The Sun - Transformation

It's lovely to see the sun getting stronger. It's a cold day here in Nova Scotia, and going to warm up tomorrow, a much welcome relief, after trying to get the old wood stove geared up this morning. I felt like I might freeze my granny's preserves!

Psychologically I got warmed up when I drew The Sun, such a positive card, full of powerful energy, in the midst of a Winter deep freeze. I sure can use the positive energy, growth, and contentment, preoccupying my mind these days.

My friend has a business called the Sun, Moon and Stars. I think this is a great name for a gift shop because these celestial bodies go together in the natural order the things. I often can't think of one without the other. They always seem to be grouped together.

 The Bible refers to them in this prediction.. 

 " And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;" - Luke 21:25 from the King James Version
Hmmm sounds about right these days.

The sky is full of story. Everyone interprets and experiences these stories differently. Traditional ancient cultures were are filled with Mythology and stories about the relationship between  the Sun, Moon and Stars, how they affect and effect the universe, and our world. To some, The Star represents Hope, The Moon Dreams and the Sun Happiness. 

These three Marjor Arcana cards, The Star, The Moon and The Sun are in successive order, following one another. 
In the Mythic Tarot the Sun, as Apollo as he plays his harp, it is music to our ears, transforming darkness into light and meaning. We no longer are so fearful; it is replaced with hope, faith, and trust. 
Our personal growth and confidence gives the momentum needed to embark on the exciting adventure of transformation.

Mariposa - Butter Fly Woman - Egg Tempera , 2013 -Catherine Meyers

The Secret of the Moon

The Moon is prone to shaking fits. True story! No one knows why, however scientists speculate the moon has earthquakes and tremors that may be due to the tidal force of the earth. It is an understatement to say that the Moon greatly influences the earth.

I have always had a strong connection to the moon and I often say I am 'in love ' with La Luna. Perhaps because according to my astrological chart my Moon is in Pisces and I certainly do relate to the element of water more so than and other.

Some folks may feel when the full moon appears they themselves may feel ' prone to shaking fits '! It is true that our sleep can be affected and disturbed during the full moon. We humans after all are walking water bags, being made up mostly of water, so it really does make sense that the moon would influence our bodies. According to evolution we all came from the sea.

There are many unknowns about the Moon, and today I found a really interesting history regarding it's symbolic meaning relating to the Tarot. Here's what I found out about the symbolism of the XVIII arcanum.
The Moon is definitely a spiritual card and represents the spiritual journey, as the three faces represent Hecate’s power over heaven, earth and the underworld, ( the unconscious ).

The Moon card is the eighteenth of the major arcana. In the Tarot of Marseille, from which most later decks originated, its symbolism appears at first glance rather peculiar:  a humanized image of the moon shines over a mountain with two towers, and two animals which resemble dogs seem to be howling above what appears to be a body of water with a crayfish in it. None of those symbols can be clearly associated to the familiar ones from the Jewish-Christian tradition prevalent in Europe at the time in which the Tarot first made their appearance. It has been suggested that the origin of the Tarot is not European, but there is no clear consensus of what tradition might have originated them and what circumstances might have brought them to Europe.

As it is often the case in esoteric matters, the obscurity is readily dispelled and the meaning of the symbols easily reveals itself if one can find an appropriate key.
In the case of the Moon arcanum, a key can be found in an unlikely place:  the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic describes the symbolic journey of Gilgamesh to the City of the Gods.  Gilgamesh, devastated by the loss of his friend Enkidu, decides to make a spiritual pilgrimage to the place where the immortals dwell, and ask UtNaPishtim (the ancient fisherman Noah), the earliest human who managed to join the assembly of the Gods, to share with him the secret of eternal life.
When Gilgamesh approaches mount Mashu, the sacred mountain of the Gods, he sees lions roaring on the mountain passes, and is terrified. He then invokes the moon god Sin, protector of travellers, to assist him in his journey, and at night dreams of fighting and prevailing against the lions. He finally reaches the foot of mount Mashu, which guards the rising and setting of the sun. The mountain has two peaks, which extend from the netherworld below all the way to the sky, and a long, dark tunnel leading to the City of the Gods, guarded by humanized scorpions. The scorpions, realizing that he is not only flesh, but in his spirit and soul also immortal in heaven, agree to let him through.

It is easy to identify the elements of the narrative with the symbols contained in the Moon arcanum. The humanized moon is the god Sin, protector of travellers. The mountain is the sacred mount Mashu, which guards the rising and setting of the sun. The two towers are the twin peaks of the mountain, which connect heaven and earth.  The two dog-like creatures are lions on the mountain passes, roaring in their glory. Finally, what appears to be a crayfish in a dark pool of water is in fact a scorpion guarding the entrance of the tunnel which shall lead the supplicant to the City of the Gods.
The image of a crab, scorpion or scarab (words which all share the same root krb) as custodian of immortality is common not only in Mesopotamian cultures, but also in the Egyptian and biblical tradition. In the Book of Genesis those humanized crabs are called cherubs, and guard the path to the tree of life.

The lions are also a symbol common to most ancient cultures, and represent the bestial forces of human passions, which need to be overcome if the spiritual journey is to be successful.
Likewise, the notion of a sacred mountain as the dwelling of the Gods is shared by most ancient traditions, and the pinnacles or towers can be variously identified with the matzevot, obelisks, menhirs or pillars which in many ancient cultures symbolically connected heaven and earth. 
Finally, the moon is a symbol of spiritual journey and rebirth, associated in different traditions with Osiris, Dionysus, or Ba'al.
The parallel with the biblical story of Jacob's dream is also worth noting. In Genesis 28:10-19, Jacob spends the night in the wilderness (where, Rashi adds,  he became afraid of the wild beasts). In his dream, he sees a ladder connecting heaven and earth, populated with angels. When he wakes up he says: "How dreadful [is] this place! this [is] none other but the house of God, and this [is] the gate of heaven." Before leaving the place, which he calls BethEl (House of God), he sets up a matzevah (pillar).

Seal Skin Soul Skin - Catherine Meyers

The Empress - The Power of Motherhood

I love the Empress card, the third Card in the Major Arcana and ruled by the Roman goddess of love, Venus. She symbolizes the the power of motherhood, the earth, and practical wisdom.
Having a past vocation as a Youth Care Worker for over twenty years I feel I have been mothered many and I understand what my own mother sacrificed and what she so freely imparted to me was invaluable for living a life grounded in love , and practical wisdom. She embodied an inner beauty and generosity that a of a mother freely and unconditionally gives.

The Empress is beautiful and bountiful. The stars in her crown represent all the signs in the Zodiac, indicating she is the mother of all. Here we find fertility, creativity and imagination. There is pregnancy of the body, the mind or the spirit. There is great ability to create a warm and productive environment. The harvest is good and abundant. Luxury and material gain, productivity and protectiveness are present and reflects the experience of mothering. Not only in the physical body but the experience of the Great Mother and her wisdom of nature. She understands that all things move in cycles and come to fruition at the appropriate time. Without her we cannot appreciate our bodies and the is a disconnect. We risk living in our heads intellectually, without being grounded in the real world.

The Empress makes be immediately think of Mother Mary. I was always very drawn to her, and still am. When I was a troubled adolescent my family lived in Guelph, Ontario. There was a beautiful Catholic Church a top the highest hill overlooking the city. I would often find solace there, in front of the icon of Mary in times of trouble.


I still have a picture of her from my teenaged years, like the one below. Notice the twelve stars around her head, and the Moon under her feet. She is clothed in radiant sunlight. The Sun, the Moon and the Stars all surround her in glory.