Origins of Mother’s Day vary like many holidays. I was happy to discover that this coming Sunday did not only exist for commercial reasons. Mother’s Day was possibly an ancient Greek and Roman spring festival or in 1600 Britain, a Sunday after lent to honor the Virgin Mary.
My favorite story is that of Anna Jarvis, who shortly after her own Mother’s death in 1905, created the day as a tribute. Jarvis wanted to designate a day where families recognized and thanked their mothers for their love and support. Eventually, Mother’s Day became a yearly holiday, celebrated in several countries. It is interesting to me that Anna Jarvis never married or had children of her own.
Tarot honors the Mother in several cards. In the court cards mothers show up as the four Queens.
More significantly in the Major Arcana is the Empress, the Earth mother. Astrologically the Empress has relations to Earth and of Taurus, the month of May. Then there is the High Priestess who is viewed as a spiritual mother.
In the PWT definitions of those two cards look like this:
The Empress III
Qualities: nurturing, earth mother, grounded energy, fertile and abundant, represents aspects of the female
Element: Earth Anatomy: neck
Astrology: Venus
Reversed: smothering, clinging attachment
Musings: sees love and beauty in everything
Practice: Breathe into your heart. Feel love for Mother
High Priestess II
Qualities: trusting your intuition and dreams, spiritual mother, psychic ability, follows the natural body rhythms
Element: Water Anatomy: chest
Astrology: Moon
Reversed: cool and overly introspective
Musings: – internal knowing, going on a hunch
Practice: Sit comfortably with your feet on the ground. Become aware of the love in your heart and allow that to expand outward to all.
The court cards meanings are:
Queen of Air – mature female – nurtures
Characteristics: fair, focused, objective, cool approach
Quality: clear Sub Element: Water
Reversed: unjust, deceitful
Musings: formal, intense, earnest
Practice: Dance in free form or with flowing scarves.
Queen of Fire – mature female – nurtures
Characteristics: inspired, passionate, interested in spiritual growth, knows herself
Quality: transformative Sub Element: Water
Reversed: single minded, pushy
Musings: interested in spiritual growth, fertile, sexy
Practice: Paint with watercolors, draw with ink or write calligraphy.
Queen of Water – mature female – nurtures
Characteristics: psychic, intuitive, connects
Quality: integrity Sub Element: Water
Reversed: smothering, overbearing
Musings: warm, affectionate, caring
Practice: Cook soup or make a fruit salad.
Queen of Earth – mature female – nurtures
Characteristics: interested in community, protective, Mother Earth
Quality: health conscious Sub Element: Water
Reversed: sluggish, stagnant
Musings: takes physical care of others, kind
Practice: Use sweet or calming scents on pulse points. Create with papier maché.