For guidance, I drew Hel, the Norse Queen of the Underworld, a mother goddess who rules over an underworld of renewal (not at all like the Christian Hell). When northern shamans visit her eralm, they put on a helkappe, a magic mask or hat that renders them invisible. The text on the back of the card states that it is possible that the masked harlequin was originally one of the kindred of the Goddess.
The image, which you can find via Google, is a woman wearing a mask and checkerboard collar. There are many images woven into this painting. She has a cat's ear on one side, a goddess spiral over one shoulder, feathers in her hair, stars scattered around, and a dandelion fluff flower in one hand. There are bells hanging from her collar and the points of her hair. Some seeds have escaped the flower-head and are flying off, and there are details I'm not sure how to interpret. It seems to me that she has a kind smile.
I'd guess there's a lot going on for you now, but it does seem a blessing, a renewal with lots of possibilities. The chosen wording for the card also says that Hel is a challenge to look behind the mask of appearances to see things as they really are. I find the repeated mention and the paradox of the masks--both masks that hide things and masks that reveal things, to be very interesting. I think it's important, but I didn't get a hint of why masks are central to this question. Perhaps it will make more sense to you.
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Guide: Hel
Date: 2017-03-15 04:36 am (UTC)The image, which you can find via Google, is a woman wearing a mask and checkerboard collar. There are many images woven into this painting. She has a cat's ear on one side, a goddess spiral over one shoulder, feathers in her hair, stars scattered around, and a dandelion fluff flower in one hand. There are bells hanging from her collar and the points of her hair. Some seeds have escaped the flower-head and are flying off, and there are details I'm not sure how to interpret. It seems to me that she has a kind smile.
I'd guess there's a lot going on for you now, but it does seem a blessing, a renewal with lots of possibilities. The chosen wording for the card also says that Hel is a challenge to look behind the mask of appearances to see things as they really are. I find the repeated mention and the paradox of the masks--both masks that hide things and masks that reveal things, to be very interesting. I think it's important, but I didn't get a hint of why masks are central to this question. Perhaps it will make more sense to you.