In the Tarot, each of the Major Arcana or Trump cards is assigned the qualities of either one of the five Western elements, one of the seven classical planets, or one of the twelve zodiacal signs. The Star card is the trump of the sign of Aquarius.

The Star represents a very special potential of the energy of Aquarius. It represents the energy of dreams and culture. The energy of the Star is such that when it’s participating in your life, things feel electric. More than that, there is a sense of being guided by something larger than you. When a person is under the influence of the Star, they think big, they dream big, and people will comment on how alive they are.

As we enter the sign of Aquarius, the energy of the Star becomes more accessible to all of us, but especially those born under that sign. For those of you who have been stuck in a rut, or are decompressing from all the business of the holidays, the power of the Star is there to help you bring the spark of creativity and fun back into your life. All you have to do is call upon this energy by being as childlike and creative as possible.

Remember that Aquarius is the water bearer, and the symbol of flowing water is one that is evocative of both the sign and the card. So in order to get in touch with the essence of this energy, we will work with the essence of water. This project is fun, and all of the supplies needed are easy to lay your hands on (I will include a complete list of supplies at the end of the article). Write out your creative aspirations for this month and this year on either watercolor paper or a similar heave weight paper. Then take about ½ cup of water and dump it out on the paper. (It’s best to do this outside or in a water friendly environment, both to get the feel of this card and to keep from making a mess!)

Take an inexpensive round brush (I prefer #4) and some watercolor pigment, and start making swirls of all sorts of colors on the paper. As you do this, visualize the creative power of the Star coming into your life, splashing about and being joyful, unlocking all that has grown stagnant and allowing YOUR true star potential to come out! This is one of many ways to connect to this card in a positive way. However, there is a negative side to this card, and that’s that it can be so darn dreamy that it doesn’t get things done! If you find yourself  having too many ideas and not enough action in your life, perhaps this little guided visualization will help you focus.

Close your eyes, and in your mind’s eye see a thousand fireflies (or faeries, or energy balls, etc.) all floating in the sky around you. They’re so pretty, and you feel certain that you could stand here forever and look at them. You can’t, though. You’re here with a purpose, and that’s to borrow some of the radiant energy for your own lamp. This lamp is your aspiration and focus, and you can imagine it however you like. The one thing that’s certain is that it needs energy to run. Now imagine all of these fireflies spiraling gently in the sky, coming down towards you. As they get close to you, a little bit of their luminescence fills your lamp.

When you feel like your aspiration lamp is full, bid the fireflies farewell and open your eyes.

By using these techniques whenever you need to pizzazz up your life or your creative process, I’m certain that you’ll be feeling the effects of your own inner star before you know it!

All supplies needed can be found pretty easily either in a specialty store or a big box retailer.

• Heavy weight paper. Paper is measured in poundage (#); at least 70# is recommended.

• A round paintbrush. I recommend anything from a number four to a number eight.

• Student watercolor set. These are inexpensive and easy to find. The colors come in dry disks, and most standard colors are included.