Jungian Deck: why is the Sun so blue??

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Mr. Sluagh	21 Jul 2004
Don't get me wrong, I love this deck. It's the best Tarot I've used yet. But the one thing that really bothers me about is that big, deep blue mandala on the Sun. Sure, there's the little solar disk at the bottom of the card, but that huge, blue pattern at the top seems to offset the whole thing and makes it look almost Star-like. Is this explained in either of Wang's books on the pack? Any thoughts on why he might have done it? Thanks.

darwinia	21 Jul 2004
Jung did therapy with mandalas, symbols, and colours, so it seems natural to use mandalas or mandala-like shapes in a deck purporting to be Jungian. He believed the symbolism to be archetypal in mandalas and thus identifiable for treating patients. He also drew mandalas himself, and seems to have been pretty good at it too, or at least unusual in composition and symbols. As for the blue, try slogging through this: http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/LvdP/Jung.html I remember reading in a book called Bright Earth : Art and the Invention of Colour, that people, particularly the Virgin Mary, were often painted wearing ultramarine blue for the simple reason that it was the most expensive pigment available and seemed worthy of such an exalted subject. Also, there is a blue we call electric blue, and what better colour to symbolize energy and solar power than something electric in colour and therefore energizing?

Aun	21 Jul 2004
I just purchased the Jungian deck, and so far I like it very much. I love those mandalas on the trumps, and also the suns (or moons?) on the pips indicating the 'mood' of the cards. Have a lot to study still....

Rusty Neon	21 Jul 2004
From Wang's book, Tarot Psychology, writing on the Jungian deck's Sun card: Wang indicates that the Sun card represents the archetype of the Child. "The Sun is another of those cards filled with surprises and which has, as do all archetypes, some very dark aspects. Indeed, the chief task of the Child/Hero is the overcoming of darkness through the inner sunlight."

Fulgour	22 Jul 2004
in The Jungian Tarot by Robert Wang he writes: The Sun is the most pivotal card in the Jungian Tarot deck. In the most simple of terms, the Child symbolizes the early phases of Self-Discovery. Its relationship to the nurturing Mother and to the protective Father is critical because the "parents" are the opposite forces from whose power the Child is seeking release. Thus Jung explains that the child means something evolving toward independence.

Fulgour	22 Jul 2004
Wands Aries Cups Cancer Swords Libra Pentacles Capricorn 1 Pluto 2 Uranus 3 Neptune 4 Jupiter 5 Mars 6 Sun 7 Venus 8 Mercury 9 Moon 10 Saturn Review by Mark Filipas

Mr. Sluagh	24 Jul 2004
Oh, the mandalas are fine. It's just the non-sequitir coloring that annoys me. I would've thought a nice, yellow-white mandala would be obvious for this card.

fyreflye	24 Jul 2004
I just got this deck in the mail - the original 1988 AG Müller edition - and I love it. I was surprised that Michelle Jackson, who's usually a reliable source for deck reviews, was so turned off by it. When I was sorting out the unnamed/unnumbered cards I was stymied for a moment by this image - it couldn't be the Sun, could it? - and had to confirm from Wang's lwb. The Wheel had to be set aside for confirmation, too. This deck is primarily designed for Jungian Active Imagination work, so I assume that eventually when I get around to a meeting with The Sun he'll tell me why he's blue.

Mr. Sluagh	28 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by fyreflye I just got this deck in the mail - the original 1988 AG Müller edition - and I love it. I was surprised that Michelle Jackson, who's usually a reliable source for deck reviews, was so turned off by it. When I was sorting out the unnamed/unnumbered cards I was stymied for a moment by this image - it couldn't be the Sun, could it? - and had to confirm from Wang's lwb. The Wheel had to be set aside for confirmation, too. This deck is primarily designed for Jungian Active Imagination work, so I assume that eventually when I get around to a meeting with The Sun he'll tell me why he's blue. My reaction exactly.

The Jungian Deck: why is the Sun so blue?? thread was originally posted on 21 Jul 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.