XVII The Star - 'Make a Wish'
In the aftermath of his encounters with The Devil and The Tower, The Fool finds himself shaken, maybe a little broken, definitely exhausted, but still standing. His character has been tested in the harshest of ways and his resolve mercilessly trampled upon. He's survived incredible odds and is now in many ways stronger than ever. He realizes that despite all the adversity, his spirit is still intact, as is his sense of hope and wonder. At number 'XVII' in the Major Arcana 'The Star' offers the promise of a better future he so desperately needs.
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| 'The Star' from the Heroine Tarot by Gina Schiappacasse |
THE STAR - Make a Wish
KEYWORDS
Hope. Wishes. Faith. Blessings. Daydreams. Serendipity. Positivity. Purity. Magical thinking. Magical intent. Prayer. Primal spirituality.
Disillusionment. Wishful thinking. Hopelessness. Despondency. Sadness. Emptiness. Lack of faith. Loss of spirituality. Be careful what you wish for. A curse.
THE LIGHT
The Star is one of the loveliest cards in the Major Arcana. Its position immediately following The Tower is a tribute to humanity's unbreakable spirit in the face of disheartening adversity. This card echoes some of the symbolic elements found in Temperance. It's interesting to note that these two very pure in spirit, very similar cards stand on either side of The Devil and The Tower, as if to contain or lessen their negative influence. Both Temperance and The Star often feature a female figure with one foot on land and one foot in water, establishing their position as connectors between the stability of the element of Earth and the fluidity of the element of Water. They're the link between the tangible and the emotional.
This is the card of belief in magical thinking, of hopeful dreams and heartfelt wishes, of faith in a brighter tomorrow. When The Star appears, everything good and pure is possible once again. The universe is listening. Make a wish and watch it come true. The Star represents that undying hope within that keeps us going day after day. It's that special spark in our souls that constantly whispers that life is worth living no matter what.
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| 'The Star' variations. From left to right: The Dreamkeepers Tarot, the Slow Tarot and the Paulina Tarot |
The Star is the recipient of humanity's instinctive, ancient ritual of looking to the heavens and asking for help. It also represents the first of three main steps in a magic spell. Scroll down to 'Tarot Academia" for more on this important aspect.
When The Star appears as the card of the day it will make our usual routine a breeze by erasing all the little annoyances that may come up to ruin our day. We will find that parking space we were wishing for; get the phone call we were hoping to get; maybe the person we've had a crush on will finally ask us out on a date. Whatever it may be, it will be a lovely day, filled with lucky coincidences, serendipity and wonder. It's the perfect time to make a wish if we catch a bright star in the sky tonight.
THE SHADOW
The Star is so full of positivity and promise, it's hard to imagine there could possibly be a negative aspect to it. Like all cards in the Tarot, however, it does possess a shadow side. If it appears in a negative position in a reading, consider the old adage: 'Be careful what you wish for.' Sometimes getting our wish can backfire unexpectedly and turn into a curse. It can also indicate that we may be engaging in wishful thinking and refusing to see the truth about a situation or a person.
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| 'L'Etoile' from Le Tarot Noir, by Matthieu Hackiere and Justine Ternel |
The shadow Star indicates hopelessness, despondency and sadness. We've lost the spark that keeps hope alive. We no longer believe in the magic and wonder of existence. Disappointment and disillusionment take over. We begin to disconnect from what used to bring us joy.
Another negative aspect of the shadow Star can underscore a marked decline in spiritual and emotional alignment. We may get the feeling that the Universe is deliberately conspiring against us and that nothing is going our way.
LITERALLY
In a literal sense, The Star can represent an actual movie star, or a very charismatic person in a group. It can also call our attention to the night sky, the stars and the planets.
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| Shades of blue in these lovely 'Star' variations, From left to right: The Thoth Tarot, the Ukiyoe Tarot and the Stella Tarot |
TAROT ACADEMIA
The Star, The Moon and The Sun appear in immediate succession in the Major Arcana. I like to think of this trifecta of celestial bodies as an allegory for a magic spell or a religious prayer. I've always believed that there is very little difference between casting a spell and saying a prayer. In both instances there is a set intent; words of incantation that are spoken out loud or silently recited, and the personal energy supplied by the person or persons involved. The wish for a hopeful positive outcome is the same, the only difference lies in how the energy is manipulated. In a magic spell the practitioner's own psychic power is directly sent out into the Universe and immediately begins to work for the desired result. In a prayer, the energy is initially redirected through the deity or spiritual icon of choice before it can reach the Universal consciousness.
This ritual is reflected in the three celestial bodies of the Tarot -- The Star, The Moon and The Sun:
1.The Star archetype, the card of hope and fervent wishes, represents the intent and the incantation when casting a spell or reciting a prayer.
2.The Moon archetype is associated with magic, mystery and the occult. It represents the Universal energy that hears the wish or the prayer and starts to bend reality to make it come true.
3.The Sun archetype represents the explosive joy and happiness when the energy is released and the spell works as intended or the prayer is answered.
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| 'The Star', 'The Moon' and 'The Sun' from the Light Seer's Tarot, by Chris-Anne |
The Star is the first step in this arcane process; the initial surge of instinctive hope and faith that fuels magic spells, wishes, prayers and incantations in all cultures around the world.
Wish upon a Star, let the Moon work its magic throughout the night and watch the Sun shine a bright light onto your realized dreams. It sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? The Star is the closest we can get to that enchanted world. All we need to do is look up, make that wish and believe.
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| 'The Star' variations. From left to right: The Manuscript of Initiations Tarot, the Medieval Tarot and the Infernal Tarot |
AN EXERCISE
Tarot is often used in magic spells or rituals and The Star is one the best cards for this purpose. It's very useful in the absence of a visible starlit sky, or simply to enhance and strengthen an already made wish.
Try this simple ritual using just a candle and The Star card:
Place The Star on your altar or a windowsill and light the candle while concentrating on your intent. Stand in front of the altar, ideally facing the window, turn your palms up an speak your wish out loud. Visualize your energy leaving your body through your open hands and mingling with the Universal consciousness. Hold the position as long as you feel is necessary, then allow the candle to burn through the night. The flame having absorbed your energy will continue to send it out there until the candle burns out.