminine
Connecting with the divine feminine is my favorite way to honour the stages of life that most women go through. The Maiden and her discovery and self-exploration of her depths, and her abilities. The Mother stepping into that beautiful, powerful, nurturing aspect of self and expansion of awareness. The crone, or wise woman, owning her wisdom and truth, knowing herself. They are each an expression of our feminine power. When I say power, I am referring to the true resonance of ourselves and our own magic. Often called our heart and soul feminine power. It is in balance with masculine energy, not in competition with it or trying to over power it. The power that deeply connects us and rises up to meet our yang mates. The energy that empowers us, as women, being who we are.
I want to acknowledge the balance, and the equality of the masculine and feminine. When in true balance and connection the power is huge. We all have both within us, and the balance is about fluctuation as different energy is needed, not equal split half and half. I see if from the angle of fluctuation and flow. In my feeling, the masculine holds the space, creating security, and feminine fills it with love and makes it cozy.
Gaia and Mother Moon
Coming back to the goddess and birth of motherhood, the simplest and easiest connections to make are with Mother Earth (Gaia) and Mother Moon. Have you noticed how our cycles are in sync with these divine mothers? Our menstrual cycles and pregnancies are connected to the Moon’s rhythms. Our gestation periods lasting 10 moons, and are very much like the Earth and her nurturing and growing life cycles (I certainly did feel it having spring babies). Our babies so commonly born at a full moon.
The phase and cycles of the Moon give us beautiful symbolic representations of the divine feminine to connect with. When she is in the waxing phase (from new to full) she is the maiden. She is growing her roots, showing those first sparkles of her truth. As the mother, she is the brightest, the giver of life. We see her in her full magnificence. As the moon wanes (from full to dark) she is releasing what she no longer needs and has gained the wisdom of those lessons.
Birth of the Mother
Becoming a Mother, a giver of life, is such an inspiring, spiritual journey. Many women will tell you of their cascade of emotion when they discovered that they were pregnant and growing that tiny little human within their womb. I can still remember the moment of knowing my childrens’ presence within my body; the moments they were conceived. I wonder when you first felt your baby’s presence? Maybe it was the pregnancy test, or the official baby bump, the choice to conceive, or your first physical, visual or audio connection, or maybe it is yet to come. From that moment, your world expands. The birth of the mother has begun, and you enter motherhood. Your awareness has expanded beyond yourself and your partner. The world becomes a different place, the place your child(ren) will live in. We then bring that awareness into decisions about what we will eat, how we will change our lifestyle (or not), making choices about the kind of care and birth that we would like to have to welcome our baby Earth side, and so many more, as we align with ourselves and our values.
That expansion, is the divine feminine energy running through us. Those feelings of nurturing, care, joy and hope. The flowing and fluctuating feelings, although described as ‘off the scale’ at times during pregnancy, are empowering us. They guide us into a rhythm of natural ebb and flow, a surrender and fluidity that is part of the essence and embodiment of the mother. This energy connects us with our intuition, so we can enact the goddess energy, and create our vision for our family, bringing it forth into the world. Often we hear how ‘women’s intuition’ becomes stronger, or is heightened once becoming a mother. We become clear on what we do and don’t want, and what we’d like to surround ourselves and our children with. This comes in so many forms; finishing up everything at work before maternity leave, wanting to stay away from the ‘horror stories’, setting up the birthing space, nesting… I wonder what it is for you? I know for me it was very different between my two boys’ pregnancies. This energy gives us such a beautiful clarity, as the energy of the divine mother within stirs.
Birth stories
For me, the journey of birthing my babies, and motherhood is such a spiritual one. My children have given me an amazing opportunity to reconnect to my true self. It has been a rebirth of connection to myself, as well as a birth of the divine mother within. When I was pregnant with my first son, I spent a lot of time connecting with him through meditation (something I have practiced regularly for years), asking his name, seeing that exact moment of his birth. I also worked through a lot of the typical fears that women have being pregnant for the first time. I definitely knew myself and my intuition far greater than before. My little one was born at 29 weeks, and spent almost two months in hospital. This was challenging for us, especially considering that we’d planned an intervention free birth at a birth centre. Thankfully, through accepting the invitation, and stepping up to our energy and opportunity to be in the space of divine feminine and divine masculine (for hubby) we were able to create and negotiate a birth experience that we were happy with, and learnt from too. I am so grateful that we were both able to connect, my husband’s support and advocacy for our family during the labour and birth is so precious to me. Seeing our baby boy for the first time (as I had done in my meditation) absolutely took my breath away, and still brings me to joyful tears at the thought. This moment brings me back to connecting with the divine mother within. My son’s early arrival gave me the most beautiful opportunity. The universe was inviting me to step up and say ‘I am mother. This is my son, and I am taking responsibility (and with it, my power).’ It was certainly a crash course in becoming my child’s advocate, and to trusting myself. Through connections and mistakes, I have learnt to listen to my intuition and trust what resonates so much more through having my children. The birth of the divine mother continues.
My second son’s birth was an amazing free birth (planned home birth). As the mother goddess in my family, I decided that I wanted to have my husband, son, and our dog at the birth of our latest family member. For me this birth was the epitome of the divine feminine power that is available to all of us on our journey. I wonder what that moment is for you, or if it’s yet to come (what fun!)? If you are a radiant, pregnant mumma in bloom and soon to bring a new life to the Earth, I wish a divine love experience for you.
From the moment I was in labour, I was in flow and handled the ebb and flow with ease (okay, and the occasional snappy directive that happens at times during labour). I was ‘in the zone’. I felt calm. My contractions started and I felt fine. I was talking, doing our usual stuff for the day, with some hip swaying when my body felt the need. I phoned one of my beautiful support goddesses (aka. midwives), Janine, and told her that labour had started and I felt fine, still talking through contractions and that I’d keep her posted. She did suggest I time the contractions. When I did they were 3 mins apart, and I was still talking and swaying so I felt that Janine could finish up with her appointment and then come by. I did call my husband and suggested he come home now. I was really feeling that I wanted him to be with us in this moment. Thank the goddess, he arrived home at a point where contractions were getting closer together. He and our son (3yrs old at the time) started to set up the birth pool while our dog kept watch in the hall. I am so moved by the love and support from our little boy, offering me so much reassurance and love while his brother was on his way (I’m teary eyed at the memory). My husband’s love, kindness and support for me and our sons once again shining through. I asked my him to “Call Janine!” (I may have raised my voice at that point). She was only 20 minutes away. In that time, our little bubba was born. And the moment was magical. I trusted my body and I naturally started to push, I reached down and I felt his head – the most empowering feeling of all! Thankfully my husband came over to ‘catch’ the baby in the next couple of pushes. In that moment, I was connected with my own power, and the power of the ancestral women before me.
Our family welcomed it’s newest member into our home, together. Our 100 year old house likely to have witnessed all of this, creating a secure space for a birthing mother, before. In that moment, I felt the deep resonance of that divine power within us all. The birth of the mother, the father, and the brother, on a new level. Fully empowered!
Support goddesses (aka. midwives)
Once Janine and Jane arrived there was the support of the goddess and feminine energy filling our space again. Their nurturing was a true embodiment of the goddess in themselves. The care given, the patience, the being with, the warm towel after my first shower (in my own shower), drying my toes, taking care of me and supporting our family (in our own bed) as we got to know each other and our new dynamic. All only small mentions of such deeply valued time. I still feel so touched through their pure loving connection, support and care (I’m tearful as I write this).
THIS is what the divine feminine is about. Holding you with love, and filling the space with love.
Robyn and Janine, and their antenatal care was so much more than giving me my options and information and making plans. They helped me to fully embrace the embodiment of the goddess in the exact moment that I needed to (even without their physical presence). Their trust in women, their bodies and their birthing power, gives rise to the mumma goddess within us all. I really honour this experience, and these three divine goddesses that were with me for the journey.
Through midwifery, blessingways, baby showers, personal rituals, women’s circles, sharing our birth stories and listening to our own intuition we can connect that little bit deeper to the divine feminine. I invite you to moon gaze next time you see Mother Moon. Connect with her, in that space of stillness. We can honour the women who have birthed before us, call on our ancestors for support, and we can honour ourselves and those we love by sharing, loving and trusting the divine feminine goddess within.
May the Goddess bless you with warmth, love and connection. May this energy be with you now, birthing, and always.