Weekly Walk in the World of Waite/Smith - The Emperor

The Esoteric Title for this card is: Son of the Morning, Chief Among the Mighty I wonder if the title Son of the Morning, is connecting the Emperor to that outgoing energy - the ability to rejuvenate and reinvent oneself - like a new day dawning Chief Among the Mighty speaks for itself really, he is the male principle archetype - The one you look up to who leads you.




Astrological Attribution: Aries Aries I believe is the first sign of the Zodiac and is a fire sign or cardinal or initiator sign. This sign is under the rulership of the planet Mars a planet that is known as the 'god of war' and represents courage and forthrightness. Mars I believe is attributed to the male energy (information taken from the Everything Tarot Book). In the Tarot Companion Tracy Porter says of Aries "Aries the first sign of the zodiac, exemplifies its ambitious attitude by asserting it as the conqueror, emperor, warrior or soldier of fortune. Aries is aggressive and forceful, and uses its energy to get what it desires" I always think of Aries as a sign that says "me first" *lol* and can be a sign that symbolises those with leadership qualities, initiative, energy and new ideas.




Elemental Attribution: Fire - Elemental Fire is hot and dry and its nature is energy.


Kabalistic Path 15: - 2 Chokmah to 6 Tipareth - Translation of Path: The Wisdom of Beauty From The Tarot Companion by Tracy Porter " This path connect sephira Chokmah with Tiphareth. The energy of the Emperor combines wisdom with beauty to provide the masculine character. Although The Emperor rules authoritatively, he possesses the necessary wisdom to make sound decisions and an inherent sense of grace to enable him to communicate tactfully to those in a subordinate position".


Chokmah is position 2 on the Tree of Life whose Keyword is Wisdom it relates to the masculine energy within and the ability to use logic and reason in order to make choices and decisions.


Tiphareth is position 6 on the Tree of Life whose Keyword is Beauty and relates to our higher self. This sephira talks about the higher meaning in our life and points us towards defining our purpose, principles and objectives. It sits in the middle of the Tree of Life and may be related to the center of being.
I think what these two maybe saying about The Emperor is that he shows us that he is able to combine his leadership skill with compassion and reason, and that his overall objective is the search for truth.

Waite says of his Emperor "He is a crowned monarch-commanding, stately, seated on a throne, the arms of which axe fronted by rams' heads. He is executive and realization,the power of this world".

He also says:

"It should be understood that this card and that of the Empress do not precisely represent the condition of married life, though this state is implied."

I think what Waite alludes to here in this last statement regarding the Emperor and the Empress is that the two compliment each other in that it is the Empress who can give birth, but the Emperor who provides the structure and security in which she can give birth - if you know what I mean


Robert M. Place says of the Emperor and Empress "He is the complement to the Empress. Whereas she is sensual, he is ascetic; she is comfortable and he is disciplined".



Lets look at the symbolism:

• Grey Throne: ability to combine opposites so they harmonise
• Rams heads on Throne: connect him to Aries first sign of the zodiac
• Scepter is ankh + orb: The orb is the symbol of the female quality and the ankh is a symbol for the Breath of Eternal Life as well as the male quality.
• Armour under robes: symbol of responsibility, protection and defense - willing to defend ones principals.
• Red Robes: Self confidence, action, energy, power - also the colour of the fiery planet Mars - so connects him again to Mars and Aries
.
• Fiery coloured mountains in the background - according to Pictures of the heart "he may have lost some of the lushness of mental clarity, now expressed as rigid thinking" or "represent how long and hard was the struggle to reach his present position." Mountains are also part of the natural world, and these are hot and fiery so perhaps they also indicate his awareness of how hard some aspects in the world are to overcome - just a thought.

• Red and white stones in crown: From Pictures of the Heart I found this bit interesting - "There is the merest hint from the red and white stones in the Emperor's crown that Waite may have identified The Emperor with an alchemical king (red and white being the fundamental antithetical ingredients of alchemy)

The Emperor represents the power that can be achieved by self control. He is rationality, order and structure - this is a card that speaks about translating ideas, dreams into actuality. He is the stability to which the Empress' ideas can take form - least I think that's what Wait was saying

Card: Original Rider Waite

• A version of this article also appears in the Tarot Guild of Australia's Autumn/Winter edition of their magazine The Magician.
  

Deviant Moon Reading

After having watched the short video film by James Wanless, that I found on the blog tarot hopes & dreams (link in my blog list). I felt compelled to do the reading he suggested with my Deviant Moon cards. I wanted this reading to be blunt and true and these cards do seem to do just that. In his talk about 2009 he suggests we ask the cards who we really are (and to look at our shadow side as well) and what we are doing here. I changed that to read Who am I really, What does my shadow side say, and What is this year all about.

Who am I really? Seven of Wands
As you can see from the scans, the person is coming out of the dark woods, she appears to have found an exit and a way out of that enclosed area.

This is so true for me, I have quit my job and made several decisions this year that have severed my contact with certain things I no longer feel the need to do. I think this card is telling me that the person I now am, is freer from all those restrictions that had been placed upon me, by myself and by others. That I have grown from the experiences and been able to overcome those obstacles that I had to face. The moon quarter is in the position of a first quarter and shows that I am about to start a new phase in my life.

What does my shadow side say? Eight of Swords
Look how the woman seems to be drawn from the window by that Deviant Moon, clouding her thoughts and judgements, making her fear that things are worse than they really are. My shadow side says that if I loose my balance, my thoughts and fears can over take me and colour my world, in a dark way. It is a card that reminds me to take control of those nagging thoughts and not allow them to fully develop.

What's this year all about for me? Two of Pentacles
Not only does she have a good hold on these pentacles she is dancing as well! I notice that the crescent moon this time is in its last quarter showing me that a period is now coming to its end.
She looks as though she is focused and perhaps it is this focus that makes what she is doing appear to be easy.

This year is about allowing what has gone before to pass and to make the effort to create for myself the harmony and balance that has been missing. I may find myself pursuing various directions, but as long as I keep the balance I should be able to handle it.

I guess now that I have broken out of that forest and those wands form my gateway for new and positive action, providing I can keep those fears and anxieties under control, this year I can try to achieve that balance that will bring me greater joy and maybe do a little dance too!

Looking at the number sequence that goes with these cards I start with a number 7, a number in tarot that I have often found can represent insight, wisdom personal growth, reflection and confidence, all of these are associated with my first card and the choices I have made in order to walk out of that wood.


This is followed by an 8, now 8's in the tarot sequence can appear to be lots of different things but in my understanding they have come to represent movement, decisions, power and gaining control, I think this last element does apply to my card along with movement away from those darker recesses of the mind.


Last of all comes a 2. 2's seem to be all about union, duality, choice, co-operation and balance, I often see the 2's as the first step towards creating, 2 is where we see the Ace has divided into opposite forces and this division can create harmony/balance or conflict. The Major Arcana Card it relates to, is of course, the High Priestess and shows the duality and union between the conscious and subconscious. My last card is about bringing those elements into balance in order to create something not only new but also manageable for myself.

Cards Deviant Moon by Patrick Valenza

THE EMPEROR

Order of the Golden Dawn (OGD)
The attribution for The Emperor is Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, a cardinal Fire sign known for having strong leadership ability as well as for being impulsive, energetic, and quick-tempered. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars, planet of energy, force, sexual desire, and aggression.

One World Tarot by Crystal Love
The Emperor is associated with the zodiac sign Scorpio (a Water sign associated with sensuality, secretiveness, intense emotion, imagination, and psychic ability). Interestingly, Scorpio is traditionally ruled by the planet Mars, just like Aries (above). Crystal Love writes that The Emperor "represents hidden knowledge, the arcane, the profound and the mysteries."

A.E. Thierens, PhD. (Astrology & the Tarot)
The Emperor, Trump 4, is associated with the zodiac sign Cancer (Water), the fourth sign of the zodiac. Thierens writes that the people are ruled by the sign Cancer, and emperors traditionally got their power from the people: "This chosen dignitary was nothing of a tyrant, originally, nor did he have anything to do with rulership or warfare; he was simply the highest and most pure expression of the soul of the people or nation."

The Celestial Tarot by Brian Clark
The Emperor is linked to the zodiac sign Aries. Clark explains that Aries was not always the leading sign of the zodiac. He writes "When Hipparchus systematized the tropical zodiac in the 2nd Century B.C.E., he began the zodiacal year at the vernal equinox. . . The Vernal Equinox in the stars of Aries paralleled the gradual triumph of masculine values, which culminated during the Roman Empire."

The Mandala Astrological Tarot by A.T. Mann
The Emperor is associated with the zodiac sign Aries, manifesting "self-assertion, authority, and power over the instincts."

The Whispering Tarot by Liz Hazel
This deck links The Emperor with Aries (ruled by Mars). Hazel points out that the Sun -- commonly representing the ego, individuality, the power of self, and the conscious will -- is exalted in Aries.

As we can see, while The Emperor is often associated with the sign Aries, this is not true for every Tarot deck. Both Thierens and Love offer a Watery attribution -- interesting, given that the elements Fire and Water are viewed as unfriendly, weakening, incompatible, and antagonistic toward each other. Note the dominance of the color red in most of these cards, representing the association with the element Fire and with Mars, whose nickname is "The Red Planet."

I welcome your comments!

Zanna

Bohemian Gothic - The Moon

It is a new Moon here is Australia on the 26th (tomorrow for me), and there is a little ritual that I do 24 hours after the new moon, this naturally got me thinking about the Moon and what better card in the BG to write about! This card has a haunting quality about it......Awooo doesn't it make you want to howl right along with that wolf!


The woman stands here lost in a vision of her own, the moonlight seems to be reflected off of her skin and she has an alluring quality about her, almost as though she is able to reveal some mystery that is not obvious. By her side a white wolf howls, sings to the Moon as it calls from a distance, the colour of the wolf is reassuring but in its beauty also lurks danger as can be seen from the blood stains around it mouth. The Moon casts a light that is not just illuminating but also produces shadows. She stands at what might be one end of a garden and far off in the distance is a statue of pan playing his pipes bring an essence of the magical here, and a connection to the earth.

From Wikipedia on line
Pan (Greek Πάν, genitive Πανός) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music: paein means to pasture. He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, in the same manner as a faun or satyr. He is recognized as the god of fields, groves, and wooded glens; because of this, Pan is connected to fertility and season of spring.

Very often the traditional meaning of the Moon is attributed to fears and anxieties, confusion as well as dreams, visions and imagination.


However from this card and its image it seems to convey the message of something more hidden which could if revealed be illuminating and inspirational, the ability to get in touch with those elements of ourselves that allow us to develop a sixth sense but like the white wolf here it also warns us that although something may well appear beautiful it could have a danger to it, there may just be a wilder aspect to our thoughts that we need to keep control of or there may be something out there that just is not what it appears to be.



So yes let the moon illuminate you and bring out your creativity, let your dreams speak to you in ways they may not have before, but also be sure to look into the shadows and see what lies hidden for once you bring it out of the shadows and into the light, it will not be a threat to you. Reach out for the mystery and enchantment, but remember to stay connected to the earth.

Card:
Bohemian Gothic by Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov

Bohemian Gothic - Knight of Wands

Here is the BG's Knight of Wands and very dashing he is too, dressed very smartly in his military attire he does exude some charisma! As in all the Gothic images he is placed in slightly darker surroundings this time a grave yard, his white horse stands by waiting for him.

As we look at him we know he is a charmer, but he may be very superficial on the surface, he loves the challenge of something new, but lacks the staying power of the other knights. Why is he in this graveyard, after all he is not one to look back, onwards would be his call. He has an energy about him and may well be a risk taker — perhaps he is in the graveyard looking for or doing something that demands a little courage perhaps he is being a little impetuous. This Knight is always on the move, looking to the next conquest or challenge there is to be faced, and he does have the energy and drive to embark on those new projects, just not the commitment to necessarily see them through.

Darker meanings for this card could well be someone who manipulates others to get his own ends, one who lacks responsibility and may not necessarily be relied upon or with all that energy perhaps a warning that one needs to control one's temper.

If you are looking for excitement, then this Knight is your man, but don't expect him to be there in the morning

Card: Bohemian Gothic by Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov

The Sun has got it's hat on and it's coming out to play!

This is the card that makes you smile when it shows up in a reading, it heralds that all will be well, time for happiness, joy and contentment. Following on from the Moon this card shows how one can come out of the dark and into the light, and be transformed with a greater understanding of the self.


The Sun
by Emile M Tubiana

Let the sun rise high in the sky
Let’s savor the honey from its supply
Let it cover us with its warm ray
To accomplish a productive day......



This is the feel good card, the one where it indicates that it is a good time to move forward, and confidently plan for the future. Just by its "happy image" it seems to brighten up all those cards that surround it spreading its solar rays out to them which in turn radiates joy and optimism.


In the Old English Sun above we see two people happily together inspecting the fruits born on the tree and in this depiction of two figures, we come to see that what it can illustrate here, is that there has been a resolution of the strain of opposite forces in all aspects of one's life. One of the messages this card shines down on us is, that in the time of the Sun, one has finally come to understand their self and is not only comfortable with whom they are, but also with what they know. I think this little card above shows that the fruits of previous efforts to grow and expand, can now be harvested.


In the Druid Craft Sun however, we have a naked boy, who's nakedness could also symbolise that he is now aware of who he is and he has nothing to hide, so it seems to suggest to me freedom and wisdom. The Sun shines behind him and if you look closely you will see it illuminates his head, perhaps another
symbol of his illumination of his place in this life.


What I like about this image is down in the right of the card there is a cluster of tiny bees around some flowers.


Quoting Carr-Gomm

"In the Druid tradition, bees come from the paradisal world of the Sun and of the Spirit. Finely attuned to the position of the sun in the sky, it is the bee who bring the sacred solar drink of mead as a gift to humanity."


Bees can also represent community, celebration and organisation and they are a reminder of the harmony we can have with others when we center ourselves.



Now Ciro's Sun card from the Gilded is visually beautiful I think and is a card depicting a whole range of aspects coming together,


Barbara Moore's description spells it out for us, "The Sun, the planets, the stars of the zodiac - everything is clear and in good working order. Not only that, but you can see the order. You see the scientific charting of the heavenly courses. You see the astrological symbols and know that the cold, mathematically knowable sky is more that that, the myths and stories abound even there. You see the universe with its layers of meanings and contradictions and you are at ease with it."



The Sun is such a happy card because right at this moment in time you understand all that is happening, it brings clarity and light into your world. You can play in the Sun but perhaps not stay there over long, because along with its warmth comes those penetrating rays that burn, scorch and dry up the landscape too. While the positive Sun builds confidence the negative Sun, the one that makes you sweat and burn, can drain away that inner joy and lead you back to the place where you feel the need to prove yourself all over again!.


The Sun brings us clarity and light but it is in that clarity that sometimes we also find pain, the pain in actually seeing things as they really are rather than as we had wanted to see them. The Sun's illumination reveals them as they truly are, just like in Ciro's card up there, and along with that you see the order of things and gain an understanding, that again brings you hope, and a renewed positive attitude to life, because the Sun ultimately speaks of success, achievement , happiness and joy.


At the heart of the Sun card it talks about the self and it speaks about having the inner strength to believe in and stand up for yourself but at the same time it says you do not need to be center of the attraction as you already know your own worth!


All in all the Sun is a bright and happy card, unlike the Moon which represents our unconscious, the Sun represents our conscious thoughts in all their bright clarity.


So If the Sun has got his hat on and he's coming out to play in your reading, be ready to get out your sun lotion and bask in its warmth.


Cards:
Old English
Druid Craft
Gilded

A Weekly Walk in the World of Waite/Smith - The Empress

The Esoteric Title for this card is: Daughter of the Mighty Ones I have been pondering on this title and wonder if it may just allude to her being the 'Mother of all sorts of Creation'

Astrological Attribution : Venus From my Tarot Companion " Venus is known as the Morning or Evening Star because it is the last "star" to fade away when the sun brings the light of day and the first to be seen at dawn." Venus rules Taurus (2nd house) and links The Empress I think with the Earth and Libra (7th house) and is the signed associated with relationships/partnerships

Elemental Attribution: Earth - Elemental Earth is cold and dry and its nature is stability.

Kabalistic Path 14: - 2 Chokmah to 3 Binah - Translation of Path: The Wisdom of Understanding

From Tarot Companion by Tracy Porter " This pathway connects sephira Binah with Chokmah. The energy of The Empress combines understanding with wisdom to prove the ultimate feminine energy".

Chokmah is position 2 on the Tree of Life and has the keyword Wisdom and is associated with the masculine energy within - it indicates here the ability to use reason and logic in order to make choices and decisions.

Binah is position 3 on the Tree of Life and has the keyword Understanding and is associated with the feminine energy within - it represents our inner knowledge and highlights intuitive ability - by looking within we are able to draw from our experiences in order to understand how we should deal with certain aspects in life.

So together what these two may just be saying for the Empress is that it is by having her masculine and feminine energies in harmonious balance that her full potential can be realised.

Waite says of the Empress - A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water. The scepter which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symbolized by the visible house of man.

I think he says of her that she is the 'Earthly Paradise', because she is the mother aspect of the triple Great Goddess and that associates her with the High Priestess and so what we have is the Spiritual feminine in the HP and the material feminine in the Empress.

I also like this bit he has to say about her:

She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation.

OK lets try and look at the symbolism in this card:

• Sits on a red cushioned covered throne - red can mean self confidence, passion, action, sensuality and life force.
  
• Blond hair - I have read this can mean clear mindedness
• Crown with 12 stars - could represent the 12 zodiac signs - also Robert Place says in Tarot, History, Symbolism and Divination "This is the crown of the woman clothed in the sun, which was replaced by the crown of Isis on the last trump. It shows her connection to the High Priestess".





In Pictures of the Heart it says about her crown "The twelve stars in her crown link her to the signs of the zodiac and, therefore, to The Star and The Moon Cards, the early study of the zodiac being linked to the moon and the path of the moon goddess."


• Around her neck are 7 pearls - maybe for the 7 planets of the Ancients maybe even 7 virtues - I know there are plenty more 7 examples, but what was Waite/Pixie alluding to here I wonder?

• Heart shape shield with the glyph of Venus - connects her to this planet
• Field of grain/corn that is ripe - fertility



• White dress covered in, now that is the question, some say heart shaped roses - connecting her to Venus again, others say open pomegranates, showing their ripe seeds connecting her to fertility - you'll have to decide for yourselves .
• Cypress trees in the background - another link to Venus - Pictures of the Heart again says "Sacred to Venus and Artemis/Diana, it suggest fertility and comprises the forest (which hides the life giving essence) in the RWS Empress card".
  

The Empress sits out in the open where as the HP is enclosed, this shows us that the Empress reveals unlike the High Priestess who conceals, the Empress reveals her secrets, she connects us to our human lives while the High Priestess takes us beyond those boundaries.

The Empress is the guide to abundance and opening up your own creativity - she is the mother to all sorts of creation and she is the symbol of feminine energy in action. Perhaps what Waite may have been suggesting here is that it is the feminine energy that knows and the masculine energy that creates, so The Empress has maintained the perfect balance in order to reach the desired potential in order to birth those creations.

Card: Original Rider Waite

The Empress

Order of the Golden Dawn (OGD)
The attribution for The Empress is Venus, planet of beauty, love, and harmony. Venus rules the zodiac signs Taurus (Earth) and Libra (Air).

One World Tarot by Crystal Love
The Empress is associated with the zodiac sign Libra (Air), a sign associated with equality, balance, judgment, creativity, fertility, and justice.

A.E. Thierens, PhD. (Astrology & the Tarot)
The Empress, Trump 3, is associated with the zodiac sign Gemini (Air), the third sign of the zodiac. Thierens writes that Gemini "is the macrocosmic 'relation between the two' which is potential vibration, symbolised by 'sound,' and this sign rules the hands of man, with which he grips this relation actually. It rules the 'Word'. . . and words, speech and correspondence in this world below, as above. . . It includes indecision, uncertainty, doubt, change, intercourse, reflection, appearance. . ."

The Celestial Tarot by Brian Clark
The Empress is linked to Venus, "goddess of love, sexuality, and beauty," ruler of Taurus ("the earthy, sensual, fertile, and resourceful sides of the goddess") and Libra ("the heavenly sides of culture and beauty"). Clark writes: "Venus, as the mother of Cupid, also represents motherhood."

The Mandala Astrological Tarot by A.T. Mann
The Empress is associated with the planet Venus, "showing essential fecundity, the ability to embrace and love all fruits of the natural world and to bear the joys and sorrows of life and death."

The Whispering Tarot by Liz Hazel
This deck links The Empress with Venus ("rules Taurus and Libra, exalts in Pisces").

With the exception of A.E. Thierens, all of these sources associated The Empress with the planet Venus one way or another (Crystal Love associates it with the sign Libra, ruled by Venus). From an elemental standpoint, I tend to link The Empress with Earth (although technically, Air would be a viable alternative). I just get a much more "earthy" feeling from this card than "airy" feeling.

I welcome your comments!

Zanna

Bohemian Gothic - The Magician

This guy does look like a Magus! I like Karen Mahony's description of him:

We see her a Magician who is part wizard, part alchemist and, we can surmise part fiend. He stands in an immense space - it looks like an abandoned abbey - with the elements of his magic laid out before him. There is no doubt whatsoever that he's a figure of power, and the strange brazier burning with its orange smoke implies that something weird and magical indeed is taking place.

When you look at this guy he does look like he belongs to another age, he has a face that compels you to look at him and although I would not describe him as handsom - alluring does come to mind. Yet his hands have extremely long nails almost like talons. His cloak of red signifies his self confidence and energy - it does have two gold winged figures on it, but even under a magnifying glass I cannot make out whether they are human or part human. Under the red robe is a whitish gown - maybe showing that he can have pure intention if he so desires.


The traditional meaning of the Magician points towards manifesting one's spirituality into the world, and he represents potential and opportunity, he says to us "you have the power to create" and very often points the way to further development. I think overall the Magicians message is that we need to be aware that we are more than just physical beings and this realisation is what gives us the power to create.


This Magician certainly looks powerful and although he seems to hold for me a fascination there is also a sense of wariness one should maintain in his presence. This Magician can give out the message of creativity, inspiration but also he can give the message of trickery and delusion of someone who may well pull the wool over your eyes in order to meet his own needs.


I like this card because it has that magical feel about it and it seems to express to me great potential and creativity but with it also comes a warning that perhaps when you have this power at your finger tips you should be careful how you use it for there is always a price to be paid for any actions one takes.


I also like the symbolism of the hour glass on the table, perhaps saying here time waits for no man and you need to use that self confidence to get creating now!


Ab.ra.ca.dab.ra - Poof


Card: Bohemian Gothic by Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov

Wheel of Fortune - Forever Turning!

Ah The Wheel of Fortune there she goes again, spinning round and round, where she stops no one knows, or do they? The RW card depicts for us a wheel that contains three "creatures" at various stages upon the wheel, who are according to Waite, the Sphinx, Hermanubis and Typhon - I won't go into these now as I will explain them more fully in a Weekly Walk in the World of Waite. I guess what we are being shown here is the stages of being on top, going down and then coming up again. This image does seem to indicate that the turning of the wheel may well be out of our control and that we have to ride the rough with the smooth.

When I look however at the Druid Craft WOF I get a whole different picture, the figure is drawing the wheel for herself, does that mean then that she has more control over its cyclic turning, or is it an indication of by accepting that life is ever changing we actually have more control over our fate?

Yet that wheel keeps turning, and do you find that sometimes you just keep going round in circles, and end up exactly where you were before, "ah", we may shout, "that's fate for you, keeps dishing up the same old same old," or just when you think you're getting a head-start something strikes you out of the blue in your everyday life and you find that old wheel heading on downwards again! Is fate taking a hand in the outcome here or do we actually have a hand in it ourselves. The Druid Craft Wheel makes me think that we are more involved in the process than fate alone.

The RW card does definitely symbolise to us change in that it shows the good god is rising and the evil god descending and therefore would tend to say good fortune and good luck is on its way. I think what both these cards do illustrate though is that one needs to have an awareness of change. This is fundamentally what the wheel is telling us, that change is inevitable, and that nothing really ever stays exactly the same, sometimes this is good and sometimes this is not so good. Now it certainly does seem to suggest to me that the fickle hand of fate is what brings the change but in reality all things are inter woven and we more than often have something to do with what is happening in our life, even if it is on a more subconscious level and the energy that we choose to surround ourselves with.

Ciro's wheel from the Gilded Tarot has a nice touch to it, in that in the center of his mechanical wheel is the Sun. That sun could symbolise for us, our very center, our intellect and our intuition, and suggest that if we can remain centered in the midst of change - you know stay at the hub of the wheel instead of clinging round the edges, then we are less likely to fall off regardless of which way it's turning.

I think the wheel does say cheer up if you are down, the only way is up, but I also think it suggests that one does need to develop an awareness of change and how we ourselves play a part in that change, because once we do understand this then we have something up our sleeves to combat the ever turning wheel!


Cards:

• Original Rider Waite/Smith
• Druid Craft
• Gilded Tarot
  

Knight of Swords

I started with the Knights so I will continue and let them ride through! The Knight of Swords is my subject today and when I look at him the words, excitement, ambition and upheaval come to mind along with intelligent, articulate and impetuous.

I have chosen the Knight of Swords from the Victorian Romantic Deck to be the illustration this time and certainly at first look it appears to be a very romantic moment, but I assure you our Knight of Swords is less likely to be about romance and more likely to be about the thrill of the situation - he is more about proving his point than actually worrying about whom he is rescuing.

This Knight seeks out mental stimulation, he has the qualities of being talkative, very active and has a whole lot of bravery! Like his brother Knights he also lacks maturity and is likely to plough in at times without totally thinking all the steps through, and although not as hot headed as his mate the Knight of Wands he can display arrogance that is accompanied by aggression and destruction. When you look at the image of the card one wonders did the "fairy" actually need rescuing or was this Knight in it just for the chance to show his superiority? If this Knight believes in what he is doing then he will fight for that right to the end, regardless of whether it is right or not and don't expect him to admit he is wrong, because you could be waiting for a long time!

This Knight's elemental attribution is Fire/Air and so along with all that mental activity comes a whole lot of energy and it is his ideas that give him passion and drive him forward in search of stimulation and knowledge. He is a Knight that not just loves to learn new things but also enjoys communicating these to others. If this Knight shows up be prepared for things to change, and that could just mean a radical change in lifestyle and or routine, being an Air element he signals a fast moving situation.

He has his good side too and the ability to set his emotions aside when needing to solve problems or make that difficult decision is an asset to him, he is able to do what is needed to get the job done and his quick thinking can make him an amusing dinner guest that can be tongue-in-cheek funny.

However, if he is your love and you have prepared a romantic meal for him and you await his arrival, you may well find he is late if something else catches his attention. Don't expect him to show any remorse when he turns up and you cry " you're late!" He will just shrug his shoulders and reply "well I'm here now aren't I'.

If this Knight shows his face in your reading and its not a person or a facet of yourself then he may well be advising you to take a really direct approach to whatever it is you are doing, not to pussyfoot around but speak clearly and precisely about what it is you want. He may be saying don't let your emotions get in the way of what you need to do, use your logic and reason instead! Now he may also be saying to you be careful, don't rush in with half a story, or draw conclusions about a situation so that you say something you later may come to regret!

Because he is in a hurry he may also signify a change in your life that may involve you reflecting some of his better qualities perhaps taking a new direction of study or developing a better position within your work.

Whatever he is up to, don't get blown over in the rush of wind as this Knight flies past!

Card:

Victorian Romantic by Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov

Deviant Moon 3 of Swords

Continuing my look at the Deviant I have pulled the Three of Swords. I find this three of Swords card to have a lot of depth to it, swords in this deck I believe are still associated with thoughts, communication etc. In this card we see a three legged woman with three swords that have pierced her from the back and gone straight through her heart. Coming from the back could well illustrate that the hurt was unexpected and I think this card does show us very well indeed how harsh and cutting words directed to wound do bring a pain directly to the heart.

Patrick Valenza says in the LWB "she touches the tip of one of the swords, trying to determine if the pain she feels is real or imagined."

I think this can be so true when one is unexpectedly hurt , especially if wounded by words and or actions of another, this card does seems to illustrate that thought process of whether one should or should not take it to heart.

One of the big things that jumps out at me in this card is the shadow behind her, it appears to be "larger than life" again I think a very good illustration of how pain can over shadow all else in life. The storm in the distance in this card could well symbolise the upheaval that is felt by this moment of sorrow as the hand to the brow also indicates .

It is interesting to look at her clothing, her dress is predominately grey, a colour made up of black and white and may well indicate here that she has the ability to integrate opposites, you know those opposing feelings and emotions she is experiencing, and it is the ability that may give her the wisdom and balance that she can gain out of the whole experience, that maybe she didn't have before. Also on the dress are a couple of patches of brown colour, a grounding colour and one that could well be associated with the potential for growth. Those sweet little gold buttons add up to 10 - gold being a colour that can symbolise illumination, reason, intellect as well as understanding and insight and 10 being the number in tarot of endings and beginnings all in one go.

The way she is dressed seems to say to me that out of the sorrow comes a deeper understanding and the chance of a new beginning. The crescent moon in the background seems to back this up showing us that it is the end of the last quarter , therefore indicating that this sorrow is not staying for long and seems to indicate that there is the opportunity to work through the trauma she may be feeling and come out the other end with a renewed outlook.

I guess this Deviant Moon card does at least for me, illustrate very directly how one can be hurt by the harsh words and actions of another, but that it also illustrates especially by her touching the tips of the swords, how much one allows that pain to hurt them, is entirely up to their own thoughts. Now, this lady does have three legs, so she is able to maintain a balance and so perhaps it is a subtle hint here to not allow those hurts to throw you over but keep a balanced perspective on the whole thing.


Deviant Moon Cards by Patrick Valenza

Bohemian Gothic - The World

Even from a dark deck this is a beautiful card to look at, and it still appears to be light, and full of hope. Karen Mahony says of this card

The World Card in the Bohemian Gothic Tarot shows a woman treading lightly across a river, using a series of boulders and skulls as her stepping stones and balancing herself by gently holding the tree above. The image signifies an ability to overcome - to step gently across - death and decay, while staying in touch with life and living things.

Its main message appears to be about not letting life pull you down but to draw on your inner strength to find away across that dark river and head towards the light in the background.

Now I need to look for a darker meaning here, perhaps this lady could also symbolise escape, she is going ahead with whatever she chooses regardless of the affect it may have on others. The light in the background is the moon again and could signify illusion or even a shadow, so that you may have reach the end of some project or situation but it still has left you feeling unfulfilled. Perhaps crossing the river is something that is not accepted, and to do so leaves your ethics in question.

However, I do find it hard to see this in this card and it does speak more loudly of a journey that can be completed and will lift you to another level of understanding and gives you the ability to move forward to the next goal.

Bohemian Gothic Cards by Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov

Tarot of Perfection - Rachel Pollack

This was my holiday reading and as expected I found the stories well written, they captured one's imagination and at the end of each I found myself nodding my head in some sort of understanding.

I too like Archer, loved the story about the PickPocket's Destiny, this story does illustrate that we cannot always understand the journey we are on, or even envisage how it will end and it is not till we get there that we are able to go, "Ah now I understand!"

This is very much like consulting the tarot, in that we cannot always see the relevance in what the cards are showing us right at the moment. But if we are brave enough to follow the advice the cards offer us, we will find that further down the track it all comes to light.

I also loved the story about the Fool, the Stick and the Princess where the younger brother of two others did not have their intellect, but embraced the world with a child like innocence, so they called him The Fool. His brothers left in search of their fortune and they both at different times came across a stick which they recognised to be magic, and thought they knew how to use it, and do so to their own detriment.

When they didn't return The Fool decided to set off to seek his fortune, even though his parents tried to stop him because they thought he couldn't do such a thing. He didn't let that deter him, for he was not aware that he could not! He too found the stick but he didn't see it as magic, just a stick that could be used in various ordinary ways to help him on his journey. By not being burdened with any preconceived ideas about what he could or could not do with this stick, the stick actually worked its magic for him. He finally made it to the princess and married her much to his surprise, bought her back home with a fortune and rescued his brothers from their stone prisons to boot.

He so reminded me of the tarot Fool Card where somehow he did not over think his situation but experienced it instead. His journey took him further than he would have gone if he had had the problem of being burdened by previous knowledge, but like the tarot Fool, the Fool in the story had faith enough in himself to take that leap....

These stories do definitely illustrate that although we do not always understand the journey we may be on, the most important thing is the traveling itself.

Rachel has produced a book full of stories here that will make you view the possibilities of tarot or oracles and destiny in a slightly different light.

• This Review also appears in the Tarot Guild of Australia's magazine Autumn/Winter 2009 edition of The Magician
  

Tarot Bella - The Hermit

I want to start the New Year by showing you the newest card from the deck I am creating Tarot Bella - The Hermit - I hope you like him.






The Hermit stands upon a mountain top indicating that he has managed to reach a height of awareness, it is by his journey through and his experiences of life that he has reached a point where he is able to understand himself better in order to take in the bigger view.
He keeps with him his shining lantern which provides for him illumination in those darker moments and yet he holds firmly in his grasp his staff which remains in contact with the rock, symbolizing his ability to keep himself grounded in his physical world.

His cloak is of white, and alludes to his spiritual growth and the illumination he has found by withdrawing into the peace found in solitude. His climb to the mountain top has not been easy, and to gain that inner awareness, he knows takes effort and experience.

Above his head a beautiful star flies and the Hermit looks on deep in the knowledge that it is in the moments of quiet and solitude that remarkable hidden truths will reveal themselves.

Coming back Early!

Hi I hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I have decided to come back a bit earlier than stated, however Zanna will still be on leave until the 18th, so the weekly card will not reappear until then!

I hope you will join me in another new year of talking and examining those wonderful pieces of cardboard we call Tarot!

Helen