Mother Earth In Native American teachings, the Turtle is the oldest symbol for planet Earth. It is the personification of Goddess energy, and the eternal Mother from which our lives evolve. We are born of the womb of Earth, and to her soil our bodies will return. In honoring the Earth, we are asked by Turtle to be mindful of the cycle of give and take, to give back to the Mother as she has given to us. Turtle has a shell which is similar to the protection that Earth has empl