The mother archetype, in its most profound sense, transcends the traditional image of a maternal figure. The mother archetype is, at its essence, a symbol of non-duality. She is a representation of the primordial source, the nurturing ground from which all life springs forth.

Carl Jung’s insights have guided me to view the mother archetype as a profound representation of non-duality. Jung describes the mother archetype as “the source of life” (CW 5, par. 611). In this archetype, we can perceive the hidden depths and the enigmatic womb from which life emanates (CW 5, para. 494-495). The mother is a symbol of the mysterious non-dual essence and source of life.

“Mother Nature is the all-embracing womb… of Mother Earth, Mother Nature,” Jung writes (CW 9i, para. 157). Again, the mother as womb is a representation of the essence and source of our existence. These words evoke a sense of belonging and connectedness to the One Life which is our Mother. We sprang from her and we are still connected to her in the form of Mother Nature.

Jung’s words, “The mother archetype may connote anything secret, hidden…” (CW 9i, para. 156), echo in my mind as I delve into the mysteries of creation and life. This archetype embodies the hidden essence from which life and mind emerge.

In his contemplation of nature’s role, Jung observes, “Nothing in all the world welcomes this new birth, although it is the most precious fruit of Mother Nature herself, the most pregnant with the future, signifying a higher stage of self-realization” (CW 9i, para. 290). This statement highlights the how the mother is not only the source of life but plays a role in nurturing our path to self-realization.

Jung’s reflection that “Mother Nature is designed to produce consciousness, that most remarkable of all nature’s curiosities” (CW 9i, para. 157), guides me to see the mother archetype as an essential catalyst in the evolution of consciousness. It’s through this archetype that we come to understand our place in the universe and our connection to all life. We at essence non-dual, but we are also evolving.

Jung refers to Gaia as “the ancestral mother of all life” and “the deep-breasted earth” (CW 9i, para. 157), invoking the ancient Greek personification of Earth. These descriptions fill me with a sense of reverence for the non-dual Mother as a living, nurturing essence that sustains all forms of life. Non-duality mediation is a form of self-nurturance and inner abundance though connection with the source.

The mother archetype helps us to visualize and realize how non-duality become Onenes, which becomes the interconnectedness of life. Shis is also the nurturer and sustainer of life. Embracing the mother archetype in its entirety allows me to extend this compassionate understanding to all beings, recognizing the shared journey of existence that we all partake in.

The mother archetype calls for a more nurturing approach to life. It’s a recognition of our interconnectedness with all forms of life and the environment. This understanding fosters a sense of responsibility and care that aligns with the nurturing essence of the mother archetype.

Some Quotes by Jung on the Mother Archetype

1. “The mother archetype may connote anything secret, hidden…”.
2. “The mother archetype is ‘the source of life.'”
3. “Connections with the womb, with the matrix, which frequently symbolizes the creative aspect of the unconscious.”
4. “Nothing in all the world welcomes this new birth, although it is the most precious fruit of Mother Nature herself, the most pregnant with the future, signifying a higher stage of self-realization. That is why Nature, the world of the instincts, takes the ‘child’ under its wing: it is nourished or protected by animals.”
5. “Mother Nature is the all-embracing womb… of Mother Earth, Mother Nature.”
6. “Mother Nature is designed to produce consciousness, that most remarkable of all nature’s curiosities.”
7. “Gaia is the ancestral mother of all life.”
8. “Gaia is described as ‘the deep-breasted earth’.”
9. “Prakriti means ‘nature’ and Mula Prakriti is ‘original substance whence all substances proceed.’ The proceedings of nature (prakriti) take place for the liberation of the soul.”
10. “The Earth Mother plays an important part in the woman’s unconscious, for all her manifestations are described as ‘powerful.'”
11. “The mother archetype ‘can be attached to … various vessels such as the baptismal font, or to vessel-shaped flowers like the rose.'”
12. “The divine mother is our spiritual mother.”
13. “Through the second mother… the symbolical mother.”
14. “Abandonment is… a necessary condition for self-realization.”

Please note that some of the quotes have been paraphrased for clarity and conciseness.

Refrences:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia
2. The Archetypal Female in Mythology and Religion: The Anima and the Mother by Joan Relke
3. Samkhya karika by Isvara KrsnaHannaCarl Jung, CW 5, Symbols of Transformation
4. Carl G. Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious – Collected Works volume 9i (originally published 1934–1954)
5. Carl Jung, Cw 5, Symbols of Transformation (in US Pubic Domain, first published 1912)

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