GL+2013+P4+Gaia

Sean Farrell Jose Carrillo Andrew Downard Angel Ramirez

= **Gaia** =

In Greek mythology Gaia was the Mother of Earth or the Mother of Nature, she gave birth to all nature. Greeks believed that Gaia was the caretaker of the ecosystem of the Earth. In one article it states, “Gaia, as Mother Nature, personifies the entire ecosystem of Planet Earth. Mother Nature is always working to achieve and maintain harmony, wholeness and balance within the environment” (Greekmedicine). In Greek times the people did not know how to explain the creation of Earth so that's why the Greeks created the God Gaia. Gaia’s purpose is to explain the way that nature works, Nature can have destructive and beautiful and the Greeks. In another quote it explains, “Gaia being the primordial element from which all the gods originated was worshiped throughout Greece”(Pantheon). This quote explains how explains what Gaia means to the Greeks, without Gods the Greeks would not know what the world means (or what they think it means) and it is very human to find things out or make up theories to explain what something means.
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 * Andrew ** **Historical**: In greek mythology, Gaia, or Gaea, was a primeval divine being. She was the goddess of Earth. She was a primal element along with sky (Ouranos), sea (Pontos), and air. She mated with Ouranos to create the heavenly gods. These heavenly gods (the titans) give birth to the greek worshiped olympian gods and through her flesh, all living beings on Earth were created. It is said that, when the universe and the earth was created, she supported the sea and the mountains. In most artwork depicting her she is shown as, according to Aaron J. Atsma, “ Gaia was depicted as a buxom, matronly woman, half risen from the earth…she was inseparable from her native element…In mosaic art, Gaia appears as a full-figured, reclining woman, often clothed in green, and sometimes accompanied by grain spirits--the Karpoi” (“Gaia” Theoi Project). She was a major opponent for the heavenly gods in the War of the Titans. She, in order to help the olympians overthrow her son, Kronos, she hid Zeus from him, as he had already eaten the rest of the them. Zeus then, with help of Gaia and other creatures, defeated the Titans and placed the Olympians in the ruling position of the heavens.

Gaia was first believed to exist at the beginning of the creation of the earth. The main people that worshiped her and the other gods were the Ancient Greeks, and is believed to be the primary opponent of the other gods that are worshiped. Gaia was the first Greek God and she was also the first goddess as well. In one of the articles, the author states “ In the ancient Greek cosmology earth was conceived as a flat disk encircled by the river Okeanos, and topped above by the solid dome of heaven and below by the great pit of Tartaros. She herself supported the sea and mountains upon her breast”(Gaia). Another article states that “ Gaia, as Mother Nature, personifies the entire ecosystem of Planet Earth. Mother Nature is always working to achieve and maintain harmony, wholeness and balance within the environment (Greek Mythology). The Greeks put her on many arts and vases, and she was portrayed as inseparable because of her native element.
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**Izzy Cultural:** Gaia, the goddess of Life, is known as the creator of life on Earth and anything orientating to life on Earth. An article states, “Goddess Gaia then gave birth to the sun to grant the light. She gave birth to the Oceans and the life within the oceans. She gave birth to the forest and the life within the forest. She gave birth to time, whom she name Kronos and life as we know it on Earth began”. Gaia is described as life as we know it ("GoddessGaia"). Gaia contributed many concepts to Earth and is the reason why life is continued to be liven. She stands as a strong reason to continue to live life, mainly for women. It shows that women should face any problems, situations, and differences that each of them have in life. If the women fail in any of these concepts, it shows that the individual woman is not capable of the woman she is described as.

"GREEK MYTHOLOGYGaia | Apollo | Asclepius | Hygeia | Chiron | Hermes | Achilles | The Asclepions." //Greek Mythology: Gaia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. "Gaia." //Gaia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Atsma, Aaron J. "GAEA : Greek Goddess of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA,  TELLUS." GAEA : Greek Goddess of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA,  TELLUS. Theoi Project, 2000. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. "GAEA : Greek Goddess of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA, TELLUS." //GAEA : Greek Goddess of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA, TELLUS//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. "GREEK MYTHOLOGYGaia | Apollo | Asclepius | Hygeia | Chiron | Hermes | Achilles | The Asclepions." //Greek Mythology: Gaia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. "Goddess Gaia." //Goddess Gaia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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