135. The Archetypal Mother

©2004 Athene Bitting All rights reserved

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Your Archetypal Mother:

The Key to Self-Nurturing

Lecture based Questions:

1. What is an archetypal mother?

Residing in your Spiritual Landscape, in the backside of your Astral Body, is an aspect of your personality called your archetypal mother. She reflects herself in the maternal women around you. She expresses herself through your ability to nurture your body. She also creates order and beauty in your home.

Most importantly, she transcends your personal experience with your birth mother. She is actually an avatar of the Great Heavenly Mother Goddess. Therefore, her influence in your life is always good and loving.

2. What does my personal AM look and act like?

Because she is an avatar to the Divine Archetype, she is eternally pregnant. She can appear old or young, depending on which type of interaction you need. She is very accessible, but you must ask to see her. When you do, she can touch your conscious mind and change your outlook about being good to yourself. Usually, she appears as a still image full of powerful symbology. If she interacts with you as a moving entity, then her actions are always thoughtful, gentle, nourishing, wise, kindly, and helpful.

3. What is the primary function of the AM?

It is to guide you to deliberately bring health, cleanliness, repair, and reverence for the body into your life.

4. Where do I need to go to find her?

If you sit quietly and close your eyes, she will come to you by your sincere invitation. There is no need to go on some elaborate internal quest through the wilds of your spiritual landscape. That would be a waste of time.

5. How can I get her to be more involved in my health?

Realize that she is with you and that she is part of you already. There is no need for rituals or begging. Your initial contact in meditation will set into motion a series of enlightenments that will eventually transform your entire approach to your daily actions.

6. Do Third Degree Initiates and higher Initiates have AMs?

At the 3DI, the Astral Body and all of its aspects are integrated into the Mental Body. The thought form that describes the spiritual landscape and its evolution through enlightenments and initiations is present in the aura of the Mental Body. However, at that enlightened stage, one has access directly to the goddess herself, and the avatar character of the Astral Body is not needed.

7. Draw or describe one of your helpers. You may use a symbol or describe a fragrance, color, shape, or name to help ground the knowledge of your helper.

8. The Vision

•Sit comfortably so that your body does not distract you.

•Breathe deeply and slowly 3 times.

•Say, “In my heart you dwell, O Divine Mother of my spirit. Let me see your face and receive your blessing. I want to learn the ways of your teaching.”

•Allow the vision to come to you.

In the Lap of Sweet Consolation

What is the essence of all that is good in the feminine half of creation? It is like a diamond with many facets or a rose with many fragrant petals. It is beautiful without being alluring. It is kind without being condescending. It is watchful without being violating. It is healing. It is nourishing. It is nurturing. It allows us to flourish. It creates a place of home. It encourages us to follow our hopes for fulfillment.

All these blessings are encapsulated within you. They can be awakened with your desire to learn them. In your Astral Body live these aspects of the Great Mother. They teach you, they comfort you. They show you how to care for yourself beautifully.

In your dreams they appear to you. In life, they speak to you through women, girls, strangers, relatives, friends. They say quiet, non-judging phrases that light up your mind to your own needs. During times when you are alone, they help you to be comfortable in your own skin. During times when you are with people, they reveal to you the art of getting along with others. They educate you in the ways of nurturing others without becoming a codependent.

In the Hindu religion, we observe the Durgae, the Triple Goddess, who is a fierce mother, a gentle mother, a wise mother, a beautiful and skillful woman. Within you is also this powerful creature. She can raise you up from a childhood damaged by a neglectful or abusive birth mother. She can point you to examples of how good mothering can be. She can re-spin your emotional development to include what you have been missing. She can give you what you need to be healthy in mind, body, and relationships.

You might have met Earth Mothers—women who include many unrelated people (including humans) as their "children". They do it without being personally drained. They have a natural Force that buoys up the spirits of others. They inject their humor, optimism, approval, acceptance, and power into their children's personalities. These unforgettable women show us how to honor ourselves. These are avatars of the Great Archetypal Mother.

You are an avatar of the Great Mother when you validate someone. You are an avatar of the Great Mother when you forgive yourself, encourage yourself, nurture yourself.

The Spirit of Grace and Mercy is an affiliate of the Archetypal Mother. It allows us to make mistakes and to be forgiven before we even have erred. It teaches us how to be patient with ourselves and with others. It is through Grace that miracles are allowed to break through into our lives.

Miracles and blessings to you, my beloved friend.