Mother Goddesses Around the World

Examples of the Great Mother from Different Cultures

Jul 21, 2009 Patricia Deneen

Most cultures had the concept of a Great Mother goddess, and her worship has continued. Here is a glimpse of a few of the mother goddesses from cultures around the world

The word mother conjures up strong images, sometimes loving and gentle and at other times that of a fierce mother bear protecting her young. The mother goddess is an ancient, universal concept that has not been easily erased from the sacred landscape of even the most patriarchal societies.

The Mother Goddess Myths Persist

People of every culture persist in recognizing her power, sometimes combining her with images of Mother Mary of the Christian faith which has kept the mother goddess alive for centuries in an atmosphere otherwise unfriendly to Pagan worship.

Mother Goddesses of the World

Below are just a few examples of mother goddesses from different cultures.

Danu: Major Irish mother goddess and ruler of the Tuatha De Danaan whose name means "People of Danu." These divine beings are believed to have gone underground and become the fairy people. She is a goddess of magic and seeing between the worlds.

Demeter: The Greek goddess mourned the abduction of her daughter Persephone and would not allow anything to grow on the earth until her beloved child was returned. She personifies the persistent mother relentless in pursuit of saving her child.

Devi: There are many goddesses in Hinduism, but all are part of the one divine feminine force that Devi is synonymous with. Therefore, she represents all aspects of female energy from compassionate mother to fierce warrior.

Frigga: Norse goddess of marriage, hearth and home. Wife of Odin, she ruled in Asgard, the home of the gods and was mother to Balder, god of light. She is said to know the fate of all mankind but does not reveal it.

Gaia: Greek goddess who gave birth to creation out of chaos. She personifies the fertile earth mother goddess found in cultures around the globe. Other cultural counterparts are the Aztec goddess Coatlicue and the Norse goddess Nerthus.

Isis: An Egyptian goddess that taught humanity many skills including spinning, weaving and agriculture. She was the wife and sister of Osiris who was killed by their brother Set. She went to the Underworld to retrieve him and used magic to revive his body long enough to conceive their son Horus.

Juno: This Roman goddess gives us the name for June, the bride's lucky month. She was Jupiter’s wife and mother to several deities including Mars. The Roman Empire and Rome itself were under her patronage. She is the patron of marriage, hearth and home.

Kuan Yin: Chinese goddess of mercy and compassion. She is a bodhisattva, someone who chooses to save others instead of enter nirvana – the state of pure bliss. She personifies a mother's unconditional love.

Yemaya: African goddess from the Yoruba tribe who gave birth to many of the Orishas, the spirit beings that represent the forces of nature. Her worship was brought to America with the slaves. She governs the ocean and is sometimes seen as a mermaid. She is now associated with the Virgin Mary and religions such as Voudun and Santeria. Yemaya is a patron of women, fertility, magic, and protector of children.

Worship of the Great Mother Continues

Myths of these goddesses have changed over centuries and sometimes blended with those of other deities. Their worship has been revived as the image of the Great Mother deep within the collective unconscious is reemerging.

Resources:

Ellis, Peter Berresford. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford University Press, 1992.
Farrar, Janet and Stewart Farrar. The Witches' Goddess. Phoenix Publishing Inc., 1987.
Monaghan, Patricia. The Book of Goddesses & Heroines. Llewellyn Publications, 1993.

The copyright of the article Mother Goddesses Around the World in Paganism/Wicca is owned by Patricia Deneen. Permission to republish Mother Goddesses Around the World in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Kuan Yin - Chinese Goddess of Compassion