Keywords
Hope, optimism, openness, certainty, faith, longing, truth
Range of Meaning
Light: Hoping for the best. Believing good things happen to good people. Seeing events in the best possible light. Adopting a generous spirit. Seeking guidance from above. Embracing possibility over probability.
Shadow: Denying unpleasant truths. Denying personal accountability and saying, “Things just happen!” Ignoring signs and omens. Preferring illusion to reality. Spreading pessimism and stinginess of spirit.
Correspondences
Archetype: The Heavenly Guide
Hebrew Alphabet: Tzaddi/Fishhook/90 or, in some decks, He[as]/Window/5
Numbers: 17 = 1 + 7 = 8 (action, movement, swiftness)
Planetary/Astrological/Elemental: Aquarius
Mythical/Spiritual: The star that guided the Magi. Aphrodite. Venus. The Pleiades. Moses bringing forth water from the rock.
Story: After the darkness, comes the dawn! Just as the situation looks completely bleak, the main character discovers a way to move forward.
Advice
Relationships. Give freely of yourself and expect the best. Don’t hold back genuine emotions; express them without shame. Consider exploring spiritual goals together. Astrology can offer important insights into compatibility. Let your honesty and openness encourage others to reveal their deepest thoughts.
Work. Surround yourself with visual reminders of your goal because these can serve as guiding lights when you need a way to put the situation into perspective. Expect the best of yourself and your co-workers. You’ll know when the time is right to take action; have confidence in your own judgment.
Spirituality. Prayer and quiet time communicate your openness to guidance from above. Don’t hesitate to share your spiritual side with those around you. Seek out oracles. Allow the power of spirit to flow through you; let your spirituality color all aspects of your life.
Personal Growth. An optimist sees what is … and what can be. Open yourself to possibility. Numbers never tell the whole story. Shed your ego; be yourself, no matter what others think. The only truly unique thing you have to share is the person you really are. Unmask!
Fortune Telling. Get an astrology chart drawn up. Someone is a little too starstruck. What’s happening now has long been fore-ordained.
When? Between January 20 and February 17.
Symbols and Insights
The seven stars. The seven stars seen on both the RWS and Marseilles cards likely refer to the seven classical planets. They orbit a central flamboyant star, which Waite, in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, describes as a Masonic symbol. In your situation, who is following whom—and why?
Eight-pointed stars. Depending on the deck used, the number eight suggests the work associated with expressions of strength or the delivery of justice. Eight, the number of action, doubles four, the number of persistence and stability. Might the key to your situation be the application of consistent effort over time?
Pouring water. There’s no conservation going on here; the figure on most Star cards bears an inexhaustible supply of the Water of Life. What are your own inexhaustible resources? How can they help?
Nudity. Here, nudity communicates innocence, openness, and shamelessness. What would happen if you embraced yourself completely?
The ibis. The ibis is the representative of Thoth, the master magician of the Egyptians. It is associated with the idea of both initiation and meditation. In your situation, who is the magician, and who is the mediator?
Questions to Ask
- What would my higher power direct me to do?
- How can I be less self-conscious and guarded?
- How can I better attune myself to the abundance of life’s blessings?