Wildwood Cafe (Study group): 12 The Mirror

BlueDragonfly

The cards came into the house in my totebag after work, the book is in the other one, and I'm not going out to get it now, so I can't really look up anything pertaining to the card.

The glowing orb(Moon) she holds up allows "in"sight in the darkness. I think the mirror she's holding is simply there to aid in/symbolize "reflection". I don't know much about heron in symbolism and mythology, I'll have to look that up.

The scene behind her is what intrigues me. A shrouded body, in a boat that is tethered to something and the island with the 3 trees behind it. It all puts me in mind of the legend of King Arthur, who was ferried to Avalon for burial. Are the mermaid/serpent and the heron guides for the recently deceased, somehow, the orb there to light the way? A time of pause, before transition to the next life.

The Vikings/Norse also had a "burial" in a vessel, however that was lighted on fire.

Off to look up heron.
 

BlueDragonfly

Frayling0 said:
Any ideas on the woman herself? When I first saw the card, I thought she was a siren - you know, the creatures that supposedly lured sailors to their deaths.
Siren, that's the word I was looking for! Did sirens have a purpose/function aside from luring sailors with their singing?
 

Bat Chicken

The mention of a heron/crane? made me wonder... You might want to look into the 'crane bag' in relation to Druidism/Celtic Shamanism.
 

yirabeth

Oh, thanks for that BatChicken! It's been bothering me all day as I go about my business...:D

One thought I had regarding the mirror... the way she's holding it is kinda...she's looking, but not a full on stare at the mirror...like glancing at her progress as she's coming to terms with the self deceptions...checking to see if she's still who she is? Fitting those self deceptions into her total view of herself?
 

BlueDragonfly

Bat Chicken said:
The mention of a heron/crane? made me wonder... You might want to look into the 'crane bag' in relation to Druidism/Celtic Shamanism.
Oh, good thought.

I was looking up info on heron, found some interesting things, will post them in the AM.
 

cronegoddess54

For sure the water, moon, mirror, orb and bottom half of woman (Undines or nymphs) all have to do with the element of water. Very fluid like the planet mercury, and very Jungian as in 'feeling'...and the death rites of burial at sea (element of water) is what I believe the body in the boat is...magical process is emotion...creative process is reception... All our relationships mirror an aspect of ourselves, just as we reflect back to the other some part of themselves (the mirror in one hand the orb in other) Card name Mirror...As for the herron? Good question...going to have to look it up somwhere...feathers are elements of air..and the medicine bag?? Odd...kind of a feathered Fool..lol..
 

Flaxen

Cross-referencing with the Druid Animal Oracle, a Crane symbolises secret knowledge - perhaps refer to the hidden things the moon illuminates.

Herons are also linked with messages from the Otherworld. Perhaps the Heron is representing the hidden messages of the spirit world. In some ways this card reminds me of the phrase 'nature's is our greatest teacher'. The earth is a mirror of the spirit world.
 

BlueDragonfly

Oh, yes, I love that association, Flaxen! By watching the natural world around them, ancient civilizations took clues from nature, formed their spiritualities.

Some things I found.....The heron is seen as a messenger of the Gods, and one source mentioned heron as the gatekeeper to the Otherworld. And islands are seen as representations of the Otherworld. 3(the 3 trees on the island) is a sacred number.

There was the mention of seeking healing in the Otherworld, and wasn't Arthur taken to Avalon for healing, not burial? Duh!

The crane bag is essentially the Druid/Celtic/Shaman's medicine bag, and in myth was made from a crane's skin.
 

Flaxen

BlueDragonfly said:
There was the mention of seeking healing in the Otherworld, and wasn't Arthur taken to Avalon for healing, not burial? Duh!

The Otherworld was seen as lying over the water and I think Arthur is supposed to be waiting in Avalon for his return to Britain when we need him.
I see this journey as also representing the healing of the spirit that occurs after death. When something/someone dies, it transforms. This applies to other beings who share their world too. We are all changed/transformed/healed(?) when something in our world dies.

I wonder if this card is acting us a reminder for us to look at those aspects of our lives that lie hidden and need healing.
 

BlueDragonfly

I think so, and the placement, traditionally "The Hanged Man", and being that pause before the next step, transformation/Death.