The Great Mother Dao
“The universal Mother is the origin of the untraceable formless energy, it is called Dao.”
~ Hua-Ching Ni, ‘Harmony, the Art of Life’
“I became convinced that the Tao Te Ching aims at conveying to us the presence and efficacy of a female creative power. Its origin was rooted in the worship of the Mother-goddess.”
~ Ellen M. Chen, ‘Tao as the Great Mother and the Influence of Motherly Love in the Shaping of Chinese Philosophy’
“The valley spirit does not die.
~ Laozi, Daode Jing, Chapter 6
Is it called the primal mother.
The doorway of the primal mother
is called the root of heaven and earth.
It seems to endure without end.
Draw upon it, it will never be exhausted.”
Who or What is the Great Mother Dao?
Though the Dao is nameless… formless… and unknowable, there are a number of sources that envision the Dao as a motherly figure. Others choose to view or worship the Dao as inspiring/embodying various Goddesses, such as the Daoist Xiwangmu / Jinmu, Guan Yin, or Mazu.
For many, (this author included)The Dao/The Divine is regarded as a female presence we see in virtually all cultures, traditions, and life. Here, she may take any name, or none, and is imagined in thousands of forms (or none).
