KEYWORDS: Hope, new life, optimism.
Tara, The Star, is the manifestation of life which spontaneously springs forth unaided in a parthenogenetic birth. For Major Arcana IV, I chose the pre-Vedic Indian Star Goddess, Tara whose name literally means star . “Her symbol, the star, is seen as a beautiful but perpetually self-combusting thing, so Tara is the absolute unquenchable hunger that propels all life.” This hunger is, in particular, a spiritual hunger or yearning to elevate the consciousness and to transcend matter and all its limitations. She represents the limitless bounty of new life and hope.
To quote Crowley’s Star Goddess, “I’ll give unimaginable joys on earth; certainty, not faith, while in life; upon death, peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.”
The Star is ruled by the Uranian sign Aquarius. Uranian energy emerges chaotically. It manifests as a hunger for the Truth, the absolute meaning for existence above and beyond our mundane realities. The spiritual hunger of Tara symbolizes that meaning. Her image speaks to us of the beauty and constancy of change within the structure of an abundant, perpetually renewing universe. Does She not then promise peace and joy, inspire certainty more than faith!
Tara is a goddess of self-mastery and spiritual discovery. Hers is not a path that demands surrender, rather, it asks that each being aspire to her own truth, burning up all obstacles that obstruct this path. She is a compassionate goddess, like Kwan Yin, Isis and the Virgin Mary: she has youthfulness and playfulness that remind us not to take life or ourselves too seriously. “She also appears as a celestial boat woman, ferrying her people across from the world of delusion to that of knowledge.”
“In Tantric Tibet, the divine essence of the Earth-Goddess Tara is still assumed to inhabit her human incarnation, the Diamond Sow.” She is revered as she who leads out beyond the darkness of bondage, as a primordial force for self-mastery and redemption; as such, she is a protectress as well as a redemptress.
White Tara (the one of her several aspects shown here) has a visible third eye in the center of her forehead, as well as eyes in the palms of her hands and soles of her feet. This third eye is most important, as she encourages all to look beyond the terror of death, where she waits to enlighten.
Tara’s image is one of classical Indian grace and beauty as she stands with one foot on the land and the other in the water. She exists not to leave the material plane, but to nurture it with her overflowing healing and wisdom so that we mortals may find peace on earth.
From her left hand, she empties the sacred vessel onto the earth. This vase is held near the heart, and her left hand forms the mudra, a sacred hand gesture of protection. As she pours the other vessel into the vast waters, her right hand forms the gesture bestowing gifts and blessings. This constant pouring and recycling of elixir symbolizes the constant flow of life and the re-channeling of energies.
The sacred long-stemmed red lotus appears over her left shoulder and she is surrounded by an aura of multi-colored light. Behind her is the disk of the full moon.
In the far right corner, the 8-pointed Star of Hope appears surrounded by three smaller 7-pointed stars representing Venus. These three stars are charged by lightning bolts (Uranian energy) indicating that a most potent spiritual awakening can be invoked by opening the heart as well as the other chakras to love.
At a workshop with Tsultrim Allione, author of Women of Wisdom, I learned the ancient chant to Tara. I used this as well as her image to evoke the energy for work on this card.
“Om Tara Tutare tore Swa Ha….”
You may experiment with this chant to invoke the beneficence of Tara.
When drawing this card, expect all sorts of new exciting beginnings, power surges, surprises. She also heralds a release from blockage and turmoil. A positive spiritual awakening is now possible. This is the light at the end of the tunnel for the seeker, as life and hope spring eternal.
