Mother Earth or Mother Nature is the spouse whom Yahweh embraces in his original ancient function as the Sky-God. Earth and Sky meet, embrace, and create life in so many of the world's mythologies and religions. The Divine Feminine Force has always been at work in the universe, co-creating and co-equal with the Divine Masculine. Ignored, forgotten, lost, hidden, veiled, disguised among us... She now emerges from the shadows once again. Have you seen her? 

        Throughout the ages, the female divine has been venerated as "Life-Giver," and Mary is no exception. Fertility and abundance are associated with The Mother who gives life from her womb and nourishment from her breasts. The Mother is the provider of all life, for all life. As Mother, Mary is linked to Isis, Artemis, Cybele and Demeter.

          Isis was one of the first Madonnas, frequently protrayed as nursing Horus, her Divine Son. She was highly venerated during the years of the early Christian church, and most scholars agree that the cult of Isis strongly influenced the cult of Mary.

        "Our Lady of Light" was one of Isis' many titles, and in one sacred story, she gave birth to the sun. It is no coincidence that Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Mary's son, the Christ, is celebrated at the same time of year as Winter Solstice, the celebration of the re-birth of the sun, the return of the light.

         The name Isis translates as "throne," the seat of power. The Divine Son, Horus gained authority from sitting on his mother's lap. Many  statues of Isis and Horus in this posture were later renamed and dedicated as Madonna and Child. (See The Black Madonna .) This is particularly true of statues which name Mary as "Theotokos," the God-Bearer.

Never a Virgin

it is never suggested that Jesus was not Joseph's real son and the full brother of James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. Nor does the New Testament ever state that Mary remained a virgin. In fact, Matthew seems to contradict this when reporting that Joseph abstained from "knowing" her until the birth of Jesus.