The Star — Arcana XVII

The Star — Major Arcana of the Tikkoun Tarot de Marseille

The Star is the perfect allegory for the Heart Chakra.

In the Tower, the ego demonstrates sincere humility. With the 17th card, The Star, the energy released in The Tower spreads directly into the heart, where it accesses the source of a new virtue: Integrity.

To manifest its brilliance, The Star embarks on a quest for treasures to serve its mission. It is the Holy Grail of Arthur, the essence of The Little Prince, and in The Alchemist, it is Santiago’s dream. In a way, The Star represents destiny. As the table of contents of its own mythology, it proclaims: "I am the author of my life!"

In classical literature, the hero accomplishes their mission at the precise moment they realize that the object of their quest is a mere illusion. For once they renounce the mirage of their obsessions, they can fully dedicate themselves to their work. In The Star, this work is summed up in one word: live.

Based on "Suzanne and the Elders," Tintoretto (circa 1519 - 1594)

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Interpretation

The Star is the GPS of the tarot.

This card symbolizes our universal connection. An inexhaustible source, it is full of everything it gives. Its generosity is matched only by its purity, which it offers to the world without adornment or pretense. Like the North Star, it guides us to the treasures that our nature abounds with.

The Star is the card of integrity... and of returning to our inner knowledge. The mouth on its abdomen reminds us of the kinship between instinct and intuition. Since this "second brain" contains at least as many neurons as a dog's brain, we might as well listen when it whispers in our ear.

The belly is the body's nurturing seat, and the navel at its center recalls our intrauterine life and the primordial maternal bond. Through this metaphorical insight, The Star seems to whisper the secrets of our incarnation. It thus leads us to the primary ecology of our vocation: to pick the golden apple, take a big bite... and scatter its seeds to the winds.

Its wish: "Nurture your pearl, for you are its only setting."

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