Transforming Pain into Power: Heal the Mother Wound in 2024

My invitation to redefine who and what our mother is may sound like a radically new idea. And maybe it is. But what’s not new is the recognition that there is a Divine Mother force energy in the universe that’s greater than any one human mother figure.

This is reflected through the numerous mythological traditions that depict the Earth as a nurturing mother figure, providing sustenance, care, and support to all living beings. Hence, the terms “Mother Earth” and “Mother Nature.”

For example, Gaia, in Greek mythology, is revered as the primordial Earth goddess, embodying the very essence of the Earth itself. She is considered the mother of all life. Similarly, in Inca mythology, Pachamama holds a similar role, representing the source of all life and the Earth Mother who generously provides its inhabitants through the bounty of the land.

Beyond mythological accounts, there is at least one contemporary culture that has an expanded view of mother. As reported in The Washington Post, there’s an indigenous group of people in Brazil, called the Kraho people, who raise their children to have multiple mother figures. These children use the same word to identify their biological mother as they do to identify women who are considered to be the mother’s sisters, by birth or closeness.

According to Matthew 12:46–50, Jesus also had a radically different view of mother than what most of us think today. As the story goes, Jesus received news that his mother and brothers were looking for him while he was in the middle of speaking to a crowd. He responded by asking, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Then he stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

From his enlightened perspective, Jesus understood that his mother was not just the flesh and bones person who carried him in the womb and gave birth to him, as sacred and divine as that mission was. He understood that his mother also included all those beings who were living in alignment with the loving will of the Universe. The fact that he took that opportunity as a teaching moment, shows how important he felt it was for us to awaken to a greater understanding of mother.

One of the ways we can start to open to this greater perception of mother is by reflecting on the incredible stories of inter-species parenting. What inspires an animal from one species, such as a dog, for instance, to take on a mothering role for an animal from a totally different species, such as an owl?

For those awakened to divine love, the answer is obvious. Like humans, animals too can be vessels for the sacred formless Divine Mother force energy that is the ultimate source of real mothering in the world.

By moving beyond limiting definitions of mother and recognizing that the Divine Mother is a powerful universal energy that transcends individual identity, we open ourselves to profound opportunities for emotional healing, inner growth, authentic living, and self-empowerment.

Ingrained in our society is the idea of honoring our mothers. Many of us also feel a deep desire to want to pay our mothers back for everything they've done for us.

However, this sense of loyalty can become binding when our mother's expectations or vision for our lives don't perfectly align with our soul's true desires. Whether it's choosing a career path, a partner, or the clothes we want to wear, the fear of disappointing our mothers can keep us painfully stuck and hinder our authentic self-expression.

By recognizing that we're connected to a Divine Mother energy that transcends any one individual identity or person on this planet, we can find the strength and courage to be true to who we are.

Having a more inclusive definition of mother also allows us to release the internalized shame associated with not receiving the motherly love and support we needed growing up. This unspoken, yet palpable shame, revolves around the notion that mothers represent the sole source of love and nurturance in our society.

So, if we have a difficult or complicated relationship with our mother, it's easy for us as children to think that there's something inherently wrong with us. As long as we continue holding on to the view that our mother is the ultimate source of love, it can be hard to shake off the feeling that we're somehow defective or flawed, even as we grow older and mature into informed and educated adults.

However, we can start to release this limiting belief by allowing ourselves to see that our biological and adoptive mothers are not the ultimate source of motherly love. Once we open to this perspective we start to realize that if our mothers act loving toward us, it's simply because they're acting as channels for the greater Divine Mother energy that exists in the universe. And, if they fail to express love, care, and support for us, it's simply because they're out of alignment with that energy.

One of the most exciting benefits of expanding our definition of mother to embrace the Divine Inner Mother energy is that it empowers us to meet our own needs for mothering, paving the way for the kind of soul-satisfying life and relationships we truly desire.

When we don't receive the nurturing care and support we need as children, we're left with a great hunger and loneliness in our souls. Despite looking like capable and successful adults, a part of us feels incomplete and scared to be alone. As a result, we feel driven to search for affection, comfort, and validation from other people. Often, we seek this love and support from people who remind us of our mothers, people who make us feel unseen and unheard, perpetuating a cycle of unmet needs and frustration.

But here's where it gets exciting: expanding our definition of mother to include the Divine Mother energy opens up the possibility that she exists within us. This means that we can connect directly to her and learn to mother ourselves. We can hold compassionate space for all of our feelings, thoughts, needs, and dreams, and discover that we're one with the unconditional loving presence we've been searching for outside ourselves all along.

Expanding our definition of mother to include the Divine Mother energy can help us cultivate a more balanced and realistic view of motherhood. As a society, we often glorify mothers, idealizing them as near-perfect beings. By accepting that they're imperfect human beings rather than mini gods, we can foster greater compassion for the challenges that both mothers and their children face.

This shift in perspective would also help us create a society that is more empowered to address the serious impact of childhood neglect and abandonment. When we allow for a more honest discussion about the complexities and difficulties of motherhood, we create an environment where we can all feel safer to share our experiences growing up. These kinds of honest conversations also make it easier for potential mothers to determine whether the role of motherhood truly aligns with their desires and capabilities.

We can honor and respect mothers for the sacred role they take on, without glorifying them or romanticizing motherhood. We can appreciate the profound impact mothers have on our lives while also acknowledging the deep, nurturing energy within all of us that supports and heals. Embracing that perspective can help foster a more supportive and understanding community for all of us.

Redefining motherhood to encompass the boundless compassion of the Divine Mother energy doesn’t just allow us to redefine our relationships with our mothers. It makes it possible for us to reclaim our sense of inner wholeness and soul power and embrace the universal love that connects us all.

By awakening to the nurturing energy that flows through the universe, we can release the burdens of guilt and toxic shame. We can experience profound emotional healing and a real sense of inner peace and joy. We can create relationships that are filled with compassion, empathy, and acceptance—both for ourselves and for others.

If you feel called to connect to the power of the Divine Inner Mother, I invite you to download my free Self-Love Guide. It includes a simple yet profound spiritual practice that will empower you to experience the unconditional love of your Divine Inner Mother, so you can feel deeply seen, loved, and supported each day.

Thank you for reading, beautiful soul. And always remember, you are loved, you matter, and your light is needed here.