Earth Symbolism

The earth symbolizes:

• Femininity – We see her as a mother.
• Being Grounded – This is evident in the earthly star signs.
• Humanity – We all share the same globe.
• Power – The earth element is one of the power elements.

Read on for more!

[lwptoc]

Introduction

The earth is not just an ordinary planet in the solar system, to our knowledge, it could be the most unique planet there is. The key reason for this being that earth is the only planet that we know of capable of providing and sustaining life.

There is an unquantifiable number of planets, yet so far we are still to find another planet quite so unique that it can (or does) sustain life. We currently reside on a planet that is unique in both a physical but also spiritual sense.

Many cultures simply believe that the earth and our life on it is simply a stop-gap (or test) before we move on to eternal life. Scientists also have strong beliefs about the earth as it seems to be the only planet that is capable of sustaining life.

In this article, we take a deeper consideration of the earth and look at what it symbolizes as well as the deeper meanings that can be drawn from it

Read Also: What does the Moon Symbolize?

Earth Symbolism – All 8 Meanings

1. Earth as a Mother

Mother earth (or mother nature) is symbolic of the environment from which life thrives. It’s symbolic of nurture and growth and how the earth looks over us and provides life. It’s a feminist symbol and earth is more naturally referred to as her/she in alignment with mother.

In psychic readings, the symbol of the earth represents new life and is a sign of a mother being pregnant or soon to be pregnant.

The earth is nurturing and its soil and oceans provide the foundation of the planet’s food chain. From the earth grows food, plants, and trees. These are crucial components for sustaining life on earth and provide us with nutrition and oxygen.

> Read Also: Growth Metaphors

2. Being Grounded

Earth is symbolic of groundedness and keeping a level head in all situations. Sayings such as “dragged back down to earth” and “keep your feet on the ground” are symbolic of remaining grounded in life.

It’s a symbol of stability, assuredness, and honesty. The saying “salt of the earth” is representative of a grounded, good, and honest person.

Those that share a close connection with the earth’s energies are more confident, sure of themselves, and are well balanced when making physical and emotional decisions.

This symbolism is also evident in the earth’s star signs. People who are a Tauros, Virgo, or Capricorn are said to be more level headed and rational thinkers. They make well-balanced decisions and have strong control over their emotions.

3. Humanity

We’ve already covered the symbolic meaning of earth’s relation to feminity as a nurturing mother but it can also be representative of humanity as a whole. This is most evident in phrases like “earthly man”. These men were historically craftsmen, farmers, gardeners, and those that use the tools of the earth for their trade and job.

Humans are said to be born from the soil of the earth and upon death, they need to be returned to the soil in order to enter the afterlife. The cycle is repeated and the death of one person when buried will give life to a new birth.

Many cultures make burial a tradition for spiritual reasons including the Egyptians and Greek. This burial is believed to make them at one with the earth and allows their spirit to ascend to the afterlife.

4. Power

It is believed that the earth element is one of the most passive of the elements, however, there are strong arguments in favor of it being one of the most powerful. Earth actually houses and manipulates most of the elements.

A volcano controls fire and the oceans control water (to an extent). It’s actually the earth that houses these powerful elements and arguably has control over their destructive elements.

The earth and mother nature have the most destructive power which is demonstrated by some of the deadliest catastrophes from volcano eruptions wiping out islands to tsunamis thundering onto the mainland.

While mother nature houses the nurturing power for growth, it also has the power to take it away in an instant. This has led to people famously saying that you should not upset mother nature!

5. A Stage of Life

Earth often symbolizes a stage of life and a test or right of passage. Earth is the middle ground between heaven and hell and numerous religions believe that our life on earth is only temporary and determines where we will spend our eternal life.

This can also be referred to as a universal plane with the earth being the physical plane and heaven being the spiritual plane. While our physical being is limited in its time on earth, the spiritual plane in heaven is reserved for eternal life.

The earth is also symbolic of a full life cycle, we are born from the earth and then upon death, we return to the earth through burial. Many cultures and religions bury a body so that the physical body can realign with the spiritual mind to then go on to an afterlife.

This belief is most commonly associated with the Celtic, though many cultures take a similar meaning or understanding from the burial process.

6. Physical Matter

The planet earth is symbolic of the physical component of our lives. Heaven is considered to be the afterlife and spiritual portion of our existence and earth offers the vehicle for our physical portion.

Everything on earth is tangible and our senses are all connected to the earth including sight, touch, and smell. Heaven is not physically tangible and therefore our connection to that is spiritual in the form of belief, worship, and even hope.

People who have a strong connection to nature also have a strong connection to life and can live in the moment. The earth is said to have healing powers and people create natural remedies and medicine from the soil, flowers, and stones.

These holistic remedies are physical components of the earth and are symbolic of its ability to nurture, heal, and grow. Those that walk barefoot in the soil are shown to take in micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals that contribute to greater overall health.

Earth as one of the 5 Elements

Earth is one of the five known elements that include spirit, fire, water, air, and earth. The earth element is said to encompass spirits that look over and care for our planet.

These spirits are often thought to exist alongside humans and are present in parts of the earth like plants and trees. Others believe these spirits have a physical embodiment and believe elves are symbolic of the earth element.

Spirit elves care for the forests and wildlife and keep the balance between nature and humankind.

Earth and Zodiac Signs

In relation to astrology, the earth signs of the zodiac are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. People with these star signs are said to hold a strong affinity with the earth.

These people are grounded and have a penchant for nurturing and growth. This applies to both nurturing and providing growth for those around them as well as adding to the earth directly.

Spirit Animals of the Earth

The spirit animals of the earth element are the cow, bull, dog, wolf, ant, and bear. The most commonly occurring spirit animal for the earth is the bear. The bear is symbolic of groundedness and strength which is directly related to the earth symbol (something we cover shortly).

Final Thoughts

The earth is the physical plane that sustains all human life. On earth, it’s said that we live our physical lives as a test to prepare us for the spiritual afterlife. Some interpret this to be a period of judgment or a test and therefore your actions in the physical life will influence when you spend the spiritual afterlife.

Earth is mainly symbolic of groundedness, stability, strength, nurturing, and growth. These themes are prevalent in all aspects of the earth from the nurturing and growth of nature, wildlife, and humankind to the strength and stability of the earth’s base which houses the other elements.

While earth does symbolize the physical, it also provides opportunities to experience spiritual connections. Nature provides a backdrop for deep meditation and discovery.

Those that take meaningful journeys of discovery through the earth’s forests, valleys, mountains, and deserts can attest to the inner peace and enlightenment that they find along the way.