Friday, February 21, 2014

The Star - Never lose Hope

Mythic Tarot
A long time ago I have purchased the Mythic Tarot, second hand online. It is the old version which is now out of print. The main reason to buy it was because I thought I would like the theme and the artwork. But I didn't feel a click with this deck like I have with some of my other decks. So I have to admit it ended up in a back corner of my tarot drawer as a collector’s  item. Then I read Olivia’s post  about this deck, in which she can’t stop cheering it. So I got curious again.
For today my daily card it The Star. In my opinion you can’t go wrong with The Star card in any deck. This is a very different rendition of the Star compared with R.W. based decks. Yes the girl is naked but there stops the resemblance. This girl is called Pandora and she is the main character of the Greece Myth: “Pandora’s box” :
“ In classical Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman on Earth. Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of craftsmanship, to create her, so he did—using water and earth. The gods endowed her with many gifts: Athena clothed her, Aphrodite gave her beauty, and Hermes gave her speech.
When Prometheus stole fire from heaven, Zeus took vengeance by presenting Pandora to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother. With her, Pandora was given a beautiful jar – with instructions not to open it under any circumstance. Impelled by her curiosity (given to her by the gods), Pandora opened it, and all evil contained therein escaped and spread over the earth. She hastened to close the container, but the whole contents had escaped, except for one thing that lay at the bottom – the Spirit of Hope. Pandora, deeply saddened by what she had done, feared she would have to face Zeus' wrath, since she had failed her duty; however, Zeus did not punish Pandora, because he knew this would happen.”(Wikipedia)
This story teaches us whatever may happen, we’re never left without Hope. This can refer to major trauma’s, but also to the minor daily struggles which can be rather overwhelming too. Don’t you just adore it how she keeps looking at the star without being distracted by the swarm of illness and disaster. For me personally it reminds me of how I, at my wits end, had enough  hope and inspiration to go to my room and defy my Inner Critic. 
This card has persuaded me to find a more obtainable place for this deck in my drawer.

8 comments:

  1. This is a great take on the Star, because it's not when everything is fixed that I need hope, it's when everything goes to hell in a hand-basket! :D

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  2. I was quite taken by it too. The fun thing with this deck is you have tot read up the myths before you can determine the extra layers of meaning

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  3. When I cull decks this one (1st edition) is always a keeper. Have you seen the workbook? One of the things to do is color in each card. I made copies rather than color in my book, but it is a valuable exercise with any favorite deck...you are required by the task to see everything, miss nothing.

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    1. It is a pity but I don't have the workbook. Perhaps I will find it someday :)
      I did color in some B&W R.W cards which I rather liked. I like to draw from tarot cards to sometimes, which is about the same thing I guess

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  4. I agree with Sharyn about the work book. I have it too. The one for the Sharman-Caselli is very good too (same creators). I scrounged up a second hand one very cheaply on Amazon.

    I do love this deck. I have a couple of editions of the old one (one with blue backs and one with black). I got the re-drawn one out of curiosity many years ago, which is pretty hideous on the whole. I don't know what they were thinking when they commissioned that and ditched the original.

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    1. I will be on the look out for a second hand book. It is a pity the shipping costs make it always so expensive to buy oversees. So I'll have to wait until a a Dutchie wants to sell it :D
      I agree the original artwork is so much better

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  5. AHh! I totally missed this post, and I'm so glad I just read it! Haha, I am happy that my post prompted you to pull this deck back out again! I really agree with you about this card….. the same things struck me - the evils are swarming out into the world, and there's nothing she can do about it…but along with them there is great, bright, guiding hope. It's really nice. I feel similarly about my Mythic and Wildwood Tarot decks. There is just *something* about them….

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    1. Some decks have it and some don't. I love the simplicity of the artwork and at the same time they are so rich of color and meaning. Perhaps it will become a favorite of me too :)

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