Earth Mother Archetype

What is the Earth Mother archetype?

Are there any other names for this archetype, or is this the only one?

Did Carl Jung originally identify the Earth Mother, or did this archetype come about from somewhere else?

The Earth Mother archetype may also be known as the Divine Mother or the Mother Goddess. This archetype stems from the Caregiver within the original 12 Jungian archetypes, but it was not specified by Jung as part of this list.

The Earth Mother is a unique combination of Mentor, Caregiver, and Mother archetypal qualities that combine to create something very special and powerful. She is not always a common archetype, but when she’s present, she is extremely strong.

In this article, you’ll learn more about the Earth Mother and how to recognize her qualities in your own life, as well as in those around you. Read on to learn more.

Earth Mother Details

Read through this section to get an idea of what makes up the Earth Mother archetype. You’ll learn about the strengths and weaknesses of this archetype as well as the qualities that can be most often found in those who fill the role.

Variations

• Positive Earth Mother: This is the Earth Mother associated with nature, life, and success. She is a green and giving mother, and she creates life as well as maintains it. This mother shows nothing but love for those around her.
• Negative Earth Mother: The Shadow version of the Earth Mother archetype is devouring. She spreads chaos, negativity, and destruction wherever she goes. This is most often seen in mythological Earth Mothers, who may turn to rage at certain points throughout their mythology and may cause natural disasters and death.

Objective

• The overarching objective of the Earth Mother archetype is to give life, and to ensure that life can continue to thrive. She is often connected with the concept of fertility, both in herself and in nature; for this reason, she spreads life and light wherever she goes. The Earth Mother is the opposite of any destructive force, and because of this, she is often the foil for the Warrior archetype, which is associated with destruction. Creation, in short, is the objective of the Earth Mother.

Desires

• The Earth Mother often wants to surround herself with nature. Although nature is not a requirement, it’s a common thread among those who identify with the Earth Mother archetype. This archetype often cares for plants, has a garden, or spends time hiking.
• The Earth Mother wants to be feminine. She is one of the strongest feminine archetypes, and she enjoys expressing her femininity through her caring and love for others.
• This archetype wants to aid in the transformation of those around her. She assists those under her care in transforming and becoming better versions of themselves.

Goals

• The Earth Mother wants to create sustenance. She wants to ensure that life can survive and, ideally, thrive. She will do anything she can to protect, care for, and nurture the life around her.
• This archetype wants to provide care and attention to those who need it. The Earth Mother goes out of her way to find those in need, and she reaches out to them with a loving and gentle hand.
• The Earth Mother archetype hopes to find a ritual or routine that will allow her to provide for those under her care. She may spend a lot of time perfecting this routine in order to become efficient at what she does.
• Creation is one of the greatest strengths of the Earth Mother. She creates life, but she can also create other things, and may be interested in art, sculpting, woodworking and more.
• The Earth Mother is giving, and generosity is another of her strengths. She is especially giving toward those under her care, but she tends to be a Good Samaritan when it comes to most people.

Strengths

• The love of the Earth Mother is unconditional, and therefore, her ability and capacity to love is another of her strengths. Even if her children do wrong, she still loves them.

Weaknesses

• The Earth Mother, like most variants of the Mother archetype, does not give herself much time to take care of herself. She may be less capable of helping others because of her lack of ability to help herself first.
• When the Earth Mother’s power corrupts her, she becomes engulfed with rage and aggression. She is prevalent in everyone’s life, and therefore cannot be escaped when her Shadow is present.
• The Earth Mother keeps her life to herself, and therefore is very secretive. Others do not get close to her because of this, and she cannot often share her true Self with anyone either.

Qualities

• A maternal nature is one of the main qualities of the Earth Mother. She is a mother through and through, even if she doesn’t have any biological children of her own.
• The Earth Mother is an authority figure, but her authority is not one of aggression unless her Shadow takes over. A positive Earth Mother is a kind, gentle, and caring authoritative figure.
• The Earth Mothers cares about peace. She wants peace for the planet and for everyone living on it, and she may attempt to negotiate or quell arguments in order to keep the peace.

Conclusion

Now that you have had a chance to learn more about the Earth Mother, you may be wondering how to recognize this archetype in literature, mythology, and in the real world too. This is not a very common archetype, but it is a notable one, and Earth Mothers tend to stand out because of their compassionate, loving natures.

Take a look at this list of Earth Mother examples. From here, you should be better able to get an idea of what to expect from this archetype:

• Gaia in mythology: Gaia is the actual Earth, and she is the mother of all other deities. She is one of the most well-known and recognized Earth Mothers.
• The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella: The Fairy Godmother is giving, kind, and caring. She uses her magic to help her “child” thrive.
• Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians: Cruella de Vil is the Shadow side of the Earth Mother. She is devouring, bitter, and angry. Cruella wants to destroy life and feels no compassion, even for those who are innocent or unable to fend for themselves.
• The Oracle in The Matrix: The Oracle is mysterious, but she always seems to know more than she lets on. She is a guiding and protective force, although she is more neutral than some other Earth Mothers.
• The Virgin Mary: The Virgin Mary is benevolent and kind. She sacrifices much of herself to do what she thinks is right and to care for her child.

By understanding these examples of Earth Mothers, you may be able to form a stronger concept of this archetype for yourself. Take some time to think about whether or not you may be an Earth Mother. Do you feel like this archetype is right for you? Or do you know someone who fits this all-important role in your own life?

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH:

https://medium.com/@jsmathison/the-king-within-masculine-archetypes-part-4-40863054d235
https://jeanbenedictraffa.com/2011/05/07/the-earth-mother-archetype/
https://www.themoonschool.org/archetypes/earth-mother-archetype/
https://prezi.com/pqao_9arqs_-/archetypes-project-earth-mother/