Ancient Egyptian Study Group- Xvii The Star

[Jewel-ry]

Ancient Egyptian Study Group- XVII The Star

The Star - One of my favourite cards in any deck.

Here we see Isis, pouring the mixed waters of Temperance into the Nile. In Temperance we learnt to appreciate the harmony and balance of our own feelings, whilst in The Star this mix is poured out to others.

She is accompanied by the Ibis, a depiction of the god Thoth. Thoth was known as 'reckoner of the years' and 'the lord of time' so was often associated with the Egyptian Calendar which connects nicely to this card as we are told that the star representative in this card is Sirius, the dog star. The appearance of this star each year coincided with the beginning of the Egyptian calendar and the flooding of the nile. The personification of this star was Sepdet who together with Orion and her son was Soped are often thought as synonymous with Osiris, Isis and Horus.


Interestingly it was also Thoth who helped Isis bring Osiris back from the dead and here we see both Isis and Thoth (in his Ibis disguise) searching for the body. The flooding nile brings regeneration and fertility so the link with the Egyptian myth is just wonderful here.

I think of the 'floods of tears' that come to us all and often make us feel better after a period of difficulty. A good cry never did anyone any harm. One can imagine the floods of the nile, washing away all that has gone before, bringing the waters so desperately needed for renewal and rejuvenation, and leaving silt which was essential for fertility and new growth! An end to barreness and famine! After the flooding, boundaries would be re-established and life would go on; bit like Osiris, pieced back together so that Horus could be conceived.

The Nile supported and nourished the people and was always thought to be a protecting force. What a lovely way to think of this card? She gives us hope, reminds us that things change, a clean sweep is sometimes a good thing. After the flood, there is rejuvenation, new life and optimism.

 

[Moongold]

jewel_ry ~

Thank you for the beautiful account of XVII Star. It is also one of my favorite cards in this deck.

I love the association with XIV Temperance, and this deck led me to see this for the first time. The association can be seen, as you say, in the iconography of the card – the gold and silver chalices - and the connection between earth and water. Merging. In both images there is also a sense of optimism. Isn’t it interesting that XV Devil and XVI Tower fall between both these images of optimism?

The Ancient Egyptian Tarot shows more than other Tarot I have the inter- connections and parallel processes of the Universe. The exemplar of this, for me, is Isis. She is the High Priestess and Star. The Egyptians noticed that every year, when the Sun lined up with Sirius, the Nile flooded thus bringing fertility to the land, and this is how the association with Isis is made. The earth is renewed through the flooding. Sirius also wears the mantle of renewal through being the place where souls go after death.

The importance of Sirius lies also in the fact that it is the brightest star in our universe – 23 times brighter than out own sun. We can easily get the sense that Sirius has watched the development of our own Earth, and our own consciousness. The luminosity of this image is therefore quite sacred, I think. When I think of Isis being represented in the XVIII Moon I get a far greater sense of the connectedness of all things. In this particular image, Thoth is represented by the ibis, his sacred image and once more we get a sense of this inter-connection

I love your analogy of the “floods” of tears that can be cleansing and renewing for us as well. and your observations of the feelings of care, protection and optmism which emanate from this card.

I have just checked my astronomy program and Sirius should be in the Northern sky at sunset tonight so I should go out to see her.

 

[SweetIsTheTruth]

Love this card and what it represents

i REALLY love this card. When you are surrounded in darkness, cold and things are getting desperate, this is the aspect of Isis I call on. It does not so much calm me down, as it helps me find and get back on my center. It works everytime. I love this card.

 

[magician]

star

Hi
This is indeed a wishful card. IN readigns i have found that this card brigns luck and wishes. the timeasociated with it is February. The sign is aquarius.
good luck
magician

 

[rwcarter]

Don't have a whole lot to add for this card.

The stars in the sky were thought to be the souls of the departed. These stars formed the heavenly equivalent of the Nile River.

The companion book says that the banks shown in the background are the eastern banks over which the sun will eventually rise. The rising sun symbolizes a new day and new potentials. The unseen western banks were thought to mark the entrance to the Underworld. When ill-aspected (reversed or ill-dignified) the banks would become the western banks, symbolizing gloom and doom and the continuance of problems.

Isis is a good choice for this card because during her original search for the body of Osiris and subsequent search for the pieces of his body, she never gave up hope. Instead of letting his death and/or dismemberment crush her, she remained strong. She also stood strong against her brother Set in his protracted battle against her son Horus for Osiris' throne and was even able to trick Set into agreeing that a direct heir had more right to the throne than anyone else.

In addition to being the familiar of Thoth, the ibis also symbolizes aspiration and perseverance.

Rodney