Mother Symbols and Meanings

mother symbols and meanings
Mother symbols are cultural and religious symbols that represent motherhood, maternal love, and the maternal bond. These symbols depict motherly figures, such as the Virgin Mary in Christianity. These symbols are meant to honor and celebrate the role of mothers in society. You can find Mother symbols in various art, literature, and spiritual practices worldwide. They are often associated with nurturing, protection, and strength.

What Bird Symbolizes Motherhood?

The Crow Mother Kachina is a figure in the traditional beliefs and rituals of the Hopi. Hopi is a Native American tribe that lives in the southwestern United States. Kachinas are spiritual beings that are believed to inhabit the natural world and to be able to interact with humans.

The Crow Mother Kachina is considered a guardian of the Hopi people and is associated with fertility, abundance, and the cycle of life. She is depicted as a woman with crow-like features, such as a beaked nose and wings, and is often dressed in black and white. 

In Hopi ceremonies, the Crow Mother Kachina may appear as a dancer or performer. She may also be represented by a carved wooden or clay figure known as a kachina doll.

mother symbols and meanings
Hopi Kachina dolls

The Importance of the Crow Mother Kachina

The Crow Mother Kachina is one of many important kachinas in Hopi culture. Each kachina represents a different aspect of the natural world or has a specific role in the spiritual lives of the Hopi people. 

The kachinas are believed to be able to help humans in various ways, such as bringing rain, helping with farming, or protecting people from harm. The Hopi people honor the kachinas through ceremonies, and dances, which are used as teaching tools and given as gifts.

The Crow Mom Kachina is said to appear in the winter with a basket of sprouts. This is symbolic because it represents seed germination even in the dead of winter. In addition, the crow mother is a loving and gentle mother who carries a lot of wealth within her. Therefore, she represents warmth and flourishing crops.

What Does the Celtic Motherhood Knot Symbolize?

The Celtic Mother Knot is a symbol that represents the bond between the mother and her child. The two interwoven hearts represent the love and connection between a mother and her child. The knot is a symbol of this bond’s enduring and unbreakable nature. 

A mother’s bond with her child is thought to be the most powerful bond in the world. The Celtic Motherhood Knot conveys a strong message of unending maternal love. The never-ending loop symbolizes the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.

The Celtic Motherhood Knot is often used in jewelry and other decorative items to express love and appreciation for mothers and motherhood. The loop is also a symbol of eternal love, which never fades but grows stronger over time. It is also a symbol of faith in God in the Celtic tradition. 

Apart from that, Christians believe that the symbol represents Madonna and Child. It’s considered religious to give someone a mother’s knot. It represents an unbreakable bond with the person for all time.

mother symbols and meanings
The Celtic Motherhood Symbol

What is the Symbol for the Virgin Mary?

The Virgin Mary, also known as the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a central Catholic figure and is considered the mother of Jesus Christ. She is often depicted in art and literature as an ancient symbol of purity, love, and maternal care.

The crown is a common symbol associated with the Virgin Mary, as she is often referred to as the “Queen of Heaven.” The lily is also a common symbol associated with Mary, as it symbolizes purity and innocence.

The mystic rose is another symbol associated with the Virgin Mary. It represents her role as the spiritual mother of all believers. She is often depicted as a rose with a cross in the center.

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The Virgin Mary symbolism includes the iris and the crown.

The iris is another symbol sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary, as it symbolizes faith, hope, and wisdom. The pear is also sometimes used as a symbol of Mary, as it represents the fruitfulness and abundance that she brings to the world.

The almond is another symbol that is sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary. It represents the sweetness and goodness of her nature. The pansy is also sometimes used as a symbol of Mary, which means the love and devotion she inspires in believers.

What is the Mother Symbol for the Mexica People?

The Mexica people, also known as the Aztecs, had several important symbols in their culture and religion. One symbol that may be considered a mother symbol is a goddess Coatlicue, who was known as the mother of all the gods and the earth itself. 

Coatlicue was depicted with a skirt made of serpents and a necklace of human hearts. She was associated with fertility, mother earth, and rebirth.

Other mother symbols among the Mexica include the goddess Toci, who was known as the “Grandmother of the Gods.” She was associated with childbirth and maternal love, and the goddess Xochiquetzal was associated with fertility and sexual love.

mother symbols and meanings
A depiction of the Aztec goddess Coatlicue.

Mother Symbol at Aurobindo Ashram 

The mother was a spiritual figure associated with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community in Pondicherry, India. She was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, an Indian philosopher, yogi, and guru who developed a philosophy of spiritual evolution known as Integral Yoga.

The Divine Mother is depicted with a circle with lotus petals in two realms. The central circle represents Divine Consciousness. The four petals represent the mother’s four powers. 

mother symbols and meanings
The Divine Mother Symbol

However, The twelve petals represent the mother’s twelve manifested powers for Her work. The central circle represents the Mahashakti, the Supreme Mother. The four central petals represent Mother’s four aspects, and the twelve petals represent Her twelve attributes.

The four petals of the mother’s symbol, as well as the four pillars that support Matrimandir, represent the mother’s four aspects or personalities: Maheshwari (Wisdom), Mahalakshmi (Harmony), Mahakali (Fortitude), and Mahasaraswati (Perfection).

Continue your learning on various symbols with this great article on popular Aztec symbols.

Vanessa

Vanessa's liberal arts background has prepared her well for Symbol Scholar. A self-proclaimed theology nerd, Vanessa has interests in world religions, Reformation theology, history, and more. When she's not working, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her family, reading, exercising, and watching professional basketball.

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