THE STAR
By Cal Garrison
Number 17 in the lineup of 22 Major Arcana images, The Star is one of the most hopeful cards in the entire Tarot deck. Ruled by the sign Aquarius, it is an emblem of Unity Consciousness and all the things that stir humanity to oneness.
The Rider-Waited version of the card depicts a nude female, kneeling beside a pool of water. Holding two pitchers, she pours the contents of one into the ground, and the contents of the other into the pool. They are the waters of life, or 'the waters of the deep' that are described in the first chapter of Genesis. 'The waters of the deep' that filled the Great Void were there long before the Spirit of God stirred them to life. As the dispenser of this fluid we can assume that the woman sources it. If she appears to be just a pretty face, she is in reality an emblem for the womb of creation.
As the water from the pitcher in her right hand meets the surface of the pool it forms concentric rings that radiate out from the center. The rings represent harmonics, octaves, or dimensional levels and all of them come from the same Source. The water pouring out of the second pitcher falls to earth and divides it self into five streams that appear to flow endlessly beyond the margins of the image. The number five relates to the five elements — fire, earth, air, water, and prana, or Spirit — so the water from the pitcher in her left hand becomes a symbol for the spiritual force that vivifies the elements that make up our physical reality.
Exactly one-half of this image is made up of sky. The main feature in the sky-scape is a large, eight-pointed star. The number eight is related to the eight major and minor cross-quarters that mark the passage of time in the pagan year. If the eight-pointed star represents the earthly cycle, the seven smaller stars surrounding it represent the planetary cycles. (When Pamela Coleman-Smith painted this image there were only seven known planets) So, The Star speaks to us of cycles within cycles and the infinitude (turned on its side, 8 becomes the symbol for infinity) of universes within universes — and it goes beyond that to suggest that all of them are interrelated.
As the 17th Major Trump, The Star adds up to eight. Numerologically, eight is a symbol for the balance we establish between our inner and outer realities once we discover the two are connected. The inner and outer worlds are exact replicas of each other and The Star is the point in the initiation process where we find out that our worldly experience is a projected image of whatever is going on inside us.
In the background we see an Ibis perched on the branch of a tree. Sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth, the Ibis is there to remind us that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and suggests that we have the ability to move freely between the worlds. Since all birds have access to both heaven and earth, the indication here is obvious. Like the bird we too can fly, at least in Spirit, beyond the limits of the physical. No one is restricted by their earthly experience once they understand that the greater part of who we are is God-like.
This theme repeats it self everywhere in the image, so much so that it is impossible to miss the point. One of my favorite 'minor details' in The Star's composition is the central figure's right foot. Posed upon the surface of the pool, it creates the impression that she can walk on water. And if the pool represents the subconscious, the fact that the woman doesn't sink to its depths tells us that she is able to rise above her darker issues and perhaps view them objectively through the transparency of this universal fluid. While at first glance she looks like any other naked female, this is no ordinary woman. She has transcended her lower self to the point where Christ-like abilities have become second nature to her — and the suggestion is that this is something all of us have the power to do.
When The Star shows up in a reading it is always a good sign. Even when the card is reversed it is a relatively benign influence. The first thing I think of when I see The Star in a spread is that the querent has faith, hope, and trust. With these three forces working inside them all things become possible no matter how difficult their situation appears to be at the moment. Knowing that they are creating their own experience they understand in the core of their being that they have the power to turn anything around.
In the came vein, they also know that, 'it's all good' and in divine order, which enables them to see that everything is exactly as it should be even when it doesn't look that way. There is a high level of acceptance with this card, the kind of acceptance that comes from knowing that every experience has a purpose and is connected to something much greater than what we can see in front of us.
In essence, The Star is a template for the Hermetic Axiom, 'As Above, So Below'. If as the reader, you keep that one thing in mind, it becomes easier to interpret this card. The idea that we are downloading information from the cosmos and consciously or unconsciously manifesting our thoughts and feelings from moment to moment is a truth that all of us are becoming more attuned to. When this card comes up in a reading you know that the querent is clear on that point and willing to embrace the concept completely. In alignment with their higher guidance they no longer doubt it. This is such a good sign it often calls me to say, 'what are you talking to me for? You already have all the guidance you need — just keep trusting your inner voice'.
If the question concerns a relationship The Star is an indication that true love is in the air. This card is an emblem for the highest and deepest form of unconditional love. Truer connections are possible because the querent is tuned in to the idea that every relationship is ultimately a spiritual contract that will open their heart to a broader understanding of love's meaning.
Comparing The Star's imagery with the imagery of The Empress we see enough similarity to make us wonder if they are connected in some way. Both cards are about love and each one is equidistant from The Wheel of Fortune. The Wheel divides the Major Arcana in half. It is a gateway of sorts, one that separates the outer mysteries from the deeper mysteries we encounter once we decide to move through that turnstile and commit wholeheartedly to our inner work.
It's no accident that The Empress and The Star mirror each other from opposite sides of this turning point. If The Empress is the personification of earthly love, The Star is the higher octave of that love. Unhampered by the idea of possession it knows no bounds and can extend it self to include all life because it knows that love is the binding force that connects us, not just to one particular individual, but to everything in creation.
The Star is also a card of healing. If the question concerns a health issue it indicates that all is well and the querent is on the road to recovery. The idea of healing includes every aspect of a person's beingness. Oftentimes The Star will show up when the querent is emerging from a period of psychological turmoil. Dis-ease and emotional disturbance are a direct result of being disconnected from life, from the truth, and from God. Hope is restored and healing is effected the moment we remember that we are not separate from any of those things. The Star is an indication that the querent is well aware, or at least open to the idea that their dis-ease is as divinely ordered as the perfect health they will achieve once they transcend the spiritual/emotional issues that are feeding the illness.
When The Star shows up in its reversed position, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the situation. The faith, hope, and love that it holds in its upright position are still there, because those things are always there — but the querent carries too much doubt and pessimism and at present, is unable to perceive their glass as anything but half empty. As the reader you can remind them that they are giving too much credence to their fears and ask them if they are willing to shift their perspective. Fear and love are the only two emotions in this reality — and they can choose to vibrate with one or the other. If they choose fear, their belief in that will only make things worse, no matter what their circumstances involve. If they are willing to move into love and trust they will open them selves up to the truth that is omnipresent, even when they are too full of fear to see it. The surrounding cards will tell you whether or not they will succeed in changing their attitude.
As far as love goes, the reversed Star signals the potential for disillusionment. Sometimes it means that what the querent sees as the perfect love may not be what they imagine it to be. At the same time the reversed card can indicate that the person sitting in front of you doesn't love themselves enough to believe that they deserve to feel it coming from someone else. Talking to them about this will involve reminding them that we can only feel love from others to the extent that we feel it for our selves. If they can wrap their mind around that, any desperation they feel about having so-and-so be their one and only will diffuse into the deeper understanding that the 'love of our life' is within us — and until they connect with that part of themselves, no one will be there to love them the way they deserve to be loved.
On the surface The Star is such a simple image. It's amazing to me that something that appears so simple holds so much valuable information. This card goes deeper into the fundamental truths that govern the human experience than any other card in the deck. As we move into Unity Consciousness and contemplate our inherent connection to all life, whenever doubt and fear creep in, The Star and its imagery could serve to remind us who we really are.
About Cal Garrison
Cal is a writer with four books to her credit. ‘The Old Girls’ Book of Spells’, ‘The Old Girls’ Book of Dreams’, and her latest book, ‘Witch On the Go’ were published by RedWheel/Weiser Press and are available in bookstores or on Amazon.com. In addition to her own work, she also writes for Slim Spurling. Her first book with Slim, ‘Slim Spurling’s Universe’ is being followed up by their second book together which, with any luck, will be out in 2008—2009.
A professional astrologer with 35 years experience Cal has cast over 6000 charts and is one of the best in her field. She is also an expert on the Tarot. When she’s not running the Spirit of Ma'at office, or working on her books, Cal spends her time doing in depth astrology and tarot readings for people all over the country.
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