Embracing your Mother Archetype

November 20, 2017 ~ Meghan J Paterson

This mothering journey can unfold in a multitude of directions in any given moment of any given day, hour or minute. We hold ourselves in such high regard to be everything we possibly can, in all of the relationships we find ourselves in, especially the one we have with our children.  I recently came across an article about the Mother Archetype and it resonated in such a deep way, that I felt sharing this may benefit others who are feeling the weight of motherhood. 

​The term "archetype" originates in ancient greek, the root words are archein, which means "original or old"; and typos which means "pattern or type".  Together it's meaning is an "original pattern" of which all other similar persons, objects or concepts are copied, modelled or emulated. There are many different types of archetypes and they may present themselves in several ways with generally one being more dominate. So I propose to you to take a moment as you read, to check-in with yourself about what resonates for you.

Maybe you're the mother who must have everything in it's place before you have someone over, or maybe your home is cluttered and lived-in.

​You might be spontaneous and free-spirited, or well-organized and a planner.

Maybe you like to fill your days by being busy and going out and about lots, or you enjoy being in the comfort of your home.

You may place fun high in your priorities or maybe you place education higher.

The truth is;
                     "You can do anything, but not everything."
                                                         ~ Davin Allen

The thing is that whichever of these personality traits you find yourself nodding your head to doesn't reflect who you are as a mother.  If we collectively come together with honesty and truth we will discover that we are all keeping it together the best we know how. Which is pretty unbelievable, may I just say. Our culture creates these archetypes that we feel we must fit ourselves into, when in actual fact if we all just took notice of who we truly are and what we offer to our relationships, there may be a chance that we can accept who we are as mothers and step into the truth of our own  archetypes. 

Figure out what you are good at and allow yourself to gravitate to that.

I am not very good at taking time for myself, so I schedule time during the week just for me. My husband travels a lot and living on an acreage means there's a ton to do, so I hire someone to support what needs to get done. Cleaning our home is not a priority, but thankfully it is for my husband. 

However, I love to cook from scratch, so family dinners are an every night affair. I love being outside, so at every chance I am outside with our children, creating experiences. I' also enjoy growing food and medicinal plants, so I share this passion with my children. 

Embracing your strengths and looking to others in your tribe and community, will free you up to be the mother you want to be. Be gentle with yourself, especially in those early days and weeks, as your mothering journey unfolds and you learn what resonates and what doesn't! 

Blessings, Meghan