The Gothic Tarot by Vargo – XVII The Star

WolfyJames

A white angel stands on a very high building where she seems to be reaching the stars. She is at the top of the steps, standing next to a pilar. She holds two urns in her hands. She is pouring the liquid from the urns to below her. A big black star is right behind her and shines brightly.

There are a few angels in the deck, but this the first good one: her wings and dress are white. She is far away, a bit unreachable, but the scene is quite peaceful. This one shows that good and hope exist in this dark realm; faith is found.
 

Umbrae

The angel stands to the left of center – in a secondary position. The Star is right of center – the eye is drawn to it.

The star is black and outlined in white. And the eye is drawn to it.

Without the white the black does not exist.

Without black the star does not exist.

What’s notable about his card is the angel being in the secondary position (left of center). Composition wise, they eye tracks away from things left of center. Usually the figure sits right of center (look at your RWS deck) and takes a prime spot.

Here, it’s the star that takes center stage, as it should be

The dark is needed to define the star.

The star is needed to define the dark.

There is a balance here.
 

mercenary30

The Star

High up in the clouds and Angel stands on a portico, with her back against a large column. She is wearing a white sleeveless gown, sashed off above her waist. Her wings are out but down. She has a decanter in each hand; each is tilted and pouring liquid. Her right one is poring onto the stair leading to the portico and the left one is pouring off the side and into the clouds. She is watching what she is doing her left hand. Just up and to her left a stylized black star with a white aura is in the sky just above the cloud line.

She pours forth from decanters of endless water. Seeding the clouds to they may go about the world and cleanse them with their rains. They bring water to the earth, eroding, moistening, rearranging, and nourishing all living things. There are few things as powerful as water. Consider the most terrible storm and the devastation that can occur. When it is done, the sky brightens and life picks up and continues. Consider the a soft spring rain; playing music on a tin roof or the feel of the cool drops landing on your face as you tilt your head to the sky. In the evening when you look up to those clouds and through the gaps you see the sparkling jewels of the sky. Does that not bring a smile to your face? Even if the clouds are still thick and the storm rages through the night, those stars are still there, they are not going anywhere. If one were to stop and consider each an option in life, a choice, or direction that is the amount of opportunity for each one of us in this universe. She does not always pour forth the liquids of nourishment. Water is precious resource that needs to be used wisely and not wasted or over drawn. That is why she pours half on the earth and the other half to the clouds; conservation of a critical component of life, the act of self preservation. Above the star will always be, but how many storms and clouds we see, depends on our choices and how we view our reality. Those blinded by despair will see nothing but clouds and forget to remember the star is there whether or not they see it…….
 

annik

The angel seems to be in a high place, surrounded by fog, mist, cloud. But the star seems to steal the show. There is only one star in the sky but it is a big, bright dark star.

Strangely, the way this star is done, it is making me think of the Southern Cross. It is that way that I always imagined the Southern Cross depicted. That star makes me lost in my thoughts...
 

Alissa

The Star, like a black porthole, looms above the angel poised below. She serenely pours 2 urns from her hands, her attention divided to complete both tasks. One urn's contents spill on the stairs, a concrete vision or materialization of the energy the Star is pouring forth, and into the querent. The other urn is pouring into the clouds, into the void, the potent unknown. This can mean a spiritual filling, times of Visions, and a time of internal awakenings. The Star's bountiful gifts may manifest themselves in either, or both ways.

The poise of the leg is interesting, it may suggest that she is readying herself for movement. Or, perhaps she has just come to a repose. The traditional Star maiden shows her in a deep knee bend, almost an obeisance. Here, the pose is more casual, and less reverential.

She rests against a pillar, which acts as a structural support of some sort. Does she gain strength from the firmament behind her, or does she not need it? The wings are lowered, suggesting a certain stillness.
 

September Pixie

There are a lot of points on this card to ponder...

Water.. it is in everything -- as humans we consisit mostly of water.. water cleanses us, it can also make us dirty.. it symbolises emotion.. gives some of us security while others fear.. the water itself is balance..

The angel.. is she in control of the rains from the heavens? is she pouring strength and calmness? what is she looking at? her expression is gazed off to the right of the card but looking past the star.. perhaps to remind that you never need to stop reaching upward..

The star.. dark and light, light and dark, all become one.. the southern point of the star being the largest suggests looking downward.. perhaps to remind you while looking upward you need to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground (refrence to the angel who stans strongly in place, as her leg is balanced for support)..

Clouds.. there are many.. perhaps to suggest that while somethings are clear, other things may not be... or again .. earth, air, fire (action of water bring poured/star?), water

this card is very calming and cool.. reminds me of a foggy summer night where the breeze kisses your face.. is cool but not chilling.. a card of yin and yang.. all things tied into one for a reason.. emotion and intuition..
 

souljourney

I just got this deck in the mail yesterday!! Yeah!! It is gorgeous. I love it.
This card is one of my favorites.
Basically what WolfyJames said is my take on it.
I love the "dark" star...and she's an angel but maybe not in Heaven per se.
I see the water pouring down, like it's pouring hope and light to the even darker realm below.
You won't know light without knowing dark, one can not exist without the other.
SJ
 

Hemera

I always see this white liquid as milk, which makes me think of the Milky Way and also of Mother´s Milk. The Mother might be the Goddess? I think the Lady in the card could be a Priestess of the Goddess, giving nourishment to the world down below?
I also love the dark star. It´s not an ordinary kind of star. It looks like some very special and magical star- maybe it could be the magical Sirius which is the Dog Star and the Star of Isis.
 

Grizabella

Maybe this is the angel who pours the rain down on dark, stormy nights full of torrential rain, thunder and lightning.