Rosanne
Welcome to the world of ancient Egypt. These beautiful cards explore Tarot, through the depiction of Egyptian Culture and more particularly the Story of Osiris. Isis is the wife and sister of Osiris; The earthly aspect of Isis is Hathor and is rightly depicted as The Empress in Barrett's Cards.
Hathor, is the Egyptian Sky Goddess and Daughter of the Sun God, Ra. She was depicted as a Cow(see the headress -the Horns of the cow holding the Sun Disc), She was the Goddess of Love and Joy, song and dance, and protector of Mothers and children. She nutured the living and carried the dead to the Underworld. Hathor is also associated with the sycamore tree; coffins are made of sycamore in the belief that Death was a return to the womb. Sometimes this card is called the Womb. You can see on the Card symbols of The Empress's Fertility. The fruit and clay vessel holding seeds, the green of her dress is Venus- signifying motherhood and the green stone malachite-the jewellery promoted healing of the Heart and nuturing of life.
There is a staue of the cat Goddess Bast, alluding to Sekhmet.This is the myth. Ra was growing old and mankind began to plot against him, so he sent the Eye of Ra(The Sun) to slaughter mankind. The Eye took the form of Hathor as the Lioness Sekhmet. Sekhemet killed them in a bloodbath. To stop Sekhemet from destroying Humanity completely Ra put jugs of beer on the battleground mixed with pomegranate juice(blood red).The bloodthirsty Sekhmet became drunk and stopped and changed back into Hathor. The same drink is drunk annually on Hathors feast day. Bast or Bastet is the benevolent side of Sekhmet, with the added 'protector from disease and evil spirits'.
In the background of The Empress is the Primal Hill. This depicts the Sun God Atum who rose from the watery abyss at the beginning of time. There is the Swallow who returns every year and we still speak today of the bluebird of Happiness. A recurring motif throughout the cards is the Ankh- the symbol of life. I can see so much symbolism in these cards-clay urns-We talk of Adam as man of clay or his name meaning RedClay.
When I see this card- I think Mother, happiness,Healthy eating,compassion, abundance,and unconcious instincts -among the many correspondances.
Hathor, is the Egyptian Sky Goddess and Daughter of the Sun God, Ra. She was depicted as a Cow(see the headress -the Horns of the cow holding the Sun Disc), She was the Goddess of Love and Joy, song and dance, and protector of Mothers and children. She nutured the living and carried the dead to the Underworld. Hathor is also associated with the sycamore tree; coffins are made of sycamore in the belief that Death was a return to the womb. Sometimes this card is called the Womb. You can see on the Card symbols of The Empress's Fertility. The fruit and clay vessel holding seeds, the green of her dress is Venus- signifying motherhood and the green stone malachite-the jewellery promoted healing of the Heart and nuturing of life.
There is a staue of the cat Goddess Bast, alluding to Sekhmet.This is the myth. Ra was growing old and mankind began to plot against him, so he sent the Eye of Ra(The Sun) to slaughter mankind. The Eye took the form of Hathor as the Lioness Sekhmet. Sekhemet killed them in a bloodbath. To stop Sekhemet from destroying Humanity completely Ra put jugs of beer on the battleground mixed with pomegranate juice(blood red).The bloodthirsty Sekhmet became drunk and stopped and changed back into Hathor. The same drink is drunk annually on Hathors feast day. Bast or Bastet is the benevolent side of Sekhmet, with the added 'protector from disease and evil spirits'.
In the background of The Empress is the Primal Hill. This depicts the Sun God Atum who rose from the watery abyss at the beginning of time. There is the Swallow who returns every year and we still speak today of the bluebird of Happiness. A recurring motif throughout the cards is the Ankh- the symbol of life. I can see so much symbolism in these cards-clay urns-We talk of Adam as man of clay or his name meaning RedClay.
When I see this card- I think Mother, happiness,Healthy eating,compassion, abundance,and unconcious instincts -among the many correspondances.