The Great Mother Within

Having just returned from camping at Yosemite National Park, I am still feeling the energy of this special place settle into my being.  The waterfalls coming down from the moutaintops have been at their fullest in decades, and there is still much more snow waiting to melt its way down into the valley.

There was a strong sense of both renewal and relief everywhere as we hiked past the Merced River and up the trails to the waterfalls.  Nature was coming alive with a fullness not experienced in quite a while.  As the waters roared in the places where the rocky base of the mountains meet the river, Mother Nature was clearly expressing her power as any mother bringing forth new life must do.

As we approach Mother's Day this weekend, we honor the women who, whether they were ready to or not, stepped into the fierceness of what it means to bring new life into this world.  It takes a courageous heart to offer sustained love and nurturing to another who is not necessarily able to give back in the same capacity. It also takes wisdom to know when to offer nourishment, and when to step back and allow this life to grow into its own uniqueness and power.  

We each have the mother archetype within us, whether or not we've physically given birth.  When we fully embrace self love, self care and self nurturing, it naturally emanates exponentially to those around us.  Who knows for how many generations the mother archetype has been celebrated as self sacrifice until there is nothing left to give.  In actuality, when the authentic power of the mother archetype is fully engaged, we experience a state of self love that is so strong it in turn makes us capable of unconditional love for another.  This is the wisdom that the great mother within longs for us to experience.

Whether you will be spending time with your mother this weekend, missing your mother, estranged from your mother, coming to terms with a challenging relationship with your mother, or enjoying being celebrated as a mother, may your day be full of beauty and graced with the love of the great mother that resides within each of us.

Happy Mother's Day!