3. The memory e.g. realization of the Eternal Mother is most evident in the sayings of Lao-tse, the "founder" of Taoism. He emphasizes the feminine Dimension of the Tao by calling it the Great Mother.

These two (mystery and manifestations) spring
from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery. (1)

The valley spirit never dies;
It is the woman, primal mother.
Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.(6)

Everyone else is busy.
But I alone am aimless and quiet.
I am different.
I am nourished by the great mother. (20)

Something mysteriously formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
In the silence and the void,
Standing alone and unchanging,
Ever present and in motion.
Perhaps it is the mother of the ten thousand things.
I do not know its name.
Call it Tao.
For lack of a better word, I call it great.(25)

The beginning of the universe
Is the mother of all things.
Knowing the mother, one also knows the sons.
Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother
Brings freedom from the fear of death.(52)

4. Also known in Taoism are the Queen Mother of the West - Xi Wang Mu - a deity who ruled over K'un-lun, the most important mountain in the world. (Kybele the MotherGoddess of Phrygia also ruled over the mountains). In Chinese folklore it is said that one day with Xi Wang Mu is equal to longvity on earth for 3000 years*. Almost equal in popularity and closely related to the original Great Mother is "Sheng-Mu" or Holy Mother. In many temples in China she is portrayed with eight female deities around her. Her duty is to help women in pregnancy and birth-giving. 

* It proves how far patriarchal Taoism has moves from its Origin. Longvity is a Taoist obsession, however, they try to "reach it" through self-effort. The original teaching emphasizes "unification with the Mother", though.

5. Like in every patriarchal religion the original notion of the Great Mother as the the Ultimate Reality was diverted into some kind of deity or lower goddess. Example is Tianhou or "Empress of Heaven", also called Mazu, which means "grand, old mother". The goddess had a very humble beginning as a local woman with spiritual powers, helping seamen to return to home safely (...). Later on her divine status was recognized, being very popular with the Chinese in general. Moreover, in Vietnam there are numerous temples dedicated to the Mother. Many of them practice healing and divination. They are always crowded with people, indicative for Her huge popularity.

HINDUISM

India is still imbued with the memory of the Mother. Think of "Om" (Womb), the "Holy Cow" (symbol of the Mother), the Lotus and "Mother India".

6. In Hinduism the Great Mother can still be recognized. First of all She is knwon through Aditi. Aditi - Who existed from pre-Hindu e.g. Vedic times - represents the Void, the Absolute Emptiness of Buddhism. She is the Mother of all the Gods. Originally destruction, life and creation (Law of the Universe) were inseperable aspects of Her One Nothingness. Later these aspects were claimed by three Gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The latter being Her Divine Sons, who, like everywhere, made themselves independent from their Cosmic Origin.

7. In Vedic times Matri-Devi represents the Great Mother. However, rather than the Gods originating from the Mother, the Mother became the "consort" of the Gods ("Shakti"). At the same time the "Maha-Devi" lost Her power to Her descendants Kali (destruction), Lakshmi (preservation) and Parvati (rebirth). These goddesses each represented only one aspect of the original Great Mother (later replaced by above mentioned Gods). Nowadays the Hindu patheon is cluttered with hundreds of the Mother's "children". The existence of countless goddesses and gods only show, how much unity has lost itself in diversity.

8. In Tantra - once again a step in time - She was symbolized by the "Cosmic Egg" from Which everything originates. Typical are triangle pictures, where She resides on the earth both in her terrible (destructive) as well as Her life-giving power. Practices like Tantra find their origin in pre-Aryan times, in which the Great Mother was the center of the fertility cult. Later emphasis was laid on Siva-Sakti - Cosmic Consciousness - to such an extent, that the link with the Great Mother as birth-giver was lost. Siva-Sakti are representing two sides of the undivisible whole, in which Siva is static and Sakti the creative power. The worshipper tries to identify himself with this dual power in order to reach the non-dual.

9. The Great Mother (also called "Amman") can be found in every Indian village with the local village-goddesses (Grama-Devi) as Her manifestations. "The Grama-Devi embodies the village. Usually represented by a head and two hands, Her body is said to be the fields, streets and houses of the village. Thus the villagers effectively live "in" Her".* One of the many legends is that of Ammavaru, the Original Great Mother.

10. "In the beginning nothing existed. Only Ammavaru sat on a lotus that floated on the cosmic waters. To amuse Herself she laid three eggs on the lotus leaf out of which emerged three gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva."Let us marry and create life", She told the gods. The gods refused. This made Ammavaru very angry. Her third eye located in the middle of Her forehead burned with fury. In fear the gods acceded to Her request. "But first you must give us your third eye", they said. Ammavaru afire with desire plucked Her third eye and gave it to the three gods. As soon She did so, She lost all Her divine powers, Her skin wrinkled, Her breasts withered and Her hair turned grey. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva then created the earth out of Ammavaru's body and ruled over it".* 

* D.Pattanaik "Devi, The Mother Goddess", 2000 Vakils, Feffer and Simons, p.46/47

11. Kali is the annihilation aspect of Sakti, which in fact is a projection of the destructive aspect of the Great Mother. Through her the primordial desire (sex) which gives rise to all creation is balanced. She takes care of everything old, sick and dying. Kali is widely revered as the Divine Mother, possibly because her symbolism is so close to Ultimate Reality.

The Divine Mother's magic
is ancient as life itself
She existed before gods and mortals
and she will still exist even after the great dissolution.    

Elisabeth U.Harding "Kali, The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar", 1993 Nicolas Hayes.

12. Sri Ramakrishna, the saint who worshipped the goddess Kali for more than thirty years at her temple in Dakshineswar Temple on the bank of the Ganges wrote:

"The black basalt image of the Mother, dressed in gorgeous scarlet brocade, stands on the prostrate white marble body of her divine consort, Shiva...The majesty of her posture can hardly be described. It combines the terror of destruction with the reassurance of motherly tenderness, for she is the cosmic power, the totality of the universe, a glorious harmony of the pairs of opposites. She deals out death, as she creates and preserves".

NB. Female guru's calling themselves "mother" aren't a guarantee for being representatives of the Great Mother. On the contrary, many have identified themselves with a strong hierarchical/patriarchal dualistic philosophy.

13. The ultimate triumph though is the victory of the Great Mother (in Her manifestation of the goddess Durga) over the "bull-tyrant" Mahisha representing the violent masculine principle. Devdutt Pattanaik* writes:

"The image of Durga standing astride on a lion (symbolizing Her son/hero/lover: my addition) holding weapons in Her many arms, impaling the buffalo-demon, makes a magnificent sight. The goddess looks serene even though She is performing a violent act. There is blood on the floor, but the goddess is bedecked in bridal finery, smiling benigly at Her devotees.

14. The buffalo-demon could be viewed as the personification of man's desire to dominate the world. He is the demon of ambition, arrogance and audacity who goes about trying to tame Nature. This demon believes he can dam rivers, cut trees, burn forests and flatten mountains for his own confort and convenience. But then Durga, the unconquerable one, shrugs. There are floods and fires. Proud kings and their vast empires are swept away in a flash and man stands humble once more".

* ibid. p. 116

Durga slaying the buffalo-demon is probably the only myth in the world in which the Mother-principle has gained (temporarily) victory over patriarchy

Jay Mata Di!

JUDAISM

15. As we all know JHWH (or El) is the God of Israel. The early beginnings of both can be traced in Canaan, where they were Mother-oriented vegetation Gods. Having spoken to Moses from the Sinai mountain still refers to it, since the (matriarchal) Gods almost exclusively lived on a mountain. Furthermore, both Abraham and Moses seem to have been "husbands of their wives", e.g. part of female-oriented society. Later, although inexpressible and nameless, JHWH very soon received male connotations. Several things. The "tradition" makes us believe, that the Hebrews were one people united by one God. This hypothesis - which had to support patriarchal dominance - cannot be maintained anymore. New studies* have revealed, that originally there were different tribes, worshipping different gods and...goddesses (Astorah, Astarte). These gods(esses) were all linked to the primordial Great Mother. The Bible appears to be an account of the struggle of emerging patriarchy against the old Mother religion.

* See the summary of  G.Weiler "Ich verwerfe im Lande die Kriege", 1986 Frauenoffensive (In English and German)

16. The lost Ark of the Covenant* symbolizes the lost "Mother of Israel". The former is called the "House of God", which points at the original Mother religion. In ancient tradition "house", like vessel, tomb, cave, chalice etc. all represent the Great Mother. In Solomon's time the Holiest of Holiest of the Temple was called "Womb of Astarte"..."House/vessel of God" means the Mother containing her Divine Son. It is emphasized by the fact, that the historic Ark contained a chalice as well as a rod, the latter symbolizing the rule of the Son, JHWH. Still some memory of the motherly matrix may have been there, because in Hebrew "In the beginning" (ruach) can be translated with "womb". Also in Genesis the words "Void", "Abyss" and "Darkness" (teohom) all refer to Tiamat ("Sea"), the primordial Mother of Babylon. Thus "God created out of Nothingness (Darkness)", is a patriarchal reversal of the Mother as Birthgiver of the world. Things were twisted round. In later times Hokmah (Sophia) or wisdom appears as the feminine aspect of God (Proverbs) (rather than the other way round). In 8:12-36 she still speaks on her own account**, though.

* Not accidentally is the later Mary called....the Ark of the Covenant (Litany of Loreto).

** The following text is classical. It could have been (and has been...) directly copied from an ancient Sumerian (Inanna) hymn.

17. "I, wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is the fear evil; pride and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures".

18. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills I was brought forth. While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there; when he set up a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: then he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundation of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men".

19. "Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whose findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the lord. But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death".

20. Since the origins of dualism (India, Vedanta) two aspects, which previously were part of a whole, were torn apart and set up against each other. Light and darkness, good and evil, birth and death became two separate entities. Originally, they were inalienable instruments of the Great Mother. They could not exist on their own. The patriarchal fear of ego-loss isolated darkness, death and evil and started a crusade against them. Thus in the Jewish Kabbala the goddess Lilith appears as the antipode of Hokmah. She is the personification of evil and a caricature of the Mother. Isaak Luria a Kaballist came very close to the reality of the Cosmic Mother as Vacuum. He said that God as Nothingness continuously descends into his own Depth ("Zimzum") and emerges from it, together with his creation. I think it's very worthwile to include this concept into comparative mysticism.

BUDDHISM

See: Great Mother Buddhism

CHRISTIANITY

Bible confirms Mother

There many places in the Bible, where the existence of the Mother can be traced. It starts with Genesis. It says: "In the beginning God created Heaven and earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was filling up the depth. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters".

21. Superficially looked "God created Heaven and earth" only confirms the patriarchal claim, that God is the Origin of the All, the primordial ground of existence. However, looking a little closer, we see in the second verse "And the earth was without form". Generally this is considered as self-evident. The earth has to be empty, how otherwise God could start creating? Few realize, that there is a hidden meaning in it. It says that before God there was formlessness. The verse leaves no doubt about this. In order to be totally clear, "and void" is added, subsequently stating "and darkness was filling up the depth".

The hidden meaning is that before God void, darkness and depth existed. God didn't create them, the latter being pre-existent. "Void, darkness and depth" were there before God appeared, the former thus preceding God. It turns everything upside down. First there is Void, subsequently God appears. Or, with other words "God is born out of Emptiness". What a surprise! It confirms my insight about the Ultimate. The Bible wasn't able to wipe out the traces of the past. It couldn't talk round the fact, that the Great Mother - Void, Darkness and Depth - is the Ultimate Reality.

* Darkness, Void, the Deep, the Sea were all metaphors for the Original Mother.

Once the hierarchy is established, the sequence poses no problem. Once you accept that God is born out of the Mother, the opening verse of the Bible "In the beginning God created Heaven and earth" is self-evident*. Isn't God the Light Body ("Son") of the Mother? Yes, it is Her first emanation. As such it is giving birth to Her second emanation: the visible world, the universe, "Heaven and earth". Thus, God is born out of the Mother, while the world is born out of God. It is emphasized by the last part of the verse "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters". In the Old Mother Religion "the waters" symbolized the Primordial Ground of the Mother. "God facing the waters" means God being the emanation of the Mother.

* Obviously, referring the rest of the "creation story" to the realm of fables.

Christians, heed the call, and go back to your roots

22. Secondly, Adam, after being expelled from the Garden of Eden, exclaims/protests, after God has had condemned Eve: "She is the Mother of all living", emphasizing the Great Mother as the Ultimate Reality. Again proof of the fact, that Her memory was still alive.

Moreover, isn't the Dark Shulamite from the Song of Songs no one but the Original Mother?

And what to say of chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation? There it is said: "And a great sign appeared in heaven: a Woman arranged with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars". 

For those who need "logic" to become convinced. Mary is called the "Mother of God". Meant of course is Jesus (Christ). According to Christian dogma Jesus is God. Moreover, Christ is One with the Father. This can only mean that Mary (the Original Cosmic Mother) is the Mother of the Father. The Father is born out of the Cosmic Womb! Hence he is the "Son" of the Mother. (The Eternal Light born out of Darkness). Christ is not God but the One who had a God- Experience (just like Buddha). The "Holy Ghost" is symbolic for the "Third Eye" or Awareness that is inherent to every human being.

Gnosis

23. In her excellent book "The Gnostic Gospels" Elaine Pagels describes how "in the beginning" not God but the Mother was the Origin of all. The former was a derivative, merely instrumental power whom the Mother had created to administer the universe, but his own self-conception was far more grandiose. They say that he believed that he had made everything by himself, but that, in reality, he had created the world because of Wisdom, his Mother, "infused him with energy" and implanted into him her own ideas. But he was foolish, and acted unconsciously, unaware that the ideas he used came from her: "he was even ignorant of his own Mother" (Hippolytus. Ref.6-33)

E.Pagels "The Gnostic Gospels", 1989 Vintage Books.

24.

According to The Secret Book of John:

"...he said..., I am a jealous God, and there is no other God beside me. But by announcing this he indicated to the angels...that another God does exist; for if there were no other one, of whom would he be jealous?...Then the Mother began to be distressed".

At other places it is said:

"The creator, becoming arrogant in spirit, boasted himself over all those things that were below him, and exclaimed, I am the father, and God, and above me there is no one. But his Mother, hearing him speak thus, cried out against him: Do not lie, Ialdabaoth..."

Another text (Thunder, Perfect Mind) says:

"I am the first and the last. I am the honored and the scorned one. I am the whore and the holy one. I am the wife and the virgin. I am the mother and the daughter. I am she whose wedding is great, and I have not taken a husband...I am knowledge and ignorance...I am shameless: I am ashamed. I am strength, and I am fear...I am foolish, and I am wise...I am godless, and I am one whose God is great".

25.

Other texts take a mixed position, in which the Divine is both masculine and feminine. E.g. the (Gnostic) Secret Book says:

"...(She is)...the image of the invisible, virginal, perfect spirit...She became the Mother of everything, for she existed before them all, the mother-father..."

Gnostic teacher Simon Magus said:

"Grant Paradise to be the womb; for scripture teaches us that this is a true assumption when it says, "I am he that formed thee in thy mother's womb" (Isaiah 44:2)...Moses...using allegory had declared Paradise to be the womb...and Eden, the placenta..."

Sethian Gnostics explain that:

"heaven and earth have a shape similar to the womb...and if...anyone wants to investigate this, let him carefully examine the pregnant womb of any living creature, and he will discover an image of heaven and earth".

Another text from Nag Hammadi (where Gnostic texts were found): the Trimorphic Protennoia, the divine feminine declares:

"I am the Thought that dwells in Light...I existed before the All...I move in every creature...I am the Invisible One within the All. I am androgynous. I am both Mother and Father, since I copulate with myself. I am the Womb that gives shape to the All. I am Meirothea, the glory of the Mother".

From the Gospel of Thomas:

Who doesn't hate his father and mother, like I do
cannot be my disciple
And who doesn't love his Father and Mother, like I do
can also not be my disciple
because my mother gave birth to me in order to die
while my true Mother
has granted me Life
                                             Jesus

Mother of God

26. This discussion which took place within the Gnostic communities can also be recognized within the orthodox church. There the Mother is projected into Mary, the "Mother of God". The church had a serious dilemma. On the one hand it wanted to eradicate all memory of the powerful Primordial Mother; on the other hand it had to give in to the demands of ordinary people who wanted to have "their Mother back". Mary thus had to replace the Mother, while simultaneously neutralizing Her. A compromise was found at the Concilium at Ephesus 431 CE (the sacred site of the Original Mother, symbolized by Artemis....), in which Mary became the "Mother of God". Orthodox could interpret this as "Mother of Jesus" (who according to them is also God), while the traditionalists could cherish the literal meaning of it. The surprising thing is, that at least until the 15th century Mary is considered to be the Mother of All, in the literal sense that she gave birth to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost together. It is known as the "Vierge Ouvrante" devotion which was widespread in Europe (Poland, Germany, France, Spain) until the 15th century. Statues reveal Mary with God the Father!, the Son and the Holy Ghost coming out of Her body.* It is the most perfect illustration of the Truth ever made.

* The tradition of the Mother as the Source out of which everyting - including God - is born, had its most prominent traces in Christianity. See image above. See also our virtual Mother Church project.

27. The most powerful devotion to the "Mother of God" included the Black Madonna though. Her devotion has always been some sort of embarrasment to the church. The reason is clear. Her dark appearence is relating to the Original Dark Essence of the Great Mother. In ancient times the Black Stone symbolized the Mother, as Isis, Artemis, Cybele and other Mother Goddesses did. Black Madonna's thus directly re-connect to the Source. (Notice that the African Black Mother preceded this all). That's why during the centuries people always felt an enormous attraction to them. Here again the church tried to find a way between recognition and suppression. Even in recent years Black Madonna's still have "disappeared" or changed into white ones. Which sometimes has led to energetic protests of the (local) population. Famous Black Madonna's are Altötting, Einsiedeln*, Rocamadour, le Puy, Monserrat, Loreto and Tindari.

* See my extensive essay on the Black Madonna of Einsiedeln.

28. The history of marian dogma shows how the church tried to "upgrade" the status of Mary. After "Mother of God", her "perpetual virginity" was proclaimed (649 CE). Then it took a long time (1854) before the next dogma came into being: that of "immaculate conception" followed by her "bodily assumption" in 1950. Looking at these dogma's it is particularly striking how forced these attempts are. Actually, they try to copy various aspects of the Primordial Mother. The church pushes Mary's status to the limit though. They very well understand, that increasingly the "popularity" of Jesus is on the decrease, while that of Mary is on the increase. Pope John Paul II loved to call Mary the "Queen of Heaven" - a hollow phrase (if not further substantiated). A group "Vox Populi" is even lobbying for a fifth dogma, that of "Mary Mediatrix or Coredemptrix". The irony is this. While the church had once "killed the Great Mother", they now try to re-introduce Her through the backdoor. This attempt will fail, unless the substitute (Mary) is replaced by the original: the Great Mother. Only when She becomes disconnected from the church She will have a (great) future. In that case She has to reclaim all old attributes. People have to start recognizing, that She represents the Ultimate Reality, rather than being just "an appendix" to the patriarchal God. It is something the church - because of its inner contradictions - will never be able to achieve. Only the people themselves are.

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/5229/kc_mary1.htm

ISLAM

29. Few people will know, that the religion considered to be most patriarchal actually has a very deep rooted feminine core. It is one of the best hidden secrets. The reasons are manifold. Obviously, ruling clerics have no interest to undermine their position by revealing the feminine character of their religion. Nevertheless some brave hearts are trying to do just that*. It all starts with the description of the Essence of Allah. As you know the core Name of Allah is al-Rahman, al-Rahim. It is the most important Name among the other 99 Names attributed to Allah. The common translation is "Allah the Merciful e.g. the Mercy-Giver". Literally, however, "rahim" means "womb". Here, a patriarchal reversion has taken place (just like Sophia, Shakti, Womb of the Buddha’s): Rahman is Allah’s Spirit, while Rahim is the Receptive Womb, the Vessel out of which Nature originates. Still, something of the Original Womb is coming through, though. One may speculate, if there isn’t a source in Islamic tradition, that puts everything in the right perspective. Everybody agrees, that Allah proves to be both the Source of Mercy as well as Mercy itself. The former is equal to the unmanifest formless Essence, while the latter symbolizes His (Her!) Being, His active, outgoing, creative outpouring. With a “little goodwill”, it is easily to understand, that the Essence corresponds with the Eternal Feminine Aspect of Allah, while His (Her!) creative "part" can be called Masculine. It is emphasized by the word for Divine Essence: al-Dhat, which is also feminine. The similarity with our own position is striking. The Essence as the Womb from which the Divine is evolving.

* See a very important and inspiring website: http://www.crescentlife.com/spirituality/divine_feminine.htm

30  Islam considers the Ka'aba to be the "House of Allah". Since pre-historic times "House" always represents "Mother". The Black Stone inside, just like the Black Madonna's in the West or Kali in India is a symbol of the Great Mother (Kybele)* too. The Ka'aba is thus emphasizing the Maternal Dimension of Allah. Surprisingly, the priests serving the Ka'aba are still called "Beni Shaybah" or "Sons of the Old Woman!".

* In the main square of "Han", a village in Phrygia, Central Turkey, there is a huge statue of a black Kybele......

31. So the unique thing about Islam is, that Allah includes both aspects simulataneously. In Him (Her!) the Unmanifest Essence and Being prove to be "two sides of the same coin". It makes the understanding of God a very truthful and complete one. That the femininity of Allah is deeply rooted in Islamic faith is also becoming clear, through the fact that Allah is never called "father". It is something Westerners may surprise as well. Rather Allah may be addressed as "Mother". For instance, Rumi in a passage of his Masnavi says: "Mother, return us to Your breast". 

32. Apart from the Qur'an in which Allah's 99 Names are recited, the experiences of Islamic mystics- the Sufi's - also bear witness of the Divine as feminine. Obviously this is a very reliable source, since the Sufi's speak directly from the Source, (as Mohammed did). Rumi has already been named. Ibn al-Arabi, an equally important master wrote that "I sometimes employ the feminine pronoun in addressing Allah, keeping in view the Essence".*  Moreover, he repeatedly talks about the "abysmal Darkness" and "The ultimate ground of everything is the Mother (umm)". Therefore he says that Allah can be referred to as both "huwa" (He) and "hiya" (She).* The ultimate Divine Reality as essentially Feminine was and is the Source of inspiration for Sufism in general. The famous poet Umar Ibn-al-Farid repeatedly used the feminine connotation when talking about Allah. Generally in Islam and in contrast to Christianity, the Sufi mystic defines the Divine as feminine Beauty, the subject of his quest*. The love story of Layla and Majnun illustrates this. Every year in Egypt there is the festival of the "Great Night" (originally attributed to the Great Mother), dedicated to al-Sayyida Zaynab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed. It is a week of celebration in which women come out to the open, nay are the centre of it all, the play of Layla and Majnun is being performed, while the segregation between men and women is (temporarily) lifted.

33. The next source of information about the feminine aspect of Islam is the shari'ah or teaching, a compilation of the life of the Prophet Mohammed, including all kinds of wise lessons for life. First he was employed by Hadiga, a rich widow. Later Hadiga made it possible for him to exclusively dedicate himself to the spreading the word of Allah. His whole life remained woman-centered. It is said that the Prophet's soul was feminine, a striking similarity with all great spiritual teachers of all times, like Lao Tze, Buddha, Jesus and countless others. Confronted with the necessity to fight, Mohammed said to his followers: ""I see that I cannot stop this, so if you have to fight, fight. But don’t forget that from now on the burden of your deeds will be upon you, and your religion will not be pure unless you become responsible for the burden of your deeds." Actually, the Prophet wasn't very secretive about his love for women, especially his wife A'ishah. More than once he used examples from the real world in which he compared the Mercy of Allah with the love of a woman for her child. Indirectly he underlined the motherly aspect of Allah. Moreover, lacking sons Allah gave him instead "al-Kawthar", which symbolizes the promise of the abundance of Divine Feminine.

No doubt: "There is only One God" reflects the universal
Truth and Mohammed as an Enlightened One is
certainly His prophet

MOTHER UNITING

34. The conclusion from the previous is breath-taking. All great religions are of common descent, they are all sons of the same Eternal Mother. She has been suppressed during many millennia, which now has an unexpected advantage. Both with regard to the past as with Her True Nature - the Vacuum, the Womb - She cannot be defined. There are no or very few cultural or religious concepts about Her, so nobody can claim Her. The Mother is truly beyond all existence, while at the same time embracing it. By not deriving their identity from themselves, but rather from the Mother, the Sons may put their own positions into perspective. If every religion recognizes its descent from Her, they can take refuge in Her without being threatened in their own identity. For the first time in history they truly may become brothers.

35. It will be certainly helpful, nay essential to stating, that the Mystery of the Divine can be approached from two sides. First of all, one may emphasize the Essence or Orgin as the Great Mother as described above. However, The Essence and Her Lightbody - Being - prove to be two sides of the same coin. Take the example of Islam. Here Allah has two aspects - His (Her!) Unmanifested Part that is Beyond Being and Being as His (Her!) manifestation to the world. Here the unity of these two aspects is stressed, while in the above mentioned section the inner-dynamics are emphasized: Being as being born out of the Essence, the Womb. The advantage of this situation is, that both "models" may be applied to different audiences. Those who would like to stress the Mother as the Ultimate and those who prefer to emphasize the Maternal Aspect of God.  

36. The former will stress, that being Nothingness - the Vacuum - the Mother is neither another God nor a competitor to anyone. She is beyond God (beyond the Being-Aspect of God). Nobody has to give in anything, even patriarchal claims remain fully upright, e.g. "There is only one God and Mohammed is his prophet". The Mother is Empty, It is the Void which gives birth to everything by emptying Herself. While giving birth - doing out of non-doing - to the Divine, the Divine is giving birth to the universe. Hence, religions can even still claim God as the Creator. It is the beginning of a new era in which the Great Mother appears to be the Unity in Diversity. Considering Her aspects of "death and rebirth", Her "appearence on earth" couldn't be at a better moment. In a time in which dying to the old - ignorance and self-centeredness, greed, addiction and accumulation - is crucial, both individually and collectively, she shows us how to "die" voluntary, in order to become reborn.

Rejoice, we have no choice

37. Subsequently, Her sons and daughters - us - may become totally transformed. The point of reference has shifted to something universal, which can be shared with everybody on earth, regardless religion, culture, gender or race. Women may find in Her a shortcut to the Ultimate, by which they don't have to fight for a place under the patriarchal sun anymore. Through identification with the Mother women will empower themselves to such an extent, that they may transform the "sons" by revealing and emphasizing the feminine aspects of their religions: the Essence of God as being the Eternal Feminine*. Or they may chose not to involve themselves with any of the great religions, but rather identify themselves with aspects of spirituality their own way.

* In Christianity the "Mother of God"; in Islam "the Essence of Allah"; in Taoism "Mother Tao"; in Buddhism "Emptiness beyond Emptiness"; in Judaism "Hokhmah" and in Hinduism "Matri Devi". Eventually, everyone may start recognizing the "Maternal Dimension of God" or "Great Mother" as the Source of all life.

38. Men are also establishing a direct relationship with the Mother. They do it not through identification, but through service. Their mission is to abandon all life-threatening activities - the rat race - in order to serve the whole. Every day is one of celebration. Their inner Path may include: Awakening, dying to the old, restoring the unity with "Heaven" and earth, longing for deepest Realization and taking refuge in the Mother.* It may indeed totally transform your life.

See: "The Universal Way"

GREAT MOTHER

Eternal Mother
Matri Devi
Eternal Wisdom
Ark of the Covenant
Emptiness beyond Emptiness
Mother of God
Allah the Merciful
Cosmic Womb

TALKS ABOUT "THE MATERNAL DIMENSION
OF GOD" ARE HELD WORLDWIDE