Universal Mother is dedicated to the divine feminine spirit that lives in each of us. It’s the undeniable earth energy that makes the world go round. 

On the front of this 100% cotton shirt is Gaia, surrounded by paper cutouts representing snakes, triangles, mugwort, moons and a chalice. 

Snakes historically have represented transformation, rebirth, renewal and healing. In ancient times, the snake did not evoke evil or danger but symbolized female wisdom, power, and regeneration.

Triangles symbolize the portal of life. Triangles are also used to represent water which is a frequent element in goddess creation stories. When you start to notice, the triangle is still alive today in relation to feminine energy, just look at signage for women’s bathrooms. 

Mugwort is a plant that is connected to feminine intuition and the ability to connect to sacred realms. 

The waxing, waning and full moons are but a mere nod to the communion between divine feminine energy and nature. 

The chalice of course is the divine feminine herself, the vessel who provides inspiration, wisdom and life itself. 

When you wear this shirt, know that you are literally armed with the wisdom, love, and compassion of eight other beloved Universal Mothers printed on the sleeves:

Persephone’s journey to the underworld can be interpreted in many ways. I understand it as the heroine’s journey into the depth of one’s soul and the ability to be spiritually reborn and die again and again over the course of ones lifetime, each time gaining more wisdom. 

Isis leads us through the deep spiral inward that opens us to profound experiences of compassion, love and tenderness for ourselves. She is a guide in the wheel of life, death and rebirth and represents the deep mysteries of the feminine ability to create and bring forth life. The many depictions created of Isis nursing Horus have clearly influenced the way we’ve come to know Madonna and Child imagery, a universal image of compassion.

Mary, simply put, is all that Christianity has left of the divine universal mother. We all know this. Like so many stories of mothers before her, she is the mother of a sacred being. 

Tara was born from a Buddha‘s compassionate tears when he wept upon seeing the suffering of all the beings in the never ending cycle of birth and death. His tears turned into a lotus, out of which Tara arose. She is the goddess of universal compassion and is considered the Mother of all Buddhas. Tara is a wise guide on the road to spiritual growth. 

Durga is beautiful, motherly, noble and strong and is seen riding a tiger and holding weapons in her many arms. She can unleash her wrath against evil for the liberation of the oppressed and holds the power to easily create and destroy. 

Xochiquetzal was known to be incredibly beautiful, she was the Aztec goddess of erotic love, fertility, household arts such as weaving, and childbirth.

Britomartis /Diktynna stands strong with her breasts bared and snakes in each hand that have been summoned for their powerful generative force. She is the Minoan goddess of nature and hunting and was well known for her creation of the beautiful elaborate fishing nets called dikta that she introduced to Crete. The story goes that Minos (her half brother) chased her for 9 months, with the intent to capture and rape her. She leapt off a cliff to escape his grasp and fell into the sea. She was rescued by one of the nets that she herself had created!  Diktynna’s rebirth from the sea (using an item of her own creation!) symbolizes rebirth and  the integrity of the feminine soul. 

Yamaja (Yamoja, Yamaya) is the major water spirit from the Yoruba religion in west Africa. She is the mother of all Orishas (divine spirits). She is the mother of humanity. When her water broke, it caused a great flood, creating rivers and streams and then mortal humans were created from her womb. Yamaja protects all women and children, she is a healer and her divine love can help women overcome infertility. It’s not surprising that Yamaja also comes to us in the form of a mermaid, a beloved symbol of feminine mystery and beauty.

I hope folks of all kinds find peace when wearing this shirt.