Mary – The Mother

Mary – The Mother – SOLD

2013 oil and collage on canvas 24 x 48© Jo Jayson
(click on image for larger version)

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Mary the Mother – Mary (Greek) Maryam (Aramaic Hebrew 1AD). Mary was an ordinary Israelite Jewish girl from Nazareth in the Galilee, who became the Mother of Yeshua.The Roman Catholic Dogma of The Immaculate Conception, is the belief in the moment when Mary herself was conceived in the womb of her mother Anne, and was cleared and free of all original sin, leaving her pure and of sanctified grace. This is not universally believed throughout all corners of christianity, but what is traditionally believed in the christian church is that Mary was a virgin, and that her miraculous conception of her son Yeshua, while remaining a virgin, was proof that Jesus was conceived via the planting of Divine seed into Mary’s immaculate womb. Many Gnostic and scholars of mystical texts and those that have looked beyond the boundaries of christianity, believe very much that Mary conceived 7 children, including Yeshua, and that she was betrothed and married to Joseph, and was for all intent and purposes the quintessential jewish wife and mother. The story of Yeshua’s suffering, made it easy for others to empathize with his Mothers’ pain , and she therefore became, within the Roman Catholic Church and doctrines, the symbol, the face and character of the Divine Mother. The doctrine of her assumption , and her claim to the Throne of Heaven, offered her the name of Queen of Heaven, Queen of the Angels, and Divine Mother of God. What is interesting is that over centuries she has taken on the role of many pagan mother goddesses before patriarchal religion was predominant in the world. In much research , connections with what we know as The Shekinah (Feminine Face of God) and The Sophia (Feminine Divine Wisdom) are incredibly intertwined with Mary the Mother . She slowly took on the role as the Holy Spirit, Divine Mother of All , realms and attributes also seen in Isis, Asherea, Innana, and many other mother goddess archetypes of different cultures of our time. The dove, the lily, the concept of her wisdom, the throne on which she sits, all originate from the idea of The Shekinah and can be seen in all preceding mother goddesses before patriarchal religions became the norm. Connections symbolically with Isis are represented through the image of the Madonna and child/Isis and Horus and also a connection with Guan Yin in the realm of Mercy, and Compassion. Whatever our beliefs of this incredible mother figure of compassion and love, and whatever end of the story we wish to hold on to, without doubt, this Lady Mary has become, to so many – “a woman clocked with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars above her head ” Revelations 12:1