In ancient Greek mythology, the word ‘chaos’ is not related to disorder; it is a term that describes God’s presence between Heaven and Earth. Chaos refers to the nothingness from which the primordial beings were born, and one of these beings was Gaia, Goddess of the Earth. It was said that planet Earth was shapeless before Gaia’s arrival, as she was the bringer of life.
Gaia’s name comes from the Greek word for land, which is ‘ga’ or ‘ge’. She was considered to be ‘the mother of all’, and is known for her powerful creative force. The goddess was both mother and wife to Uranus, ruler of the sky, and gave birth to the heavenly gods through their union. She also created the sea gods and giants by mating with Pontos and Tartaros, respectively. Mortal creatures were believed to have come from her flesh.
Though Gaia was considered to be a maternal being who nourished the plants and young children, she also had a rebellious side. Multiple recordings speak of her wrath against the gods, primarily to protect her offspring. Gaia stood against Uranus after he imprisoned her sons, the giants. She tried to persuade her sons to attack Uranus, however, Cronus was the only one willing to do the task. Driven by jealousy for his father, Cronus attacked Uranus, whose blood dripped upon the earth, birthing the furies into creation. Ironically, Cronus later took the giants hostage as well, sending Gaia into an angry rebellion once again. The final account involved mighty Zeus, as he imprisoned her Titan sons. Gaia birthed a monster and tribe of giants to overthrow the chief of the gods, but this attempt was met with failure.
Symbols that are associated with Gaia include trees, fruit, and grain. The root chakra is connected to her, so crystals associated with rooting and grounding are great sources for tapping into Gaia’s energy. These crystals include hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, kyanite, onyx, red and brown jasper, garnet, and more.
How to further your connection with Gaia
Do a grounding meditation
Allow yourself to get into a meditative state by bringing your awareness to the present moment. Connect with your body, and tune into the sensations all around it. Take a few deep breaths, releasing any tension on the exhale. Feel the earth underneath you, as it supports the weight of your body. In this space, you are unconditionally held and supported. Visualize tree roots coming out of your feet and going into the ground, pulling up the energy of Mother Gaia through your root system.
Work with the mother archetype
The mother is unconditionally compassionate, caring, protective, and loving. How can you embody these traits more often in your life? The mother is also a divine creative force, so getting into a creative state and birthing something into existence can help you connect with Mother Gaia. This connection can be forged through something inspirational such as a painting, a piece of music, or a poem.
Connect your bare feet to the earth
Wearing shoes all the time can sometimes leave us feeling disconnected from the raw energetic force of the earth. Connecting to the ground with your bare feet is a powerful way to ground, and connect with Gaia. Feel the grass brushing against your ankles, and the dirt getting in between your toes. Feel her energy beneath the earth, and all around you. Breathe Gaia in, and let her into your energetic field.
