Meet the Cards: The Star

The Star, opening to grace, is number seventeen (the expansion of seven according to Raven’s Tarot Site) of the Major Arcana.

• Symbolism: Hope and the spirit.
• Element: Air (see Tarot Elements)

What I See:

This is a peaceful card. There is the sense of the Air element with the night sky. There is also a sense of the Water element with the pool she kneels at and the blue of the sky behind her. I get a feeling of the Milky Way as a pathway but also as a boundary between earthly concerns and the silence of the universe. I get a feeling of renewing the spirit, refilling the well whether emotionally or spiritually or creatively. According to the book, those seven stars in the background are the Pleiades and symbolize our heart’s home. I like that.

Light (upright) Reading:

Experience the connection to the universe, nirvana.

• Keywords: Hope, Inspiration, Tranquility, and Idealism.

Shadow (upside down or reverse) Reading:

Beware of the “dark night of the soul.”

• Keywords: False Hopes, Detachment, Self-Serving, and Skittishness.

Plots:

The Pleiades are also called the Seven Sisters, how about a seven brides for seven brothers or seven grooms for seven sisters story? Wishing on a star? A shooting star? When you stargaze you are literally looking at the past, how about a time travel story?

Perhaps a retelling of Nuit, the Egyptian goddess of the night? Or Ganymede, the cup bearer of the Greek gods, he kept their cups filled with ambrosia (the water of life, nectar of the gods, the drink of immortality)?

The water could be holy water, or wine. How about a wishing well? A baptism?

Maybe a guiding light? The North Star that guides sailors. The Star of Bethlehem. Maybe even Venus, the brightest star-like light?

• Themes: Hope, Mystical experience, Wonder, Peace/Serenity, Spiritual blessing, Inspiration, Gratitude/Generosity, or Grace.

Characters:

The Star drinks deep and is filled with renewal.

• Archetype: Soul, Visionary, or Anima (the unconscious female element of the male) — Vogler refers to this as the Shapeshifter.

The Shapeshifter archetype is also a catalyst for change, a symbol of the psychological urge to transform. ~The Writers Journey by Christopher Vogler

• Mythical Figures: Venus, Eos, Urania, Ishtar, Eve, and Psyche.

The personality enneagram, a nine-pointed array of personality types, might also be a useful reference for character building.

The Star is E8: Boss, Top Dog, Challenger, and/or Confronter

• Self Image — I am strong
• Passion — Lust
• Virtue — Simplicity
• Narcissistic Trap — Justice
• Avoids — Weakness
• Speaking Style — Challenging or Unmasking

E8 people are instinctive, spontaneous, and intuitive. Their “gut” feeling is the center of their awareness. They are often direct or territorial. They are concerned with power, ruled by aggression, and may be troubled by self-doubt or self-blame.

Additionally, look up one of the Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) for personality traits.

Since the dawn of time, storytellers have used the stars as launching pads to describe their most secret hopes and dreams. ~Tarot for Writers by Corrine Kenner

Image: Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert from Llewellyn Worldwide

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