Black Madonna Syrup

The High Priestess is the fifth card of the Major Arcana and represents Mystery, Secrets and Magic. "Contained deep within her supernatural syrup are the psychic powers and mysterious knowledge of the universe. When no one else is watching, she may choose to whisper some secrets to you one morning at the breakfast table. Then again, she may not. She often speaks in riddles; don't expect her to spoon-feed you the answer. The High Priestess has a dual nature--evil and good--and is available in both dark, thick, rich Original and diet-friendly reduced-calorie Lite." Haha.

I think this is one of the best images in the whole Housewives' Deck--and there are many really good ones. While the portrayal of the High Priestess as Aunt Jemima syrup is humorous, it also, I think, speaks to us on a deeper, collective-unconscious level. That is to say, I think that the image of the High Priestess as Aunt Jemima syrup is reminiscent of the Black Madonna, in all her mysterious, gooey, warm, sticky, dark goodness. "I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem…" (Song of Songs 1:5) Further thoughts from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna):
- Black Madonnas have grown out of pre-Christian earth goddess traditions. Their dark skin may be associated with ancient images of these goddesses, and with the colour of fertile earth. They are often associated with stories of being found by chance in a natural setting: in a tree or by a spring, for example. Some of their Christian shrines are located on the sites of earlier temples to Cybele and Diana of Ephesus.
- Black Madonnas derive from the Egyptian goddess Isis. The dark skin may echo an African archetypal mother figure. Professor Stephen Benko among others says that early Christian pictures of a seated mother and child were influenced by images of Isis and Horus.
- Black Madonnas express a feminine power not fully conveyed by a pale-skinned Mary, who seems to symbolise gentler qualities like obedience and purity. This idea can be discussed in Jungian terms. The "feminine power" approach may be linked to Mary Magdalene and female sexuality repressed by the medieval Church. In France, there are traditions affirming that some statues are of Mary Magdalene and not of Mary, the mother of Jesus, but these traditions and related theories are generally rejected by theologians. The suggestion that Black Madonnas represent feminine power may be linked with the earth goddesses and attributed to the archetypal "great mother" who presides not only over fertility, but over life and death. These ideas overlap with "feminist spirituality" or "women's spirituality". (Chiavola Birnbaum)

So, food for thought next time you have pancakes with your tarot reading... or are taking in an image of a goddess, Mary, las santas, or any statue of a woman, really.