The Mythology of Good Friday(Death) & Easter (Judgement)

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

skytwig	18 Apr 2003
I grew up in a 'Christian" cult and literally had to 'cut the cord' much later in life, in order to find free spirituality. Tarot Cards were one of my first tools that I reclaimed, in that Phoenix Bird tumult of death/re-birth. Good Friday, however, was one of my favorite holidays during my 'Christian' days and now I find myself contamplating the significance of such a Death experience in our lives, even for those of us who are no longer Christian. and Easter represents the Judgement card, with is souls rising, being released from their confines of old. How do you, fellow journeyers, incorporate these holy days into your awareness of the Death card and the Judgement card? Do they offer insights and awarenesses? Do you utilize past or present knowledge of the holy days and their meanings in your understanding of the cards? How does it enrich your use of the cards? And, have you struggled with 'family tradition' of these Holy Days and how does that reflect in the Sun and the Moon cards?

Rusty Neon	18 Apr 2003
It's interesting to contrast Good Friday celebrations in the various denominations. In the Western church, Good Friday is very sombre, concentrating on the physical death and, as far as I can remember, no mention of Easter. In the Eastern church (Greek/Eastern Orthodox), on Good Friday, the service already speaks of the resurrection. Thus, death is seen in the light of the resurrection. A very 'transformative' view of death, like the tarot conception of the Death card.

skytwig	18 Apr 2003
Interesting. When I experienced Good Friday as a teen, I was so heavily grieved. I loved Jesus so much and the experience I had was as if I were there (maybe I was....) I could not stop crying. It went on for hours and was very Transformative, in itself. After that, I became 'reclusive' (Hermit) in my belief and started reading Praticing the Presence of God and The Could of Unknowing on a daily, ritualistic basis (Hierophant). I prayed and read before I went to school and prayed throughout the day. I was 16 and wanted to become a nun, even though I was Presbyterian. Six months later, I was an Atheist, reading Ayn Rand and Kirekegaard. Talk about Loss!!! (Tower!) We as Tarot readers, know the Transformative power in the Death card. But do we experience Death in its totality with that knowlegde in our heads? Is it more conducive to our awareness if we experience Death without that insight.... as if it is a death, with NO resurrection? Hmmmmm.....

Original Destiny	21 Apr 2003
Easter, for me represents birth and creation, spring, fruitfulness. I am not a christian although i was brought up with christian ethics and for me easter is the beginning, the awakening, so it is a very positive time when the cycle of life takes on its fecund aspect. Christianity emphasises the death side of it but i feel that this is due to the Bible translators bias towards their loss of there LORD and ignores the message within... the message is...life goes on and it is part of a cycle that has a beginning...a middle ...and an end... Celebrate all aspects of life.....birth...life...and death. Easter has a Holistic meaning that transcends individual religious views....by celebrating death we are celebrating life.........

The The Mythology of Good Friday(Death) & Easter (Judgement) thread was originally posted on 18 Apr 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.