[FaeryGodmother]

Hello Everyone,

This seems to me to be an appropriate place to introduce myself to this board.

I find it fascinating that so many people had such a reaction to the Dark Lady. Of all the cards she was my favourite, even above The Faerie Who Was Kissed By The Pixies (though it was a tough call). I have never once gotten a scary feeling from her. Probably because I look like her (or she looks like me) and the winged faery in front of her always reminded me of my best friend (though there's no physical resemblance there). I think I wanted to be as tough and powerful as her. No one messes with the Dark Lady and gets away with it.

The first time someone told me that the Dark Lady scared her (she had picked it as her least favourite card) I was shocked. It just never occured to me until she said it. Now reading this post I find that mine was the unusual reaction to her. I know you have all seen something positive in her eventually for which I'm glad.

When I read the book, the bit that most stuck out to me was her connection to the Maiden, the Bright Mother and the Lady of the Harvest. The Dark Lady as the shadow side of the Triple Goddess. The dark of the moon. The moment before a new breath is drawn. I don't know, even thinking of it sends a shiver of power through me.

Anyway, after all this rambling, I guess my point is that I'm of the Dark Lady fan club. Nice too meet you.

FGM

[Alissa]

Welcome FaeryGodmother! I'm a big fan of the Dark Lady's as well... and I totally relate to her as the Dark face of the Goddess... the fourth side, the one that most ignore.

I believe some folks are afraid of what they hide - so much so they may even hide it from ourselves. The Dark Lady is very wrapped up in my Tantric studies in my head, she is the embodiment of the One who does not fear to walk into her emotions, any emotion, and observe it... learn from it.

She is, ultimately, one face of the goddess Kali's to me - one of the fiercest of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, there is truly nothing She fears.

[cSpaceDiva]

I have had this deck for about 4 years now, but I'm only slowly getting to know the faeries. I have taken it out and put it away and finally realized the problem. I had to get firm and tell them they can't all talk to me at once. That I know they all have something very important to say, but they need to be patient and respectful and take turns. Anyway, now they are humoring me and speaking veeeerrrrryyyy sllloooowwwwly. It's okay though, because I'm finally getting it.

I pulled the Dark Lady 2 days ago, and today she started talking. She told me she is the High Priestess.

I have really avoided comparing these cards to tarot, because they are not tarot. In fact, I am like many others in that I don't see the faeries as just cards, they are real. At first I dismissed it, and thought that was just me trying to pigeonhole her and project upon her something that I'm already familiar with, rather than getting to know her uniquely. She insisted. She said I should put her side by side with the HP and see how much they have in common. I was already aware of the crescent moon being associated with the HP, and I started noticing other similarities. In the deck I was using, HP has a flame painted on her forehead. The closed mouth. Number II, number 20 (2+0=2). I realized the smaller figure on the card is the hidden part of herself, the inner mystery. The flame/light on her forehead is her wisdom, but the closed mouth represents the secret, that which cannot be spoken of, but can only be discovered when you go deep within yourself.

Originally Posted by rosesred

Although I think she'd rather have you to experience things for yourself, than telling you what you should do.

Exactly!!!

After journaling, I did look her up in the book to see if I was close or if I had missed anything. I could not believe how clearly I had heard her message, and that the book actually says high priestess! The one part I think I did miss was the part about ritual. I think I do have some habits that need to be left behind and that replacing them with a more positive ritual may be the way to accomplish that.

[Alissa]

Originally Posted by cSpaceDiva

I pulled the Dark Lady 2 days ago, and today she started talking. She told me she is the High Priestess.

At first I dismissed it, and thought that was just me trying to pigeonhole her and project upon her something that I'm already familiar with, rather than getting to know her uniquely. She insisted.

She did the exact same thing with me.... She is the fourth face of the Goddess, the dark of the moon, that which is hidden, but never absent.

I also felt twinges of "But this isn't Tarot..." to my thoughts about the Dark Lady, but got over 'em, with Faery nudges of course. I hope your dialogue with this deck only continues to strength and deepen as you work together!

[cSpaceDiva]

Thank you. It's very reassuring to be able to post here and find that others have experienced the same thing. And I guess I'm starting to figure out that I do know some of these faeries already, that I've known them for a long time and I just didn't realize it.

[pippi]

Does anyone see The Dark Lady as two separate women? To me, they are distinctly different. They don't look the same to me at all, and they have very different vibes about them.

The younger woman at the top of the card has a deep intensity to her that is intriguing to me. But the woman on the bottom looks older to me, as if she could be the mother of the younger woman. I instinctively saw her as being the reverse aspect of this card...black magic and evil doing. I can totally see her as being a person in real life who intentionally causes other people great pain. I don't see her as having a heart at all, while I can see the younger woman feeling emotion.

[Jewel]

hmmmmmmm .... I will need to ponder that pippi. I have always found the dark lady quite disturbing. I see much vengence in her, and a lot of effort in recreating herself to reach those ends. She has a lot of pride, and definetly has no problems trying to "seduce" people to her way of seeing things or justifying them. Self serving I guess is what I see a lot of in her. But I have never really thought of her as two separate people, just different aspects of the same. That does not mean I am right, just that that is my impression.

[moonlight dancer]

Dear Jewel

I just had to post to your reply because I have such a connection with the dark lady.I feel her close by sometimes and I have no fear what so ever in fact and I know this may sound crazy but I feel a 'mother figure' feeling from her.I know I attract her alot through the 'deep grief' element of her.I feel the closets to the dark lady and himself the most,they both are trying to help me overcome my problems

Thanks for letting me share this
faerie blessings
Maria
Moonlight dancer
xo

[Jewel]

Maria that is great! Perhaps one day she will show herself to me in that light, but she seems to always be scheming and plotting or having to do with sex when she pops up in my world *LOL*.

Over the years I certainly have learned better than to think the faeries are one dimensional. They are very multifaceted, and the Dark Lady is a woman and a strong one, I can see how her energy could certainly be very potent in healing as well as in the aspects of herself she has shared with me. Her strength of will alone could definetly be positive in healing.

[ellirhyn]

The Dark Lady is the embodiment of "Snake energy" to me. Transmutation. You can take her venom and make the antidote from that same venom's components.
You have to experience it to believe it. you have to be it, you have to surrender to it in order to fully comprehend the power and wisdom it ultimately can blast you with, like a surging tidal wave of emotion.
Like snakes, She is usually misunderstood and feared for her power, yet her power is a necessity (without snakes, we'd be over-run with rats and mice, and thus disease) for balance (without the dark, we cannot know the light) And there is a stark and primal beauty that radiates from her as well.
We are given choices with each situation that comes our way.
Getting "bitten" by the Dark Lady can certainly be painful and terrifying. But its how we deal with that experience that determines how we come through it on the other side.
In order to truly understand the darkness within, we have to embrace that darkness, fear or no. And once that darkness is embraced and accepted, it will no longer have any control over you. But it takes great courage to "play " with the Dark Lady. She is there to help us utilize the darkness for the higher good.