We have entered a new era in a society where creativity and spiritual growth are being noticed, valued and even nurtured. People no longer see the arts as only hobbies, but are going alone, and developing their much-loved creative pursuits into careers. We are also starting to see evidence of the stress-related damage caused by being in a life situation that doesn’t feel right and women are empowered more than ever to make necessary changes.
Our deeply ingrained culture still, however, holds steady the value of the earthly-grounded mother who can provide routine, security and emotional stability for her growing offspring. Why is it that we mothers everywhere seem to pride ourselves when we consistently churn out nutritious meals, get the children to school on time, strike up small talk with fellow mums and host numerous sleepovers? Most of us seem to strive towards an idealist view of motherhood whilst sacrificing our own needs, wishes, and dreams. So why is it that some mothers struggle to survive while the earth mothers around them quite obviously thrive?
In a time where there is much confusion in the world; the divorce rate increasing and nations warring out of fear and aggression, the grounding qualities of the earth’s mother help to keep life moving forward on a daily basis preventing the rest of us from going into complete meltdown. From the rich foundations of the earth, she makes choices that will support her children’s worldly confidence while providing comfort to those close by.
Rainbow mums do, on the whole, tend to struggle with the humdrum routine of parenthood with the constant demands that are placed on them. They flourish, however, when allowing their children’s creativity and sense of wonder to blossom whilst acting as fantastic guides on their spiritual path. A rainbow mother who fully embraces her wonderful qualities oozes spontaneity and naturalness.
I began to investigate my own parenting approach, only to discover that my buried rainbow qualities were actually spilling out into all areas of family life. I noticed with amusement how I never tire of messy arts and crafts, and then I how I haphazardly throw some kind of weird and wonderful concoction of protein and carbohydrates onto my children’s plates just in the knick of time, before their grumbling tummies turn them into angry monsters. I get absorbed in adventure walks and play, with one thing leading on to the next. Always far more important than putting out the washing or running a bath!
The natural earth mother slips into parenthood with an air of familiarity, while the rest of us just go along with what our mothers and grandmothers have done and what society generally expects. As the rainbow mum tires from exhaustion, she wonders how the human race has managed to continue for this long. This exhaustion comes from trying too hard to adapt to a role that just doesn’t fully fit.
Rainbow mums carry the essence of spirit within them, which goes beyond generations of values, beliefs, and know how. It contains instead a very vibrant, potent energy, which is the seat of their creativity and lust for life an energy capable of transforming life, here on earth.
The earth mother may look on at the rainbow mum bemused, wondering how the rainbow child will ever survive. The appearance of the rainbow mum can seem slightly chaotic; her energies are higher, with a tendency to daydream, think deeply and feel full, distracting her from day-to-day living. Yet the earth mother may have an inner yearning to be more spontaneous, impulsive, and, well, not to have to care so much about those around her. She may have creative urges that she simply puts to one side along with her stilted wish list. I have observed some noticeable characteristics of both earth and rainbow mothers, so see which one you most identify with:
The Earth Mother:
She is level-headed, emotionally balanced, logically minded and stable with her feet firmly on the ground. She values financial, material, and emotional security, even though she knows it sometimes holds her back from living a fulfilled life. Home is where the heart is. Her home is an inviting warm place with no airs and graces. The earth mother thrives on nurturing and feeding her children. She keeps a good stable routine for her children with clear boundaries.
She is consistent, especially when disciplining. Taken to the extreme this can lead to an inflexible approach where her children’s moment-to-moment needs are not noticed. Manages to juggle the home, her children, and her partner with relative ease.Is happy when surrounded by family and friends, not yearning for a great deal of time alone. She does, however, have trouble carving out time for her own interests.
Sets about to ensure her children feel safe and secure, providing them with strong, solid foundations for life. She works on instilling sound values and morals the earth’s mother has a strong sense of what is right and wrong. The Earth Mother delights in a full fridge and well-stocked shelves. She may also have a rainy-day cupboard, full of activities for the children.
The rainbow mum:
The rainbow mum lives her life at the moment. Planning the details of the day puts her into her logical mind where her vital energy is drained.
She strives towards balance yet struggles to achieve it, often appearing scatty. Emotions can run high and it is common to hear the rainbow mum cry, “I can’t cope”.
You can always spot a rainbow mum by the traces of glitter on her clothes or streaks of paint in her hair. She values creativity and spontaneity over routine her impulsive nature sometimes takes her away from meeting the basic needs of the family.
Her parenting style comes from the heart with the inconsistencies of her ever-changing emotions and mental states. This doesn’t always fair well, however, in the arena of discipline. She nurtures the individuality of her children allowing for self-expression on all levels. The rainbow mum sparkles when she is able to express every aspect of herself.
Her home is her sanctuary for creativity and you’ll often notice piles of debris in the corners or shut-in cupboards. You may see the young child of a rainbow mum with trousers on back to front, a t-shirt inside out and shoes on the wrong feet she values their “trying” over how things should be.
The rainbow mum has less of a sense of what is right and wrong. She is more comfortable to reside in the grey area of life. Her decisions are based on emotion and gut feeling rather than logic, so she may appear radical to the outside world.
The rainbow mum who doesn’t allow herself to fully embrace these unique and generous qualities often feels frustrated and angry. Cutting herself off from these free-flowing aspects of herself can feel as painful as losing a child. In Western culture spirituality, creativity and inspiration just do not carry as much weight as the scientific facts that we experience directly through our senses. There is a lot of fear around the intangible qualities of the rainbow mum and what may become of the world if these were unleashed. In this fear, we forget the existence of the surrounding earth’s mothers, who will always keep humankind safely anchored.
To take the earth and rainbow concept one step further, we all house within us an inner rainbow and inner earth mother. Their energies and how they feel are very different. To start with, there is a heaviness to the inner earth qualities and a contrasting lightness to the rainbow.
Once you have identified your own unique qualities you can then start to draw on the opposite end of the spectrum as and when you need to. We have it within us at all times to be spontaneous, fun, playful and impulsive as well as disciplined, boundaries, consistent and grounded. These qualities are always present and we can make conscious choices to draw them into our being when necessary, yet doing so without denying who we really are. We can never trick our consciousness, so don’t force yourself into a round hole if you are really a square peg.
Let motherhood be a road full of discovery and wonder. From the basis of appreciating our own unique way of parenting, we are set free to celebrate the colorful array of mothers, who now grace our world. Here is an exercise to help gain a balance between earthy riches and creative fluidity:
Stand up straight with your feet firmly on the ground hip-width apart, soft knees and relaxed shoulders. Feel the connection of your feet with the ground and imagine roots growing out of the bottom of your feet attaching deeply into the earth until you feel solid and secure. Meanwhile, imagine a hook coming down from the sky and attaching to the top of your head pulling you up tall, lengthening your spine until your body feels feather light and fluid. Simultaneously feel your connection with the earth and the more invisible energies of the spirit.
Rainbow mums turn their focus towards the roots enabling them to sink deeper towards the earth’s centre and feel your solid connection to earth, your secure foundation from where you can grow into all that you are, enabling your rainbow qualities to truly shine.
Earth mothers put your intention into the sky-hook lengthening your spine vertebrae by vertebrae appreciating that your body is a mass of vibrating atoms of pure energy. Your earthy roots afford you the groundedness required to confidently venture forth into the great flow of life.