Rav Belsky - Original AZ was mother earth?

Rav Belsky in his book on alternative medicine states  that "the original AZ was the worship of 'Mother Earth' The mother in the following represents the earth." He cites AZ 43a as his source. 

However I can't find any sources that says this means something other than Eve. Does anyone know where he got this understanding?

 Avoda Zara (43a)The Sages interpret this verse as referring to the heavenly constellations, which indicates that it is prohibited to form only these figures, but it is not prohibited to form a figure of a dragon.Rather, the Gemara concludes, it is obvious that this halakha is referring to a case where one finds a vessel with the figure of a dragon, and this is as we learned in the mishna: In the case of one who finds vessels, and upon them is a figure of the sun, a figure of the moon, or a figure of a dragon, he must take them and cast them into the Dead Sea.The Gemara asks about the lack of consistency between the clauses of Rav Sheshet’s statement: Can it be that the first clause and the last clause are referring to a case where one finds vessels with the specified figures, and the middle clause is referring to a case where one forms these figures?Abaye said: Indeed, the first clause and the last clause are referring to cases where one finds vessels with figures, and the middle clause is referring to a case where one forms figures.Rava said: The entire statement of Rav Sheshet is referring to a case where one finds vessels with these figures, and the middle clause is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda adds to the list of forbidden figures even a figure of a nursing woman and Sar Apis. The figure of a nursing woman is worshipped as it symbolizes Eve, who nurses the entire world. The figure of Sar Apis is worshipped as it symbolizes Joseph, who ruled over [sar] and appeased [mefis] the entire world by distributing food during the seven years of famine (see Genesis, chapter 41). But the figure of Sar Apis is forbidden only when it is holding a dry measure and measuring with it; and the figure of a nursing woman is forbidden only when she is holding a child and nursing it. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above all, some of the material I came across makes overt references to the most ancient form of avodah zarah: the reverential worship of “Mother Earth.” The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (43a) states that the original avodah zarah was the worship of “Mother Earth,” and the original graven image () was the form of a mother nursing a child.16 The mother represented the earth and the child represented the human race, whose task is to gain its mother’s favor. This is how worship of the earth as a deity developed. Eventually it came to be called by different names, the most well-known being the mother-child cult,
note 16 is the Meiri  which does say such an explanation

בית הבחירה (מאירי) מסכת עבודה זרה דף מב עמוד ב
מצא בהם צורת פרצופין בפרצוף אדם אסור כר' יהודה ודאי לעבודה נעשה ואף על פי שאין בידם כלום שלא נאמר דין אחיזה אלא בצלם עצמו ודוקא בבולט ושאר פרצופין מותרין שאין דרכם בכך ויש חולקין להקל בפרצוף אדם אא"כ דמות מיניקה ויונק בידה על שם חוה או צורת שד ומודד תבואה על שם יוסף ויראה לי שמ"מ אף על פי שתחלת עבודתם בכך היתה מ"מ נתפשט מנהגם אח"כ בכל פרצוף שבאדם והכל אסור וכמו שנאמר בבריתא בסתם כל הפרצופות מותרות חוץ מפרצוף אדם:

Belsky, Rabbi Yisroel. Rav Belsky on Alternative Medicine . The Judaica Press, Inc. Kindle Edition.