All Mother’s Day

Here in the UK is it Mothering Sunday or Mother’s Day as it is more commonly known.

As the energy and impact of Woman has been on my mind and in my flow a lot recently I find myself feeling strongly connected to it this year; despite the fact that in most communities I know and certainly for most of my life it has always been one of the more commercialised ‘cards and flowers’ holidays as opposed to the more meaningful ‘heart and soul’ ones.

I think it comes from having a rough few days recently. Days where I’ve felt frustrated and overwhelmed and down right stubborn; every bit the teenage daughter I once was. In those moment I have wanted nothing more than to be taken care of, without question or judgement, to simply be held and petted and given things* without question of reason or return.

And who is known for giving in such an unconditional, all encompassing way?

Mothers.

Yearning for some mothering and opening my heart to the power and strength of Woman and the Divine Feminine has laid the perfect foundation for this day: a day to celebrate Woman’s (arguably) greatest achievement: being Mother.

 

Now before anyone starts feeling marginalised or left out, I don’t simply mean women who bear children. Heck, I don’t just mean women. We ALL have the energy of Woman within us, by which logic we also have the instincts of the Mother. For some people these instincts may be quite low down in their emotional hierarchy and there may be other qualities and abilities that take precedence. But many of us will have opportunities or outlets in life that require a mothering touch; I believe part of being a balanced human being demands this.

So perhaps you are a lady with lots of cats (crazy or otherwise).

Or perhaps you are a gentleman who loves nothing more than tending the garden, watching your seeds blossom and grow with great pride and also sadness, knowing they will leave you come Wintertime.

Perhaps you do have a brood of children running around your house, raising hell and loving you for letting them… but perhaps they were birthed into this World by another.

Or perhaps you have no desire to corral children at all, preferring to corral ideas and letting them chase around your brain before settling them onto paper in words that bring you joy.

Whatever form our offspring take, we are all Mothers.

As a participant at our Honouring Woman event so eloquently put it, the World needs mothers and a mothering instinct to allow things to grow. That nurturing, nourishing energy is vital to the growth and survival of all things: plants, livestock, ideas. Without it the creative process would not exist and by default neither would anything else, neither would we. But we do exist and not just as the behest of women-kind; their are men out there nurturing and encouraging growth in everything from people to possibilities. We are all creative beings, we are all Mothers.

And regardless of our relationship with our own birth Mother we are also surrounded by Mothers whom we can celebrate on this day. Those who fill our lives with nourishment, protection and care.

That someone who was mother to a dream of yours, facilitating and allowing it to be birthed into the World, through their kindness and generosity.

That someone who birthed an event/idea/invention/book  into life that you simply can’t live without.

That someone who has held you in safe space – over a pint of beer or a cup of tea – to unpick and understand your darker times or your conflicting emotions.

That someone who has supported you from afar, always fighting your corner, always there to encourage and inspire.

All these someones – and so many more – bring the energy of Mother into our lives.

And lets not forget the greatest Mother of them all: Mother Earth herself. The Land that grows and nourishes all Life upon it, that watches us grow and thrive, then fade and die, without judgement or question. That offers us beauty and inspiration and encouragement at every turn, if we are only able to put aside the stubborn teenager and see it. On this day of honoring Mother’s it seems foolish not to take a moment to appreciate the ground you stand on, the sky above and all the intricacies in between and give thanks for that in whatever way you see fit.

 

So today I will go to my own birth Mother’s house and spend time with her and my Grandmother and the photographs of the Mother’s in my family line. And I will also see my Father who encouraged me to grow so much in my younger years and my Hubby who always cares and protects even when he’s not aware of it. And I will remember friends and old acquaintances and teachers and colleagues and celebrate all of them.

 

Let’s subvert ‘card and flower’ extravaganza into an opportunity to remember the Mother’s in our lives with fondness and gratitude and to connect with them any way we can. Perhaps it is with cards and flowers, or it could be over a phone call, in a letter or over a cup of tea.

However you do it, honouring that energy in your life is vital, so that you too might reflect and cherish it in yourself.

 

 

 

* By which I mean a cup of tea or a good meal, as opposed to flowers and cards and yotz.

 

Photo Credit:

1) doitchoco.wordpress.com

2) Karen Koski

3) Wentworth Garden Centre