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Understanding the Greek Goddesses of Motherhood
Mothers hold a special place in our hearts as human beings. They bring forth life to the earth and nurture their young ones until such an age when they can stand on their own. Mothers are appreciated by many because of their loving and caring nature. They are nurturers and nurture those who are not a product of their wombs. This praise for mothers also goes to the Greek Goddesses of Motherhood.
Most cultures in the world set aside special dates to appreciate mothers and motherhood. In the United States, Mother’s Day was proclaimed a national holiday in 1914 by Congress. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May.
To get some motherly inspiration, this article will give you an overview of who Greek Goddesses of Motherhood hood and the role they play in today’s world. Having a day to recognize mothers is one of the greatest things to have happened in the world.
Being a mother is not easy, and mothers need to be appreciated. The carnation is a symbol of motherhood, and in its beauty, it signifies the loving nature of mothers. White carnations are worn for mothers who have passed on, while red carnations are worn in honor of mothers still alive.
Top Legendary Greek Goddesses of Motherhood
There are major Goddesses of Motherhood in the Greek culture they are described below as follows;
Hera
Hera of Zeus. The Greeks associated her with jealousy. She was always jealous when she saw Zeus looking at other women. However, her jealousy served a positive purpose, a protective purpose. The protective nature comes naturally when one becomes a mother. Therefore, as a mother, you need to be protective of your children and the people you love.
This Greek Goddess of Motherhood was responsible for the protection of the sanctity of marriage. She was an embodiment of what the home needs to look like. In protecting her marriage, she ensured that her children were raised in a proper family with both father and mother.
A sound family is proper insurance for a child because it provides a great foundation for the child’s future life. Hera is also a Goddess of childbirth and fertility. Her last born, Eileithyia, is the Goddess of childhood.
Her daughter becoming a goddess just like her is a sign that mothers have great connections with their children and share some of their features. It is upon us to know that there is always a bond between child and mother that cannot be easily broken.
Hera’s Symbols
One of Hera’s representations is the Peacock. The peacock is a proud bird, and so is Hera. She was proud of the family she had built, and she identified with many as one who focused on having the best family with great values.
Lily is another symbol associated with this Goddess. The lily is a sign of fertility, faith, change, hope, and motherhood.
Hera also associates with the Apple tree, symbolic of elegance, beauty, fertility, and connection.
Artemis
Artemis is an Olympian Goddess. She is the sister to Apollo, the sun god. Artemis is a moon goddess that is revered by many. The moon is a sign of motherhood. The phases of the moon are symbolic of the gestation period in human beings.
The new moon symbolizes a vacant but fully potential womb. The waxing moon signifies the implantation of the seed of life. Once life is in the womb, the same begins to grow and become a fully grown baby.
The waning moon is symbolic of the mother giving birth to the child. The connection that Artemis has with the moon qualifies her as one of the Greek Goddesses of Motherhood and the protector of children.
Artemis loved hunting, and at one point, Zeus gave her a bow and arrow. The bow is symbolic of the womb, and the arrow is symbolic of the male reproductive organ. These two items come together to bring new life into the world. Her love for hunting makes Artemis a symbol of motherhood because of her ability to provide for her children and loved ones.
Gaia
Gaia sits on the throne of the Ultimate Mother. Her name and characteristics are tied to the Earth. She is one of the first Goddesses that emerged from Chaos. What is Chaos? This was the element that ever came to exist in the Universe.
From Chaos, everything else in the universe came to be. She is the first mother of all that lives. In Mythology, it is believed that she made the earth and all that is in it. The Greeks believe that from her existence came everything. Greeks believe that she is the source of humanity, making her the mother of all mothers.
Gaia’s Symbols
Her symbols are fruits, earth, and grains. These symbols have a massive significance in the world because they are produced in abundance. The fruits that are associated with motherhood are apples, pomegranates, and peaches.
Maia
The Greeks know her as ‘Bona Dea,’ which means Good Goddess. Her name means increase, abundance, and growth. Mothers go through growth while preparing to bring a child into this world. The moment you become a mother, you become a giver of life, enabling you to grow as a woman.
A mother’s work is never done as you need to continue to nurture your child or children even when they grow up. A woman grows every day from the lessons she learns after becoming a mother.
Maia was the brightest and most beautiful star among the Pleiades. What is the Pleiades? In Greek mythology, this is a star constellation that signifies the seven heavenly sisters. Maia, as one of the seven sisters, represents compassion.
To bring up a child as a mother, you need to be compassionate. Always be ready to listen to your child and meet their needs.
Maia’s Symbols
This Goddess’ symbols are earth, wildflowers, spring, and warmth. Earth is the Ultimate mother while the Spring season paves the way for new life. Wildflowers represent the happiness that most mothers have—the happiness of bringing life into the world and taking care of the same.
Tethys
Her name comes from one of the moons that revolve around Saturn. She is a Chthonic goddess. Chthonic means within, under, and beneath the earth. This Goddess is the very definition of motherhood. Greek Goddesses of Motherhood had a hard time because they were in charge of some aspects of the universe while at the same time taking care of the children they had given birth to.
Tethys was the Goddess of the Earth’s womb. She was also the Goddess of the Sea. Her symbols are water, stars, fish, and wings. Water is a symbol of motherhood in the sense that it cleanses, heals, purifies, and brings out our emotional sides.
Tethys was Hera’s nurse; therefore, a symbol of the nurturing and caring natures of mothers all over the world. As a mother, she bore thirty-eight children of her own.
Greek Goddesses of Motherhood: Conclusion
From the foregoing, you get to learn that being a mother is of great importance. As a woman, you should be happy to be a life-giver. Always do all that you can to ensure that your children have a happy life and a stable family.
Greek Goddesses of Motherhood signify that you should not ignore your motherly instincts no matter the position you hold in society. Always nurture and care for the people in your care. Be happy to be a mother and rejoice in the ability to bring life into this world.