juliecucciawatts
The Fool~ Osiris/Orion
Vernal Equinox March 20-
The image for The Fool in The Journey into Egypt Tarot is Osiris/Orion followed by Isis/Sirius just as Osiris is about to step off the cliff. In the background you see the great pyramids of Giza these pyramids were meant to reflect the three stars in Orion’s belt. In the frame we see other reflections- the Nile River is mirrored in the sky as well the Milky Way. Below Osiris we see a sarcophagus hinting that his brother Set is about to trick him. The Journey into Egypt Tarot Fool takes on the persona of Osiris as a grain god of death and resurrection and perhaps the first of many future death and resurrection gods. Osiris represents the idea of reincarnation and immortality in the afterlife. The pharaoh, who is considered Horus in life, becomes Osiris at death. Osiris is associated with the constellation Orion. His wife Isis is associated with the star Sirius, the largest star in the constellation Canus Major. Orion, along with the Dog Star Sirius, disappears each year as it merges with the sun. During the height of the Egyptian Star Cult, the rising of Orion and Sirius coincided with the annual Nile floods and an elaborate mythology evolved from this phenomenon. In later eras Osiris cults merged with the sun cults and Osiris became the sun god who travels through the body of the sky goddess at night. This other/inner world of the goddess Nut is called the Duat. Isis, shocked and grief stricken, would also go on this journey, following her husband into the far world. The mystery religions of Greece and the Middle East all find their origins in the Egyptian Mysteries with similar stories of death and rejuvenation.
As I looked closely at the constellation of Orion and the mythology of Osiris, it became clear to me that the illustrations and the images of the traditional Fool in tarot mimic the behavior of the constellation Orion and the Dog Star Sirius as they disappear into the sun for 70 days. Interestingly 70 days is also the amount of time the Egyptians used to carry out their embalming rituals. For as long as the body was preserved, the soul would not have to reincarnate and could dwell in the abode of the gods in heaven. (Duat).
Orion is a notable constellation in numerous cultures across the world and is also associated with Hercules, mortal hero of ancient Greek and Roman mythos, he also undergoes many trials as he seeks immortality. The constellation Orion, though very prominent in the night sky, is not included in the Zodiac. Orion is set apart from the Zodiac much like the Fool is set apart from the trumps and the Shaman is separate from the tribe.
Orion and Sirius are prominent in the evening sky during the Spring Equinox and the early morning sky during Autumnal Equinox when they are restored to their places in the heavens. The Spring or Vernal Equinox signals the return of the Sun and longer days, for the Egyptians this also means the return of encroaching desert and their season of the Deficiency (Shemu) when the god Set would hold sway over the land. The Spring Equinox is harvest time in Egypt their growing season occurs during the northern latitudes winter months. The harsh desert sun is too hot for many plants and, until the building of the Aswan Dam in the 1960’s, the summer months would have been the time of the annual flood.
Other Holidays celebrated on or near
The Vernal Equinox
Sham El Nessim
The first full moon after equinox coincides with the celebration of Easter as well as the ancient Egyptian celebration of Sham El Nessim (The Spring Day). Meaning “breathing the air” or “smelling the breeze”, this holiday falls on the first Monday after orthodox Easter. Celebrated in Egypt for the past 3500 years, Sham El Nessim was originally an agricultural holiday when families celebrate with picnics of salted fish, lettuce, colored eggs, and green onions.
The Vernal Equinox marks the first day of astronomical spring. In the Germanic calendar it is the festival of Ostara and part of the eight holidays known as Cross Quarter Days. Named after the goddess of spring Ostara or Eostar it is the time when the earth is reborn. The Vernal Equinox is a time of awakening, a time for cutting away the old dead vegetation of winter to reveal the tiny shoots of green that are beginning to pop out of the ground. The Spring Equinox also marks the ancient holiday called Passover, the Jewish holiday that marks the end of slavery in Egypt and the exodus to the Promised Land. It also marks the month when Christian’s celebrate the death and resurrection of their god at Easter.
Ostara/ Eostar
Ostara is just one of the names associated with the celebration of the spring equinox around March 21. Another is Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time of planting and celebrating the new growing season. The early Celts, though they did not necessarily celebrate Ostara, believed the hare was sacred to the Goddess. The symbol of the rabbit or hare is still associated with this Eostar.
Passover
About 4000 years ago the Hebrew peoples were thought to be enslaved by the Egyptians. According to the Book of Exodus the consensual story goes something like this: Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh but rejected this Egyptian heritage when he found out his true lineage. He was divinely instructed to go to Pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people.
Moses' pleas were ignored. Moses warned Pharaoh that his god would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt if his people were not freed. Again Pharaoh, a god king, ignored Moses' pleas. In response a series of ten terrible plagues were unleashed on the people of Egypt. The river turned to “blood.” The Nile does turn red during the inundation but it would not have turned this color until summer. If the inundation came too early and there was too much water it would be easy to see why there would be an upset of the natural environment and too any frogs could be hatched. The plague known as “lice and wild beasts” thought by biblical scholars to really mean vermin/rats and flies would also be from the effects of too much water. Causing the other plagues of cattle disease (blight) and boils from insect bites. The identity of this particular pharaoh is never disclosed in the Exodus story, nevertheless Egyptians would be forever vilified.
Regardless of the real characters behind the biblical stories, the tradition of Passover recalls the night that the first born of the Israel were spared from the Angel of Death by painting lamb’s blood on their doorways.
Easter
The Christian celebration of Easter converges with the Jewish tradition Passover, or Pesach, from which the word Pasch, another name used by Europeans for Easter is derived. Passover is celebrated for 8 days and commemorates the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and their freedom from slavery. During the time of the early Christians, who were Jewish in origin, Easter was regarded as a new part of the Passover festival that commemorated the coming of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets.
Easter is observed by the Roman Catholic Church as well as Protestant churches who celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (March 21). Easter has become a "movable" feast, which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. Greek Orthodox Christians follow the older traditions observing Easter according to the date of the Passover festival.
For Christians Easter comes at the end of the Lenten season. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. The Lenten season is a 40-day period of penitence in Easter. The last week of Lent called Holy Week begins with the observance of Palm Sunday when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey and palm leaves were laid on his path. This act was symbolic of the triumphant Horus, who is often depicted riding a beast of burden representing his uncle Set. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, when the rites of bread and wine called The Mass, was established. Good Friday is the anniversary of the Crucifixion when Christ died on the cross. Holy week and the Lenten season conclude on Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection after the third day in the tomb.
Card meaning: In a reading this card predicts a leap of faith. It can also suggest stumbling upon something. It may also be interpreted as seeing the lighter side of a situation, a person on the fringe of society, or a person who was tricked into doing something. The Fool tends to look at things as if they are all good only to find there is a downside to everything. This card can also signify a person who is at the beginning of a significant life journey.
©2013Julie Cuccia-Watts
Vernal Equinox March 20-
The image for The Fool in The Journey into Egypt Tarot is Osiris/Orion followed by Isis/Sirius just as Osiris is about to step off the cliff. In the background you see the great pyramids of Giza these pyramids were meant to reflect the three stars in Orion’s belt. In the frame we see other reflections- the Nile River is mirrored in the sky as well the Milky Way. Below Osiris we see a sarcophagus hinting that his brother Set is about to trick him. The Journey into Egypt Tarot Fool takes on the persona of Osiris as a grain god of death and resurrection and perhaps the first of many future death and resurrection gods. Osiris represents the idea of reincarnation and immortality in the afterlife. The pharaoh, who is considered Horus in life, becomes Osiris at death. Osiris is associated with the constellation Orion. His wife Isis is associated with the star Sirius, the largest star in the constellation Canus Major. Orion, along with the Dog Star Sirius, disappears each year as it merges with the sun. During the height of the Egyptian Star Cult, the rising of Orion and Sirius coincided with the annual Nile floods and an elaborate mythology evolved from this phenomenon. In later eras Osiris cults merged with the sun cults and Osiris became the sun god who travels through the body of the sky goddess at night. This other/inner world of the goddess Nut is called the Duat. Isis, shocked and grief stricken, would also go on this journey, following her husband into the far world. The mystery religions of Greece and the Middle East all find their origins in the Egyptian Mysteries with similar stories of death and rejuvenation.
As I looked closely at the constellation of Orion and the mythology of Osiris, it became clear to me that the illustrations and the images of the traditional Fool in tarot mimic the behavior of the constellation Orion and the Dog Star Sirius as they disappear into the sun for 70 days. Interestingly 70 days is also the amount of time the Egyptians used to carry out their embalming rituals. For as long as the body was preserved, the soul would not have to reincarnate and could dwell in the abode of the gods in heaven. (Duat).
Orion is a notable constellation in numerous cultures across the world and is also associated with Hercules, mortal hero of ancient Greek and Roman mythos, he also undergoes many trials as he seeks immortality. The constellation Orion, though very prominent in the night sky, is not included in the Zodiac. Orion is set apart from the Zodiac much like the Fool is set apart from the trumps and the Shaman is separate from the tribe.
Orion and Sirius are prominent in the evening sky during the Spring Equinox and the early morning sky during Autumnal Equinox when they are restored to their places in the heavens. The Spring or Vernal Equinox signals the return of the Sun and longer days, for the Egyptians this also means the return of encroaching desert and their season of the Deficiency (Shemu) when the god Set would hold sway over the land. The Spring Equinox is harvest time in Egypt their growing season occurs during the northern latitudes winter months. The harsh desert sun is too hot for many plants and, until the building of the Aswan Dam in the 1960’s, the summer months would have been the time of the annual flood.
Other Holidays celebrated on or near
The Vernal Equinox
Sham El Nessim
The first full moon after equinox coincides with the celebration of Easter as well as the ancient Egyptian celebration of Sham El Nessim (The Spring Day). Meaning “breathing the air” or “smelling the breeze”, this holiday falls on the first Monday after orthodox Easter. Celebrated in Egypt for the past 3500 years, Sham El Nessim was originally an agricultural holiday when families celebrate with picnics of salted fish, lettuce, colored eggs, and green onions.
The Vernal Equinox marks the first day of astronomical spring. In the Germanic calendar it is the festival of Ostara and part of the eight holidays known as Cross Quarter Days. Named after the goddess of spring Ostara or Eostar it is the time when the earth is reborn. The Vernal Equinox is a time of awakening, a time for cutting away the old dead vegetation of winter to reveal the tiny shoots of green that are beginning to pop out of the ground. The Spring Equinox also marks the ancient holiday called Passover, the Jewish holiday that marks the end of slavery in Egypt and the exodus to the Promised Land. It also marks the month when Christian’s celebrate the death and resurrection of their god at Easter.
Ostara/ Eostar
Ostara is just one of the names associated with the celebration of the spring equinox around March 21. Another is Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time of planting and celebrating the new growing season. The early Celts, though they did not necessarily celebrate Ostara, believed the hare was sacred to the Goddess. The symbol of the rabbit or hare is still associated with this Eostar.
Passover
About 4000 years ago the Hebrew peoples were thought to be enslaved by the Egyptians. According to the Book of Exodus the consensual story goes something like this: Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh but rejected this Egyptian heritage when he found out his true lineage. He was divinely instructed to go to Pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people.
Moses' pleas were ignored. Moses warned Pharaoh that his god would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt if his people were not freed. Again Pharaoh, a god king, ignored Moses' pleas. In response a series of ten terrible plagues were unleashed on the people of Egypt. The river turned to “blood.” The Nile does turn red during the inundation but it would not have turned this color until summer. If the inundation came too early and there was too much water it would be easy to see why there would be an upset of the natural environment and too any frogs could be hatched. The plague known as “lice and wild beasts” thought by biblical scholars to really mean vermin/rats and flies would also be from the effects of too much water. Causing the other plagues of cattle disease (blight) and boils from insect bites. The identity of this particular pharaoh is never disclosed in the Exodus story, nevertheless Egyptians would be forever vilified.
Regardless of the real characters behind the biblical stories, the tradition of Passover recalls the night that the first born of the Israel were spared from the Angel of Death by painting lamb’s blood on their doorways.
Easter
The Christian celebration of Easter converges with the Jewish tradition Passover, or Pesach, from which the word Pasch, another name used by Europeans for Easter is derived. Passover is celebrated for 8 days and commemorates the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and their freedom from slavery. During the time of the early Christians, who were Jewish in origin, Easter was regarded as a new part of the Passover festival that commemorated the coming of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets.
Easter is observed by the Roman Catholic Church as well as Protestant churches who celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (March 21). Easter has become a "movable" feast, which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. Greek Orthodox Christians follow the older traditions observing Easter according to the date of the Passover festival.
For Christians Easter comes at the end of the Lenten season. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. The Lenten season is a 40-day period of penitence in Easter. The last week of Lent called Holy Week begins with the observance of Palm Sunday when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey and palm leaves were laid on his path. This act was symbolic of the triumphant Horus, who is often depicted riding a beast of burden representing his uncle Set. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, when the rites of bread and wine called The Mass, was established. Good Friday is the anniversary of the Crucifixion when Christ died on the cross. Holy week and the Lenten season conclude on Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection after the third day in the tomb.
Card meaning: In a reading this card predicts a leap of faith. It can also suggest stumbling upon something. It may also be interpreted as seeing the lighter side of a situation, a person on the fringe of society, or a person who was tricked into doing something. The Fool tends to look at things as if they are all good only to find there is a downside to everything. This card can also signify a person who is at the beginning of a significant life journey.
©2013Julie Cuccia-Watts
