Earth is Our Mother by Monica Sjoo

This vision of the Motherworld is inspired by the Lady of Avalon, Great Goddess of love, compassion, healing and transformation on the Sacred Isle of Avalon. The Motherworld is the society where mothers and the values of mothering – love, care and support for each other, and for our Mother Earth and all Her creatures and nature – are placed in the centre of our lives, rather than being left out on the periphery.

The Motherworld is the society in which creative and life-affirming values, actions, insights and awareness are honored and encouraged in women, men and children. It is the society that is grounded in the fact that we all live upon our Mother Earth. She is the source and foundation of all that we are and all that we have. We need to take care of Her, of each other and of all life.

The primary values for the new Motherworld are: 
Honoring Mother Earth as a living being. Love for each other, kindness, support, respect, care, and compassion. Honoring all forms of mothering, honoring fathers, and the celebration and nurture of children and young people. Protecting and taking care of the earth, water, fire, air and space in Her world.

Suggested values for the new Motherworld include: 
Honesty, personal integrity, authenticity, relationship, diversity, choice, discernment, inclusion, trust, beauty, emotional expression, listening, clear boundaries, reflection, soul development, empowerment, shadow-healing, the pursuit of wisdom, the encouragement of self-responsibility, self-worth, self-respect, self-confidence, self-discipline and self-reflection, prayer, ceremony, service, connection, partnership, generosity, sharing wealth, gifting, receiving, humor, creativity, education for all, non-violent methods of resolving conflict, honoring and protecting Mother Nature and all living beings, ethical production of goods and services, the protection of the vulnerable, and valuing the Wisdom of the Elders and of the Ancestors.

The Motherworld is the society where the patriarchal structures and values of dominance, ‘power-over’ control and coercion, greed, excessive profit, destructive competition, violence, rape, war, slavery, suffering, hunger, poverty, and the pollution of Mother Earth and Her atmosphere, are recognized as shadow expressions of humanity which need to be challenged, deconstructed, transformed and healed. In the Motherworld, healing practices are encouraged and made readily available to all.

In the Motherworld it is recognized that all human beings, women and men, carry wounds from our patriarchal conditioning – emotional and mental patterns which may be activated as we try to change our world. In the Goddess community we are particularly aware of our shadow material, which includes envy, jealousy, judgment, competitiveness, collusion, resentment, undermining, back-biting, blaming, naming and shaming, projection of negative emotions, such as anger, shame and rage, fear, loneliness, lack of self-love, lack of self-esteem and lack of self-confidence, all of which are the result of individual cultural and karmic life experiences. 

In the Motherworld, one of our first works is to love and support each other in taking responsibility for our repressed and often hostile emotions. These shadows undermine all our best endeavors to change the way we act in our personal and social relationships, in our lives as Goddess-loving people living in a patriarchal world, as Her priestesses and priests, as Her melissae, and in our personal commitments to Goddess. They often prevent us from experiencing true empowerment. Amongst many of us we already have developed skills and techniques of emotional expression, such as really listening to each other and offering reflection and support so that we may heal these wounds. This personal healing work needs to – and can – accelerate at this time with the help of the Motherworld community, which can help hold us in compassionate safety as we work to heal our wounds.

Although the name ‘Motherworld’ comes from Barbara Walker’s novel ‘Amazon’, where it describes an ancient fictional matriarchal society, this is not a return to such a society. It is a forward movement to a new kind of mother-centered community, where all are valued, supported and appreciated, and where we can experiment together with new ideas and forms. ‘Motherworld’ evokes a loving world where we are held safely in the Great Mother’s embrace. 

The Call of the Motherworld

We call for the empowerment of women and girls, men and boys.
We call for an end to all violence –
violence against women and girls, boys and men,
including assault, rape, genital mutilation and circumcision, slavery,
people trafficking, torture and war.
We call for an end to intimidation and ‘power-over’ aggression in all forms.
We call for an end to the arms trade and the personal ownership of harmful weapons.
We call for an end to hunger and starvation, poverty, homelessness
and the ownership of the resources of the earth by the few at the expense of the many.
We call for an end to all human and animal sacrifice for religious,
political or social ideals.
We call for an end to all forms of animal cruelty.
We call for an end to all inequalities based on gender, race,
sexual orientation, disability and age.

This Motherworld Vision is initiated by Priestess of Avalon, Kathy Jones and the Goddess community of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, including Amanda Baker, Amanda Posnett, Amber Skyes, Ann James, Beci Monks, Becky Thomas, Carmen Paz, Caroline Lir, Cherry-Lee Ward, Chrissy Heaven, Christine Watkins, Christine Watts, Duncan Howell, Elin Hejll-Guest, Elle Hull, Emma-Rose Knight, Erin McCauliff, Francine van den Berg, Georgina Sirett-Smith, Joanne Foucher, Joanne Hooper, John Reeves, Josie Shaw, Katinka Soetens, Leona Graham, Lieveke Volcke, Lisa Newing, Lorraine Pickles, Louise Tarrier, Luiza Frazao, Luna Silver, Mandie Thorne, Marion van Eupen, Marisa Picardo, Michelle Patten, Mike Jones, Miriam Wallraven, Peter Huzar, Renata de Quieroz, Rose Flint, Rosie Elflain, Sandra Roman, Sharlea Sparrow, Shirley-Ann Millar, Stephanie Mathivet, Suzanne Viney, Tina Free, Trevor Nuthall, Vera Faria Leal and Vikki Winstone. 

The vision is also being received by others in different communities and places in the world, and in different forms.  

The Motherworld vision is inclusive and without borders. It supports all people – women, children and men everywhere, who are endeavoring to bring feminine values back into our lives and societies, changing our world for the better. 

The Motherworld favors diversity of expression, as a Mother loves all of her children with their different characters and expressions.

Motherworld communities and networks can be formed by any group of people who agree with its values and principles. We ask that we all make the commitment to the Motherworld, connect with each other and stay connected, creating a worldwide network of love and support for our creative values and actions. 

The Motherworld Vision is being grounded and activated ceremonially at the 2013 Glastonbury Goddess Conference July 30th-August 4th 2013. 

Email: goddessconference9@gmail.com

The Motherworld Vision will be presented at the Goddess Spirit Rising Conference in Malibu, California, on September 7th.

COMMITMENT TO THE MOTHERWORLD

The following are suggested commitments to be made by all those who wish to co-create the Motherworld

“I commit myself to loving and supporting the vision, the people and the values of the Motherworld as described:

My intention is to help bring the Motherworld into being in my thoughts, words and actions in the world. I support the Motherworld Vision. I commit to taking responsibility for my own emotional and mental wounding and for its healing.

To help create the Motherworld I am already doing the following/I am planning to do the following:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please send in your commitment and plans to: Glastonbury Goddess Temple, 2-4 High St, Glastonbury BA6 9DU

Email: info@goddesstemple.co.uk 

We will record and hold all names and commitments. 

Kathy Jones is the Founder and Webster of the Annual International Glastonbury Goddess Conference. She is Founder and Creative Director of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple and the Priestess of Avalon training. Jones has an international reputation as an authority on the Goddess and is the author of several ground-breaking books on British Goddesses, Sacred Avalon and healing, including “Priestess of Avalon, Priestess of the Goddess“, “The Ancient British Goddess“, “In the Nature of Avalon“, “Spinning the Wheel of Ana“, “Chiron in Labrys“, amongst others. She is a ceremonialist, teacher, initiator, healer, writer and sacred dramatist. You can learn more about Kathy’s work at www.kathyjones.co.uk, www.goddesstemple.co.uk, and www.goddessconference.com