John Waterhouse Oracle Deck

BodhiSeed said:

Okay, for the earlier attachment, I see the woman wanting desperately to go through that gate to a new phase/place/etc., but she clings to the safety of what she knows even if she does feel like she's in a rut. Will she get the nerve to move out of her comfort zone? <@desertrat: I'm going to go get my own burrito, dammit!>
For the second attachment, I see it as what will happen if she does go through that door - the "magic ingredient" she's been missing in her life (excitement, passion, enthusiasm) will be added to her "cup." And it looks like she might have some support or company along the way...
<I think I'll wash that burrito (it was delicious) down with a large soda - and add a shot of Jack Daniels for good measure! >

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HA ya I was thinking a shot of bourbon myself! I know realistically she's probably putting poison in there for her husband so she can take off with that knight in shining armor.

seven stars said:

Burritos! HA! I love it! LMAO! ..... Let's see, if I were looking at this card, in relation to husbands & burritos, to me she looks like there's a little trepidation going on there. She's hesitant. Spying, maybe. He said he was going out for burritos, but I'll bet he just wanted an excuse to go out to his car to call his "other woman" on his cell phone...

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seven stars said:

HA ya I was thinking a shot of bourbon myself! I know realistically she's probably putting poison in there for her husband so she can take off with that knight in shining armor.

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Seven Stars, you have a devious mind! While Bodhiseed and I are focused on our stomachs.

This card is definitely a drug deal going down. The sandals-guy is jonesin' big time, while the dealer in the red dress painstakingly delivers his hit to the chalice. You can see the calculation in her eyes - this will probably get her a week's worth of burritos.

rachelcat said:

b
and there's one I couldn't find at all (a woman in pink holding out hair with one foot in water). Perhaps another Ophelia?

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She is Lamia. It´s the second version that Waterhouse painted in 1909.

From Wikipedia:
In the myth, Lamia is a mistress of the god Zeus, causing Zeus' jealous wife, Hera, to kill all of Lamia's children (except for Scylla, who is herself cursed) and transform her into a monster that hunts and devours the children of others. Another version has Hera merely stealing away all of Lamia's children and it being Lamia herself, losing her mind from grief and despair, who starts stealing and devouring others' children out of envy, the repeated monstrosity of which transforms her into a monster on its own.

Some accounts say she has a serpent's tail below the waist.
In later stories, Lamia was cursed with the inability to close her eyes so that she would always obsess over the image of her dead children.
Zeus then gave her the ability to remove her eyes. The purpose of this ability is unclear in Diodorus, but other versions state Lamia's ability to remove her eyes came with the gift of prophecy. Zeus did this to appease Lamia in her grief over the loss of her children and to let her rest since she could not close her eyes.

seven stars said:

I know realistically she's probably putting poison in there for her husband so she can take off with that knight in shining armor.

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I think the story was that she is a sorcerer who is making love potion for the soldier.

Hemera said:

She is Lamia. It´s the second version that Waterhouse painted in 1909.

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Thank you for the information about Lamia. She is also featured on a card in the new Les Vampires deck.

Great job, rachelcat! This deck is VERY HIGH on my wish list, and now I have an easy guide, instead of having to look up each painting. Some of them I'm familiar with, but some not. Thank you!

seven stars said:

Actually, here....let's flip another card to see where THAT's going....

And the next card is....(attached)

Anyone? What happens next? (just for giggles)

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"Hmmm... Are you sure this is the extra hot jalapeño sauce?"

Man this place is so enabling. I went to Seven Star's site to buy this deck and wound up ordering the Halloween one instead. XD; Does anyone have this deck in hand yet? How does it read?

I know. I went to the site and now I want two decks - and matching pouches. And Journals...and..

ETA: I think the one opening the golden box is Pandora (and not Psyche).

Hemera said:

She is Lamia. It's the second version that Waterhouse painted in 1909.

From Wikipedia:
In the myth, Lamia is a mistress of the god Zeus, causing Zeus' jealous wife, Hera, to kill all of Lamia's children (except for Scylla, who is herself cursed) and transform her into a monster that hunts and devours the children of others. Another version has Hera merely stealing away all of Lamia's children and it being Lamia herself, losing her mind from grief and despair, who starts stealing and devouring others' children out of envy, the repeated monstrosity of which transforms her into a monster on its own.

Some accounts say she has a serpent's tail below the waist.
In later stories, Lamia was cursed with the inability to close her eyes so that she would always obsess over the image of her dead children.
Zeus then gave her the ability to remove her eyes. The purpose of this ability is unclear in Diodorus, but other versions state Lamia's ability to remove her eyes came with the gift of prophecy. Zeus did this to appease Lamia in her grief over the loss of her children and to let her rest since she could not close her eyes.

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Thanks very much for the information! I'll update the list.

There are two paintings and two cards with women opening boxes, the one with the bigger box is Pandora, the smaller box is Psyche. (Although I'm not sure what the story is of Psyche and the box. I'll have to read up!)

rachelcat said:

Thanks very much for the information! I'll update the list.

There are two paintings and two cards with women opening boxes, the one with the bigger box is Pandora, the smaller box is Psyche. (Although I'm not sure what the story is of Psyche and the box. I'll have to read up!)

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Psyche's box is the one she brings from the underworld under Venus' orders. It's supposed to hold Proserpina's beauty secrets (better than Botox!). She takes a peek because, well, who wouldn't, and, well, it works kinda like a poison apple: she falls into a deathlike sleep, only to be woken by Cupid and live happily ever after.