Random Major Arcana questions

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Chibi pic pic	09 Jul 2004
I know I just posted, but I have questions that I need to get out before I forget them (and the other one was long enough, so I'll post a new one here). Can certain cards in the major arcana be changed from a woman to a man and vice versa (such as The Star and Justice being men instead of women)? I know that cards that can represent people are interchangable, but what about cards that generally don't represent the querent or someone in the querent's life? Another question. What connection does the Star, Moon and Sun have with each other (other than being celestial bodies of course) and do they have any other connections with other major arcana cards? More importantly, do the Star and Moon have and connections with each other? Okay, I'll take a break. My brain's getting fuzzy...

Thirteen	09 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Chibi pic pic Can certain cards in the major arcana be changed from a woman to a man and vice versa (such as The Star and Justice being men instead of women)? I know that cards that can represent people are interchangable, but what about cards that generally don't represent the querent or someone in the querent's life? If you're asking if the image on those cards can be masculine rather than feminine...sure, I don't see why not. But why? The Majors are already masculine heavy (Fool, Emperor, Hierophant, Chariot, Hermit, Hanged Man...)--and there is a yin-yang aspect to this as well. Sterotypical though it may be, there is the feeling that the Star represents feminine healing, as compared to the Magician, masculine healing. Ditto that Justice, going back to the Egyptian goddess of Justice, Maat, has a quiet, cool, femine balance, rather than the hotter, chemistry-set-blend-and-transform balance of our masculine angel in Temperance. (Though, arguably, the Angels are asexual.) Quote: Another question. What connection does the Star, Moon and Sun have with each other (other than being celestial bodies of course) and do they have any other connections with other major arcana cards? More importantly, do the Star and Moon have and connections with each other? The Moon has a powerful connection to the High Priestess, the Sun to Strength, and the Star...probably to the hopeful, daydreaming Fool. That's if we're going along the astrological assignments of Rider-Waite (HPS = The Moon, Strength = Leo, Fool = Uranus/Air). The Star, Moon, Sun have a connection in that they are, in a way, a progression. The Star asks the querent to look inward and forward to hope and dreams, their best and most optimistic visions. The Moon backward and inward toward primal emotions and nightmares, their most pessimistic and insane illusions. The Sun then brings the querent outward into the light of day, into the here and now. It shows them what is real, what they need need not hope for because it is here, what they need not fear because it is not here and never was. Does that help?

Sillanza	09 Jul 2004
Chibi pic pic, you might also want to take a look at the "What do the Cards Mean" sticky at the top of this board.

Ace	10 Jul 2004
Masculine to feminine? Some cards do go back and forth: the Robin Wood has a very masculine looking Temperence card (although it is traditional enough to still be Iris-goddess (?) of the dawn)- it is one of my least favorite cards in her deck. But others like the Star ARE feminine energy IMHO and don't shift to masculine at all. I would probably tell a man that he needs to open to his feminine side, become more intuitive maybe. Same with High Priestess. I really like your explaination of the progression of Star, Moon and Sun, Thirteen! Barb

tao51	10 Jul 2004
Thirteen your explanation was great!--Tao

The Random Major Arcana questions thread was originally posted on 09 Jul 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.