New CoT Crown & Star Oracle, What do you think?

[Joan Marie]

It's the weekend of the New Moon and the Summer Solstice. As promised, I wish to present my concept for our group made Oracle Deck

BASIC CONCEPT

The name of the deck is the Crown & Star Oracle.

I selected this because of how well it lends to interpretation. (I prefer Crown & Star to Star & Crown because sooo many decks start with “S”.)

This is an oracle, in the truest sense. An Oracle by definition is a go-between, a bridge between the Crown (the earthly, human concerns) and the Star (the divine, heavenly or spiritual guides.).

The idea is to create a deck that helps to bridge the imaginary gulf we dig between the Crown and Star, to help us perceive the spirit of the divine in our everyday struggles and the struggles of larger community.

I started to write a big explanation of all the different meanings I see here, but I realized that would be a mistake.

The fun of this project, the magic of it, the power of it, is seeing everyone’s individual take on the theme. I have trust in your imaginations and the richness of your backgrounds and life experiences to bring original ideas to this project, ideas that have meanings that will resonate with others.

With this deck we can examine life’s big questions and small ones and in the end we’ll see that these measurements are irrelevant, that all actions connect.

This Oracle is about communication. It’s about creating links between things, between people, ideas, etc. It’s about finding solutions and responses to the things we face in our personal lives and in the greater world. We’ll see how “small” themes lead to larger ones and how they work together, compliment and support each other.

You can draw upon any esoteric practices, concepts, or studies you are versed in. You can also draw upon your own life experiences.

What I am imagining is that in the end, the cards all come together and form a truly unique Oracle of powerful connections.

FORMAT
The cards will not have keywords. The meaning/symbolism of the card will be explained in the guidebook by the artist.

The idea is to create images that the reader will be influenced by with or without using the guidebook.

This means the artists will determine (with help if needed) what concept their card will communicate, what bridge between the Crown & Star they are depicting.

Clearly, this is a challenge. But don’t think everything has to be super “deep.” It’s the overall combination of things that will determine the deck’s substance.


To optimize printing costs, I would like to start with 32 cards as a goal. (this is one sheet of cards at 88x126mm)
If that is accomplished and we still have a lot of steam, then lets shoot for 64 cards or as close to that as possible.

I will create a template with full specs.

PROCEDURE
If this seems do-able (with any tweaks needed) then I will issue a formal call for artists and create a work space for us for sign-ups etc.

I know this seems kind of ambitious in that there is a ton of leeway given to the artists. But I feel like that is exactly what’s going to make this deck really special and maybe more importantly, relevant. It's a chance to process and express so much.

This is not a deck of “affirmations” or buzzwords or platitudes. This is a true Oracle. Something channeled from a higher place.

I know that it seems there isn’t a lot of structure here and maybe it does need some more. But whenever I tried to pin it down too much, it just slipped away like quicksilver.

A group Oracle deck is a real challenge. It would be a lot easier to create a list of keywords and have people sign up for them. And maybe we should do that. But every time I thought about what those keywords should be it felt so limiting, actually almost a bit patronizing to the artists and readers alike.

Please consider what I’m trying, albeit clumsily, to communicate here. (Maybe my card should be about this!) And share what you really think.
Does the concept need tightening up, more structure? Will this even work? Is it worth a try? (I mean the worst case it we end up with a bunch of nice art.)

Or could we actually make something original and relevant to life in the world today, a true Oracle that in its individuality draws upon the collective consciousness and the human condition.

Imma stop here. As I said at the top, I don’t want to explain too much because each of you has a card for this deck in you. I know it. And you won’t need any help from me to bring it out.

Thanks.

[Pen]

Must needs let this percolate...

[Nemia]

A bunch of nice art sounds great - if this is the worst case scenario, then I'm in.

Where I live, we had a partial eclipse of the Sun today - a Ring of Fire on the Summer Solstice day. Always a special sign.

I think we will see what this oracle becomes once we start seeing the cards. It's an evolving enterprise. When the idea came up, I was an advocate of structure - I've seen some oracles without structure and found them difficult to grapple with. But I have changed my mind. A structure will evolve, too. I'm thinking about the Pythia sitting between heaven and earth and giving her enigmatic wisdom. All their way home, people had to chew on those words to find out what they mean. And often they could understand it only much later, in retrospect.

Giving and receiving the oracle was a complex process and nobody knew what to expect. So let's start with the art. Instead of illustrating concepts or keywords, we can maybe try to catch some of our experiences, insights and intuitions about life in a visual medium. I'm really curious how this will turn out.

[Charlie Brown]

It sounds like you have an idea of what "crown" and "star" mean in this context or in relation to each other. It's probably something I don't know about. Is there something to fill me in?

[Joan Marie]

The suggestion was made for this name (actually it was Star and Crown, but I switched it) and it really stuck with me. I liked the sound of it.

I liked it for a lot of reasons. As Nemia said, it sounds like a Pub. That sat well with me.

But then I started sensing a lot of different possibilities for interpretations. But what really stuck was "heaven and earth."

The star represents the heavens, and the Crown the earthly concerns as in what a King or Queen must attend to in order to keep the shire humming. Royalty, or The Crown, tend to the needs of the people, the distribution of wealth and property, the forming and dispatch of armies, earthly things.

And I thought about the literal meaning of an "Oracle" and that idea of a bridge between the earthly and the heavenly started to emerge. This idea that they are not really separate.

Then there are also references in other divination and esoteric practices that could come into play for people into those things.
The 1st 2 hexagrams of the I Ching are Heaven and Earth and are said to be the basis of the entire thing.
The Tree of Life begins with Kether, The Crown, and is the beginning of the process of the connection between the divine and the earth.

There are others.

But Crown & Star ( or Star & Crown) is a jumping off point, a name to present the idea of what the Oracle is connecting.

My thinking is that it is a broad enough concept to allow artists to freely interpret something while still providing somethign to hang your hat on as you develop the idea. Something similar to how writers are sometimes given a broad theme like "Winter." Anything could come of that, something funny, serious, sad, deep, scarey, anything. The theme is meant to stir the imagination but with a guiding hand to provide a direction.

That's what I'm thinking anyway.

[Merrick]

I like this idea a lot! Sadly I have no graphic artistic talent otherwise I would be contributing.

[AstralPasta]

I like the idea and it's ambition too. It feels good and fractal and cohesive. I personally don't quite associate crown with earth (royalty always feels kinda removed from earthly concerns to me - feels more airy or divine-adjacent like a pharoh or holy emperor) but the name is cool.

When I think of the tree of life idea as crown being the beginning of divine transmission to earth that makes me think of a lot of ideas. Like how deities of communication are sometimes personifications of communication itself, from your neural network, to radio waves, to messages from Goddess. I think it's making me think more of the process of Heaven reaching Earth, but not quite touching down yet (until maybe we see the card, and get the message).

Like what are the methods of communication the divine uses, or how is the divine trying to reach me, tap me on the shoulder, or make itself known to me? Feathers? Coins? Beams of light? Conversations from strangers? Words from my mother? Books? Meditation? Rustling leaves? Breezes? (Entheogens? ) Just being? Liminal instances of feeling connection to it all? How is that transmission manifesting or beginning to manifest?

Could also be useful for magickal progress questions. How is it starting to take shape materially? Heaven and earth. I really like this idea! It's interesting!

[reall]

Beautiful! I like idea & basic concept here as it provide enough space for unique creativity of everyone to shine as true stars!:) & will connect in reading to give constellation of meaning!:) Yey!^^ also no keyword make it unique & original as I don’t think anyone try That?!;) can’t wait to see what will everyone come up with!:)

lol the name!(: Crown of Stars is also good!;) I'm with @Astralpasta seeing royality as fashion lifestyle rather than responsibility! facepalm But it can also interpret as wearing different hats like How we wear our Crown of Divinity in ordinary life to reach Stars & bring magic in our life?;) or something along these lines,,!;)

p.s I’ve just finished assembling 10 Tarot size samples/Bookmarks designs to be used with my How to deck creators as sample to test cardstock & colors & must say seeing it this idea looks even more interesting & totally realistic!;)

And I Already got Awesome idea for my card design *hint* butterfly effect?!^^;)

[reall]

I like this idea a lot! Sadly I have no graphic artistic talent otherwise I would be contributing.

you can contribute idea & public domain art or take photos & I can do Photoshop according to your instructions?;)

[Merrick]

I like this idea a lot! Sadly I have no graphic artistic talent otherwise I would be contributing.

you can contribute idea & public domain art or take photos & I can do Photoshop according to your instructions?;)

I’ll keep that in mind!

[Pen]

This is an oracle, in the truest sense. An Oracle by definition is a go-between, a bridge between the Crown (the earthly, human concerns) and the Star (the divine, heavenly or spiritual guides.).

The idea is to create a deck that helps to bridge the imaginary gulf we dig between the Crown and Star, to help us perceive the spirit of the divine in our everyday struggles and the struggles of larger community.

Thanks for this definition - it provides a wonderfully specific focus that only made itself felt after reading through the thread again. I'm going to write it out, prop it up on my work table and see what comes to mind over the next week or so.

This is a true Oracle. Something channeled from a higher place.

For me, that may be the way to go - like the Subliminal, which began with random washes and splashes of paint which gradually revealed images to be made visible. I've found it a wonderful way to create new and original work.

[Joan Marie]

Thanks for this definition - it provides a wonderfully specific focus that only made itself felt after reading through the thread again. I'm going to write it out, prop it up on my work table and see what comes to mind over the next week or so.

Great! I will try this week to put together the details, template, sign-ups, etc to get the project organised and kicked off. But in the meantime, please everyone feel free to start thinking about and even starting if you like.

I also plan to contact artists from Button Soup and see if they are interested.

I think we are on our way!

[reall]

Yey! looking forward to see everyone who join us!

[Nemia]

Crown and Star are archetypes and appear in so many fairy tales. They're both signs of someone or something being chosen. The Star appears above in cosmic harmony, the crown is the human sign of a special status or situation. They're both symbols with many layers - stars can explode as supernovas or talk like in children's stories. Crowns can topple or become burdens but they're of course signs of huge power and influence.

In short, just by thinking at night about stars and crowns, I see goddesses crowned with stars and emperors with stars on their crowns. And I still think I'd try a beer in a pub called Crown and Star.

[Joan Marie]

Beautiful description/clarification Nemia. It sparks a lot of thought and understanding. Thank you and I may steal (borrow) it.

[JulianneVictoria]

I love this idea! It allows for freedom of expression and inner exploration to bridge the mundane (crown) with the divine (star)!

[Joan Marie]

Hello! Just an update- I have been a little side-tracked but I think we're ready to get this project started.

I will make an announcement this weekend and we can get rolling on our first group Oracle deck.

Thanks everyone for your patience and hopefully this is an auspicious time to start.

Standby for a formal announcement, Saturday or Sunday.

[KareenaTarot]

Hi! I was thinking of many ideas and topics at the top of my head but there was a nagging thought in my head that what if more than one person came up with a similar word for the card or idea and we come to know this afterwards..? Not to be negative, but my practical side is speaking here. Maybe we could all put our words alongside our names and write a bit about our concept so there is no over-lapping. This is just a suggestion

[Joan Marie]

Hi! I was thinking of many ideas and topics at the top of my head but there was a nagging thought in my head that what if more than one person came up with a similar word for the card or idea and we come to know this afterwards..? Not to be negative, but my practical side is speaking here. Maybe we could all put our words alongside our names and write a bit about our concept so there is no over-lapping. This is just a suggestion

Thanks for this. Pen brought this same thing up earlier.

I've set up a google form that is supposed to be viewable by everyone who is contributing a card. (Once you fill in your form and submit it you should be able to see the others.)

The idea is you can see what everyone is working on. Here is the link: https://forms.gle/1tQgeb6mXbnSbt2L8

But you have a point, it might be easier to put the concept (it's not necessarily a word for everyone) next to the name in the artist list. Since the words/descriptions won't appear on the cards, only in the booklet, I kind of didn't want to give that all away publicly before the deck is done, you know what I mean?

Can you have a look at that link, fill in a form for yourself, (as much as you can, only one field is required) submit it and then tell me if you can then go back in and see all the forms (there are 3 there now). You should see a little "pencil" icon in the lower right of the page that should open up the edit capability and allow you to see the other entries.

If that's working (I had some trouble with it earlier) then that might be the best way for each artist to be able to see what the other artists are working on.

Thanks for helping me get this sorted.