The meaning of Pachamama: A modern approach

Have you ever heard someone talking about or even thanking Pachamama, and were wondering about the meaning of Pachamama?

A quick Google search will bring up the most common translation of Pachamama = Mother Earth. If you dig a bit deeper, you will find out that Pachamama is a goddess with a powerful spiritual meaning, originating from and mostly celebrated in South America. 

However, Pachamama can be a beautiful source of inspiration for everyone. It is a way of seeing the world, understanding life, and grasping the interconnectedness of all living beings.

In this article, we will dive deep into the meaning of Pachamama, and also cover a modern approach of how you can connect in a caring and loving way with her.

The meaning of Pachamama: Who is She?

Pachamama, or “Mother Earth”, is originally a goddess worshiped by the Indigenous people of the Andes mountains (the Incas); a region stretching through Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and northern Argentina. It translates from the ancient Quechua and Aymara languages to words such as the world, the universe, or the Earth (“Pacha”) and Mother (“Mama”). 

This ever-present deity represents the abundance of our planet’s natural resources and fertility.

Pachamama is responsible for the general state of our beloved Earth – for instance, she controls earthquakes and the bountifulness of crops.  Therefore, she receives regular offerings from Andean people, especially at planting and harvesting times. 

As the creator of life itself, Pachamama is a powerful and divine source. She is our home and the reason for our existence. She deserves our respect and requires our care to keep providing for our fundamental needs.

By accommodating every human being, Pachamama connects us all, thus making us “one”. 

Her impact on our moods, health, and general well-being is undeniable. For centuries, she has inspired a broad variety of rituals all over the world, celebrating her power and the gifts she gives us daily. 

Although our productivity-focused society is sadly losing touch with that these days, it’s never too late to reconnect to the beauty of our Mother Earth in need! 

The meaning of Pachamama: History & origins

Along with the god of the Sun (Tiahuanaco), Pachamama was one of the main goddesses celebrated by the South American Indians – the Incas – in older times. They perceived her as the creator and provider of nature and life, which held great significance for the Incas civilization, whose whole economy was based on agriculture.

Offerings – referred to as Challa in the old Quechua language – were made to Mother Earth based on duality and reciprocity. For example, the Incas would offer her Earth-based products, such as dry cocoa leaves or fruits, as a way to give back to her.

If you’d like to go further into the history behind Pachamama, feel free to take a look at this article! 

How our relationship with nature changed

Obviously, most of us nowadays are not connected to the Incas but the concept of Pachamama offers us an understanding of nature and life, deeper than what Western society often teaches.

We are as humans connected to nature and our planet. We are not separate entities and most of all, we should appreciate Mother Earth for the gifts she gives us.

Nowadays, nature is sadly seen as something separate from humans. This separateness and misunderstanding gives us ‘permission’ to destroy and exploit nature. 

Starting with the agricultural revolution, humankind took over the natural course of nature and began to adjust it to our human needs. With the industrial revolution, our relationship with nature totally shifted and somehow we lost touch with seeing plants and animals as living beings with emotions, needs, and rights. 

Humankind became totally distant from most animals, seeing them only as food and a means to an end.

If you would like to dive deeper into this topic, I can’t recommend the book Homo Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari enough! 

A modern approach to the meaning of Pachamama

So what can we learn from the Incas, and how can we approach the meaning of Pachamama in modern times? 

First of all, this is absolutely my personal opinion, which is totally subjective. So please feel free to take what resonates with you, and leave behind everything else. There is no right or wrong way, and whatever is true for me, might not be true for you.

No matter if you see Pachamama as a goddess or not, I believe the concept of Pachamama and the idea of caring for her is something we can integrate into our modern times. 

Without nature, we would not even exist, we need water and food, which is so caringly provided by Mother Earth. 

Understanding that we can not always take, take and take is SO important! And I am not only talking about the physical resources of our planet, but the mindset of capitalism and that we always need more.

In our modern society, we rarely spend a moment thinking about where our food comes from and what impact we leave behind on our planet. If you wish to deepen your understanding and connection with Pachamama, simply start by bringing awareness to the daily choices you make.

You don’t need to start worshiping the goddess Pachamama (unless you feel called to). But by starting to live more in tune with nature you can approach Pachamama modernly. Maybe visit a farmers market, choose organic veggies, or switch to a plant-based diet. There are endless ways how you can start honoring Mother Earth, and in the end yourself.

A beautiful example of living in tune with Mother Earth: Avatar

Have you watched the movie Avatar? If not, I highly encourage you to watch it. This movie visualizes so beautifully what I try to put into words.

Avatar has such a deep meaning and shows us so wonderfully how connected we are with Mother Earth and how we should only take what we really need. And, it also points out how we humans destroy our own planet. 

This movie is a beautiful eye-opener to understanding the interconnectedness of all beings. 

How you can connect with Pachamama

If you feel called to connect deeper with Pachamama, you can also create rituals honoring our Mother Earth! 

It can be as simple as adding a few minutes of prayer before or after your weekly or daily meditation; or you could take a long walk in nature, consciously taking note of your surroundings. In whichever way makes sense to you and your routine, the idea is to take some time to practice gratitude for all the gifts she provides.

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself” – L. Wolfe Gilbert

Connecting with Pachamama will help you to gradually cultivate your desire to protect and give back to her while increasing your broader appreciation of life. 

My favorite ritual to connect with Pachamama

One of my favorite rituals to connect with Pachamama is offering the first sip of my morning drink to her. So each morning, I prepare my coffee (it could also be tea, juice, or whatever you drink in the morning), and before drinking it, I will offer the first sip to Mother Earth.

How to do it? 

Either go outside, maybe in your garden or nature, and find a tree or flower. Or, if you don’t have immediate access to a green spot, just use a plant you have in your home. Kneel or sit down, and take a conscious moment to connect with Pachamama. 

You can thank her for providing so lovingly for you, or speak out your intention to honor and protect her. 

Then pour the first sip of your morning drink into the earth. It doesn’t have to be much. It is more the intention behind it and taking a short moment out of your life to connect consciously with Pachamama. 

This is a ritual you can practice every day, and it doesn’t have to take much time. But if practiced daily, it can really enhance your connection with Pachamama and cultivate a deeper relationship with her, others, and in the end with yourself.

Why connecting with Pachamama is so important

I really think that developing our mindset relating to Pachamama is one of the biggest keys to a joyful, loving, and purposeful life.

In my opinion, we need – and are transitioning towards – a new story. The past and current ones of individualism and spiritual separation require updating if we are to not only save our species and planet but also thrive with each other. 

Our connection with ourselves and each other through our Mother Earth is very real. Life is a miracle; it deserves continuous celebration through love, kindness, and compassion! I hope that this post inspired you to continuously befriend and care for our Pachamama, for the wellbeing of our earth but also as an act of self-love.