Dreams are a route that the Spirit World sometimes uses to communicate with us. From time to time I have dreams that take the form of divine encounters, and one such recent encounter occurred earlier this month, in March 2026. In my dream the Mother Goddess appeared to me. She presented me with a message in which She explained that people can encounter her in two ways, one of which is through an intermediary, like Jesus (who sent the Holy Spirit to his followers, which is a form of the Mother Goddess), or a shaman, or medium. The other way the Mother Goddess appears to individuals, I was told, was through a direct encounter. At this point in my dream the Mother Goddess drew very close to me, in a loving way, giving me a sense of her nearness. More happened in the dream that is very personal, which I shan’t address here, choosing instead to keep it to myself. However, I have sensed that the Mother Goddess wants me to share something of my encounter, for the benefit of others, hence this short account.
With my dream in mind let’s consider now how the Mother Goddess has been perceived by others throughout history, as a guide to enriching our lives with her divine presence.
Firstly, the concept of the “Mother Goddess” is not merely a relic of ancient archaeology or a character in dusty mythologies. Across centuries, cultures, and states of consciousness, thousands of individuals have claimed to come face-to-face with a primordial feminine force. Whether she is called Gaia, Kali, Mary, or the “Great Mother,” the reports of these encounters bear a striking, almost haunting consistency.
To explore these encounters is to walk the line between mysticism, psychology, and the unexplained.
The Mystics: Ramakrishna and the Divine Mother
As discussed elsewhere on our website, perhaps the most famous modern devotee of the Mother Goddess was the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. His life was defined by an agonisingly intense longing for a vision of the Goddess Kali.
Ramakrishna did not describe her as a mere statue or a symbol. When he finally “encountered” her, it was as an overwhelming “ocean of spirit, limitless and effulgent.” He reported that the physical world would vanish, replaced by a living radiance that he identified as the Mother. Interestingly, his reports emphasised a duality: she was the source of absolute bliss, yet she was also the “devourer of time.” He described her presence as a “limitless, dazzling ocean of light” that swallowed his ego entirely.
The Visionaries: Julian of Norwich and Our Lady
In the West, encounters often take a more theological shape but retain the maternal core. In the 14th century, the anchoress Julian of Norwich experienced a series of “showings” during a deathbed illness. At a time when God was strictly seen as a stern Father, Julian returned from her visions declaring, “God is as much our Mother as our Father.”
She described a presence that was fundamentally “homely” and protective, famously viewing the entire universe as a small hazelnut lying in the palm of her hand, kept safe by a Mother’s love. This echoes the modern Mariophanies (apparitions of Mary), such as those at Guadalupe or Lourdes. Those who claim to see her, like Juan Diego, often describe a specific sensory profile: a scent of roses in midwinter, a light that “dims the sun,” and a voice that speaks with “unbearable tenderness” to the marginalised.
The Modern Frontier: Near-Death and Psychedelic Reports
In the contemporary era, the Mother Goddess has moved from the cathedral to the laboratory. In the study of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and DMT/Ayahuasca journeys, the encounter with a “Maternal Intelligence” is a recurring motif.
Psychologists like Christopher Bache and researchers of “Mother Ayahuasca” note that subjects—even those from secular or atheistic backgrounds—frequently report meeting a “Great Mother” during deep altered states. These reports are startlingly uniform:
The Ayahuasca Experience: Users frequently describe a giant, sentient vine or a serpentine goddess who is “stern but loving.” She is often reported to perform “spiritual surgery,” removing trauma like a mother cleaning a wound.
The NDE “Being of Light”: Many who survive clinical death describe the “Being of Light” not as a man, but as a feminine presence of unconditional warmth. They describe the feeling as “returning to a cosmic womb.”
The Patterns: Similarities in the Reports
When we synthesise these reports—from the medieval cell of Julian of Norwich to the modern NDE—several “Universal Signatures” of the Mother Goddess emerge:
The Paradox of Scales
Witnesses consistently describe a being who is simultaneously “The Universe” and “The Intimate.” She is reported to be as vast as the galaxy, yet she focusses on the individual with a gaze that suggests they are the only person in existence.
Radical Unconditionality
Unlike encounters with “Father” archetypes (which often involve judgement, laws, or tasks), the Mother encounter is almost always defined by unconditional belonging. The primary message reported is: “You have always been safe, and you are exactly where you are supposed to be.”
The Sensory Palette
There are recurring aesthetic “hallmarks” in these encounters:
The Colour Green/Gold: Many report a vibrant, “living” green or a soft, liquid gold.
The Scent of Earth or Flowers: Even in non-physical visions, witnesses claim to smell jasmine, roses, or damp, fertile soil.
The “Hum”: A low-frequency vibration or a sound like a “thousand bees” often precedes her appearance.
The Dual Nature (Creation and Destruction)
While she is loving, she is rarely “nice” in a Hallmark-card sense. From Kali to the “Mother Ayahuasca,” reports describe her as formidable and even terrifying. She represents the “Wild Feminine”—the power that gives life but also demands the death of the ego. There is a “tough love” element; she is the mother who heals you, but she might “break” your old self to do it.
The Weaver Motif
A final similarity is the visual of interconnectedness. Those who encounter her often report seeing a “web” or a “tapestry” of light connecting all living things. They realise that the Mother is not just a person standing before them, but the fabric upon which the universe is embroidered.
Conclusion
These encounters with the Mother Goddess suggest the existence of a profound worldwide human connection with the Divine Feminine. To encounter her is, across all cultures, described as a homecoming—a realisation that beneath the cold machinery of the stars, there beats a Heart that is undeniably maternal.
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See also:
Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition, by David R. Kingsley, page 7, where Usas, the goddess of the dawn (the Hindu Aurora) is called “the Mother of the gods”. Available to read on the Internet Archive.
Worldwide Temple of Aurora 