Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day:The Hierophant (revisited)

Today I'm revisiting a long-ago "Card of the Day" from The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos).

THE HIEROPHANT

The Sherlock Holmes Tarot (Sterling Ethos)

I am a huge fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories by A. Conan Doyle, but in  this deck, The Hierophant is linked with The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, a novel written by American writer Nicholas Meyer in 1974. Published as a "lost manuscript" of the late Dr. John H. Watson, the novel focuses on Sherlock Holmes’ recovery from his addiction to cocaine. The title of the novel (and the card) is a reference to Holmes’ use of the drug in a seven-per-cent solution.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “revelation, inspiration, insight, tradition, preservation of heritage, initiation, advice or counsel, transformation of the mundane into the spiritual.” Reversed meanings: “rigidity, giving away too much, depending on institutional ways.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. An example from “The Game” for The Hierophant: “By transforming the mundane into the mystical, you suggest new ways to live.” An example from “The Fog”: “Be careful of seeming too self-important.”

In the book accompanying The Sherlock Holmes Tarot, the creators of the deck write: “While we in no way condone the use of such stimulants, the effect of the drug upon Holmes is a perfect metaphor for the opening of the consciousness to deeper and inner levels offered by the Hierophant.”

As the Card of the Day, The Hierophant may be alerting me to an opportunity to use my insights to inspire others, to transform the mundane into the mystical, or to mentor someone who is young or inexperienced. I am cautioned to be careful that I don’t attach too much importance to myself, that I avoid getting bogged down in rigid procedures, and that I refrain from projecting my ideas onto others. I need to find a way to preserve and honor tradition or heritage without being a slave to them.

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: Dr. John Watson (Strength)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

Trump 8 / DR. JOHN H. WATSON

(Strength)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the Strength card is portrayed by Dr. Watson, originally portrayed in films as something of a bumbler, kind of a “straight man” to Sherlock Holmes. Upon closer scrutiny, however, it becomes clear that Watson is a highly intelligent man and able-bodied assistant to the great detective.

The Holmesian Wisdom for Strength is: “If I have one quality upon earth it is common sense.” This quote is from Watson’s diary, as recorded in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “self-discipline, enduring strength, balanced exercise of one’s abilities, health of mind, body and spirit, moral certitude without self-righteousness, courage to accept challenges, fortitude.” Reversed meanings: “reversal of fortune, delay and stasis.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. An example from “The Game” for Strength: “the strength to keep going when the problem appears to have no solution. . . You are resourceful, but may need to tame the desire to meet opposition in a combative way. Strength held in check remains a reserve which you can tap into.” Examples from “The Fog”: “Weakness, an inability to grasp the problem or to find the energy necessary to combat the situation. An inability to master your fears. . . Feeding your fears gives them strength over you; acknowledging your limitations helps you survive.”

More recently, films have depicted Dr. Watson in very different ways. For example, in the television show “Elementary,” Dr. Watson is JOAN Watson, played by actress Lucy Liu. In the TV series “Sherlock,” Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes is accompanied by Martin Freeman as the good doctor. Jude Law plays Dr. Watson in the movie starring Robert Downey, Jr., as Holmes. I confess that although these Dr. Watsons are quite acceptable to me, I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Nigel Bruce, who teamed up with Basil Rathbone for my favorite version of Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day - 5 of Observation

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

FIVE OF OBSERVATION

(5 of Swords)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

The Holmesian Wisdom for the Five of Observation is: “…the motives of women are so inscrutable” from The Second Stain. The card shows a “distressed lady” (the débutante Lady Eva Blackwell) pleading with Holmes to retrieve her indiscreet letters, a scene from the story The Adventures of Charles Augustus Milverton. Milverton, "the king of blackmailers," demands £7,000 (over £800,000 in 2015) for the letters, which would cause a scandal that would end Lady Eva's marriage engagement.

The Five of Swords has much to do with deceit, slander, and unethical activities, making this an excellent choice for the Sherlock Holmes Tarot card.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “slander, defeat, cowardice, unethical behaviour, divisive means, thwarted plans, malicious intent, being burgled.” Reversed meanings: “misfortune, loss, mourning, pain, vengeance.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Five of Observation: “theft of your identity… humiliation from treachery or cowardice… sloppy or malicious thinking may cause things to go awry.” Examples from “The Fog”: “re-establishing your hard-won reputation…being alert to the signs of treachery…an advocate or witness who supports you… getting to the bottom of a web of envy or malice.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: Six of Analysis (Cups)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SIX OF ANALYSIS

(6 of Cups)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Analysis (represented by a magnifying glass) is comparable to the suit of Cups in traditional decks.

The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Analysis is: “There are fifty who can reason synthetically for one who can reason analytically” from A Study in Scarlet. This comment is made, as you might expect, by Sherlock Holmes himself. It is prefaced by the following: “In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so the other comes to be neglected.” I love that.

The Holmesian Wisdom for the Six of Analysis is: “I watched the little working gangs as once I watched the criminal world” from His Last Bow. The card shows Sherlock Holmes tending a row of bee hives, dressed in a beekeeper’s hat and veil. The scene takes place after Holmes has retired from active sleuthing and has set up a bee farm in Sussex. He studies the behavior of bees the way he once studied human nature.

Although “analysis” may seem more like a Swords/Air quality than Water/Cups, the creators of this deck refer to the “leap of intuition” that often enables Holmes to “connect one detail with another.” Intuition is very much a Water quality, and it can add much to our efforts to interpret something logically or mentally.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “rest and retirement, rediscovery of one’s roots, ancestral memories, the pleasure of remembered times, a sense of tradition.” Reversed meanings: “future events and prospects, promise of better times to come, plans that might fail.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Six of Analysis: “nostalgia for simpler or happy times… anniversaries that recall other times… volunteer service to others.” Examples from “The Fog”: “being stuck in the past… steering by outworn traditions, memory of anniversaries, sometimes painful…old events trigger difficult memories.”

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: Ace of Analysis (Cups)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

ACE OF ANALYSIS

(Ace of Cups)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Analysis (represented by a magnifying glass) is comparable to the suit of Cups in traditional decks.

The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Analysis is: “There are fifty who can reason synthetically for one who can reason analytically” from A Study in Scarlet. This comment is made, as you might expect, by Sherlock Holmes himself. It is prefaced by the following: “In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so the other comes to be neglected.” I love that.

The Holmesian Wisdom for the Ace of Analysis is: “I can see only two things for certain … It’s the chain between that we are going to trace” from The Valley of Fear. The card shows Sherlock Holmes contemplating a slew of papers that holds the answers to a puzzle. His analytical mind detects a pattern which only he can see.

Although “analysis” may seem more like a Swords/Air quality than Water/Cups, the creators of this deck refer to the “leap of intuition” that often enables Holmes to “connect one detail with another.” Intuition is very much a Water quality, and it can add much to our efforts to interpret something logically or mentally.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “abundance, clarity, nurture, healing, gladness, emotional faculties, fertility, restoration from barrenness.” Reversed meanings: “change, instability, exchange, bartering, false-heartedness.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Ace of Analysis: “piercing the mystery… intuition… healing a rift within a group, family or nation… responding to hidden factors.” Examples from “The Fog”: “a lack of understanding holds you back… an inability to express your feelings… a blockage or misunderstanding leads nowhere… forgiveness is required.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: The Final Problem (Trump 20)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

Trump 20 / THE FINAL PROBLEM

(The Last Judgement)

"The Adventure of the Final Problem" is the last of the short stories of Sherlock Holmes from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story ends with the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes on May 4, 1891, during a fight with his arch-nemesis Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls. The card depicts a bereft Dr. Watson standing by his friend’s gravestone.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from “The Second Stain”: “Come, friend Watson, the curtain rings up for the last act.”

The association of this event with Judgement (Trump 20 in the Tarot) makes sense when we consider the traditional interpretations of this card, including “renewal, resurrection, ending or beginning” – for, as Holmes readers know, Sherlock is not killed at Reichenbach Falls.

Conan Doyle may have wanted to stop writing about the detective, but his fans expressed such grief, anger, and dismay that the author brought Holmes back to life. The creators of this deck write: “The rapturous reaction experienced by Watson and Mrs. Hudson at the restoration of the great detective perfectly mirrors the sense of renewal at the heart of the Last Judgement card in classic tarot symbolism.”

The guidebook for this deck lists additional Keys for this card, upright: “recapitulation of events or ideas, prophetic vision, forgiveness, adjustment, recovery of that which has been lost sight of, impulse to change your life.” Keys for the reversed card are “simplicity, weakness, stagnation, delay.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

Examples from “The Game” for The Final Problem: “changes of direction impinge from all sides. . . New discoveries bring renewal and transformation to your theories. . . The impulse to change or reform your life gets nearer.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “ Forgiveness or adjustments are difficult when you are grudging with your response. . . You reap what you sow. . . Accept what needs to be laid down and make your way without it.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 5 of Deduction

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

FIVE OF DEDUCTION

5 of Pentacles

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Deduction (represented by a question mark) is comparable to the suit of Pentacles. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Deduction is from The Sign of Four: “So much is observation. The rest is deduction.”

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from The Empty House: “Ah! …there we come into those realms of conjecture, where the most logical mind may be at fault.”

Holmes and Watson use a scenthound to
find "The Missing Three-Quarter"
1904 illustration by Sidney Paget

The Five of Deduction relates to The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter, in which Holmes is called in to discover the whereabouts of a star rugby player who was last seen leaving rapidly with a mysterious bearded man after sending a telegram to an unknown source. On the card we see Holmes and Pompey, a talented hound sometimes employed by the detective, as they discover the rugby player at the bedside of his deceased wife.

The association with the Five of Pentacles comes from the story’s tragic outcome, along with its connection to money and inheritance.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “adversity, insecurity, loneliness, strain, barren prospects, destitution, the need to be firmly grounded.” Reversed, the card can suggest: “re-acquiring self-worth, gaining perspective, new friendships, difficulties begin to abate, learning to give generously.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

Examples from “The Game” for the 5 of Deduction: “things take a turn for the worse… feeling inadequate or impotent… a prevailing sense of misfortune or destitution.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “persisting through difficulties, you win out… blaming your misfortunes upon others… charitable support relieves the need for better resources.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 8 of Evidence

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

EIGHT OF EVIDENCE

(8 of Wands)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Evidence (represented by a shoe print) is comparable to the suit of Wands. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Evidence is from The Copper Beeches: “Data! Data! Data! I can make no bricks without clay!”

The Holmesian Wisdom for the 8 of Evidence is: “Make a long arm, Watson, and see what V has to say.” This quote is from “The Sussex Vampire.” Holmes is asking Watson to reach up and take down the “V” volume of a reference book. The first part of the quote reads: “But what do we know about vampires? Does it come within our purview either? Anything is better than stagnation, but really we seem to have been switched on to a Grimms’ fairy tale. Make a long arm, Watson, and see what V has to say.”

The image on the 8 of Evidence shows a train steaming towards its destination with Sherlock Holmes aboard. As the deck creators tell us: “Holmes and Watson lived in a time when the rail network spanning Britain was second to none. . . The underlying meaning of this card has to do with swiftness, expediency and communication.”

In the Sherlock Holmes movies, I always love the scenes aboard the train, with Holmes and/or Watson sitting in their private car as they rumble along the tracks to the sound of the piercing train whistle.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “swiftness, expediency, hasty perpetration of intuitions, prophetic insight, speedy progress, communication.” Reversed meanings: “quarrels, disputation, setbacks, stoppages, regrets, lack of scruples.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. An example from “The Game” for the 8 of Evidence: “The freedom to move forward without hindrance. Things moving fast – sometimes too fast. . . The swiftest means of communication.” Examples from “The Fog”: “Delays hamper you. . . Lack of control makes quarrels flare. . . Stagnation follows, upon dealing with too many issues at once.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 3 of Observation

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

THREE OF OBSERVATION

3 of Swords

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

The Three of Observation depicts Holmes stares out a window into the streets of London. A newspaper in which he is accused of a blunder falls from his grasp. Here we see him during one of his struggles with moodiness and depression. The creators of this deck note that Holmes could be deeply affected by events, and he was keenly aware that there were times when his judgment could go astray. He remarked to Watson, “Once or twice in my career I feel that I have done more real harm by my discovery of the criminal than ever he had done by his crime.” (The Adventure of the Abbey Grange)

I find this to be a highly appropriate representation of the Three of Swords, which refers so often to a state of mind or perception that we have that might need to be explored or brought into perspective.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from The Naval Treaty: “The most difficult crime to track is the one which is purposeless.”

Keys for this card, upright, are: “sorrow, separation, loss, deep disappointment, possession of thoughts by jealousy, analysis of your receptivity to events.” Reversed, the card can suggest “alienation, quarrel, disorderliness, mistakes.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

Examples from “The Game” for the Three of Observation: “personal troubles. . . brooding upon personal slights. . . bereavement following the loss of a partner or friend.”  Examples from “The Fog”: “denial that anything is wrong. Enjoying melancholia and letting it feed your creativity… Painful truths are revealed… A disaster is narrowly averted.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 3 of Analysis

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

THREE OF ANALYSIS

(3 of Cups)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Analysis (represented by a magnifying glass) is comparable to the suit of Cups in traditional decks.

The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Analysis is “There are fifty who can reason synthetically for one who can reason analytically” from A Study in Scarlet. This comment is made, as you might expect, by Sherlock Holmes himself. It is prefaced by the following: “In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so the other comes to be neglected.” I love that.

The Holmesian Wisdom for the 3 of Analysis is “Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use, and a chronicler still more so” from The Man with the Twisted Lip. The card shows Dr. Watson at his writing desk, putting the finishing touches to his latest story, enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “generosity of spirit, solace, fulfilment, fortunate conclusion, the power to communicate joy and gladness, a job well done.” Reversed meanings: “endings, setbacks, delays, over-indulgence, accidents.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the 3 of Analysis: “celebration of alliances. . . friendships you can rely upon. . . mutual support and appreciation.” Examples from “The Fog”: “dissipation or doing things to excess. . .friendship strained by events. . . feeling left out of everything goind on around you.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 2 of Analysis

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

TWO OF ANALYSIS

(2 of Cups)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Analysis (represented by a magnifying glass) is comparable to the suit of Cups in traditional decks.

The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Analysis is “There are fifty who can reason synthetically for one who can reason analytically” from A Study in Scarlet. This comment is made, as you might expect, by Sherlock Holmes himself. It is prefaced by the following: “In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so the other comes to be neglected.” I love that.

The Holmesian Wisdom for the 2 of Analysis is “Should I ever marry, Watson, I should hope to inspire my wife” from The Valley of Fear. The card shows Dr. Watson preparing to leave 221B Baker Street to set up home with his new wife, Mary Morstan, and to practice as a doctor.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “love, harmony, partnership, cooperation, concord, emotional reciprocation.” Reversed meanings: “craving, envy, greed, parting, infidelity.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the 2 of Analysis: “pledges and promises… seeking reciprocation and partnership… engaging the imagination… the attraction of opposites.” Examples from “The Fog”: “going it alone… breakdown or separation due to opposing needs… a sense of betrayal.”

The Baker Street Wiki provides a lot of interesting information about _Mary Elizabeth Morstan Watson_.

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 6 of Evidence

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SIX OF EVIDENCE

(6 of Wands)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Evidence (represented by a shoe print) is comparable to the suit of Wands. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Evidence is from The Copper Beeches: “Data! Data! Data! I can make no bricks without clay!”

The Holmesian Wisdom for the 6 of Evidence is: “What one man can invent another can discover.” This quote is from “The Adventure of the Dancing Men.” In this story, Mr. Hilton Cubitt of Ridling Thorpe Manor in Norfolk visits Sherlock Holmes and gives him a piece of paper with this mysterious sequence of stick figures that look like dancing men.

Holmes often works for (and receives rewards from) Very Important People. On the 6 of Evidence, we see “a high-ranking personage offering a small case containing a gift for Holmes – gracious thanks from His Majesty,” the King of Bohemia (from “A Scandal in Bohemia”).

Keys for this card, upright, are: “victory, intuitive self-confidence, advancement through growth, pride in achievement, recognition, ceremonial honours.” Reversed meanings: “treachery, caution, foresight, lack of movement, hope deferred.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

An example from “The Game” for the 6 of Evidence: “Advancement realized through steady growth. Pride in achievement or promotion. . . Recognition assures your popular status. You share your skills to benefit others.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “Brief rewards. Arrogance shadows your achievements. . . Bathing in reflected glory. Observing the achievements of others to duplicate their success.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: Dr. John Watson (Strength)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

Trump 8 / DR. JOHN H. WATSON

(Strength)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the Strength card is portrayed by Dr. Watson, originally portrayed in films as something of a bumbler, kind of a “straight man” to Sherlock Holmes. Upon closer scrutiny, however, it becomes clear that Watson is a highly intelligent man and able-bodied assistant to the great detective.

The Holmesian Wisdom for Strength is: “If I have one quality upon earth it is common sense.” This quote is from Watson’s diary, as recorded in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “self-discipline, enduring strength, balanced exercise of one’s abilities, health of mind, body and spirit, moral certitude without self-righteousness, courage to accept challenges, fortitude.” Reversed meanings: “reversal of fortune, delay and stasis.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. An example from “The Game” for Strength: “the strength to keep going when the problem appears to have no solution. . . You are resourceful, but may need to tame the desire to meet opposition in a combative way. Strength held in check remains a reserve which you can tap into.” Examples from “The Fog”: “Weakness, an inability to grasp the problem or to find the energy necessary to combat the situation. An inability to master your fears. . . Feeding your fears gives them strength over you; acknowledging your limitations helps you survive.”

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce

More recently, films have depicted Dr. Watson in very different ways. For example, in the television show “Elementary,” Dr. Watson is JOAN Watson, played by actress Lucy Liu. In the TV series “Sherlock,” Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes is accompanied by Martin Freeman as the good doctor. Jude Law plays Dr. Watson in the movie starring Robert Downey, Jr., as Holmes. I confess that although these Dr. Watsons are quite acceptable to me, I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Nigel Bruce, who teamed up with Basil Rathbone in the 1940s for my favorite version of Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 9 of Evidence

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

NINE OF EVIDENCE

(9 of Wands)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Evidence (represented by a shoe print) is comparable to the suit of Wands. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Evidence is from The Copper Beeches: “Data! Data! Data! I can make no bricks without clay!”

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from A Study in Scarlet: “…where there is no imagination there is no horror.”

On the Nine of Evidence we see Holmes and Watson preparing to set out across the bleak, inhospitable moor towards Baskerville Hall, on the trail of the phantom hound of the Baskervilles. (See The Hound of the Baskervilles.) This story is one of my very favorites from the Sherlock Holmes collection.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “enduring strength, great reserves, obstinacy, defensiveness, dedication to intuitive purpose, the wisdom to prepare against adversity.” Reversed, the card can suggest: “obstacles, delays, imminent disaster, bad luck, displeasure.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Nine of Evidence: “A dogged opposition when in unfamiliar terrain… Protecting others against attack… Recognizing the enemy or saboteur within.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “Expressing nothing but hostility in a situation… Looking for subtle ways to overcome a strong opponent rather than wasting your energies… Laying down the fight and allowing others to proceed.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: The Giant Rat of Sumatra (Wild Card)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

THE GIANT RAT OF SUMATRA

Wild Card

As John Matthews and Wil Kinghan point out in their book The Sherlock Holmes Tarot (Sterling Ethos): “Sherlock Holmes had several cases involving Sumatra, an island in the Dutch West Indies. . . It is the reference to the case of the Giant Rat of Sumatra that gives us the subject of the wild card. This case is never written up by Watson, who declares it to be too horrific to describe. . .”

This delightful creature is first mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle in "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire". In that story, Holmes says to Watson: “Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman, Watson, ... It was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared.”

Wikipedia has quite a lot of information about the Giant Rat of Sumatra, complete with sources and links to other material: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Rat_of_Sumatra

You can also find a lot of information about giant rats in general on Wikipedia, if you are so inclined: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_rat

Yikes! So how might we use this wild card? Again quoting Matthews and Kinghan: “The wild card may act as both an independent significator and a means of locating stand-out cards within the deck which you need in order to pursue your enquiries.”

The Giant Rat of Sumatra card has no intrinsic meaning of its own, and therefore can be used in a number of ways. One suggestion provided by the deck’s creators is to shuffle it into the deck and wherever it appears, the card next to it will give the answer. When it appears in a draw, it may indicate that you need to return all the cards to the deck, reshuffle, and draw again.

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 6 of Observation (Swords)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SIX OF OBSERVATION

6 of Swords

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

In spite of that quote, the Six of Observation depicts Holmes and Watson deep in conversation on a train. The creators of this deck note that “The Six of Swords has long been seen as a card of relationships, and especially the things we learn from sharing.” I have not thought of the Six of Swords that way, really, but I think I see what is meant. On the traditional Rider-Waite card, a woman and a young child are being rowed across a body of water towards a land that lies not far ahead. Their voyage is aided by the man who propels the boat. The woman and child have a relationship with each other, and it could be said that the man rowing the boat has a relationship with both of them, as he is helping them travel.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from Silver Blaze: “Nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person.”

Keys for this card, upright, are: “success after trouble, safety and protection, a journey, new perspectives, clearance of difficulties and blockages as a result of perceptive thought.” Reversed, the card can suggest “disclosure, revelation, unwanted surprise, change of plans or direction.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

Examples from “The Game” for the Six of Observation: “A journey or fresh insights and clues. . . escaping from the present circumstances. . . New approaches to old problems.”  Examples from “The Fog”: “An unwillingness to leave the past life behind. Taking your troubles along with you. . . Maintaining a partnership that is over.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: Page of Evidence (Wands)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

BAKER STREET IRREGULAR

Page of Evidence (Wands)

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Evidence (represented by a shoe print) is comparable to the suit of Wands. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Evidence is from The Copper Beeches: “Data! Data! Data! I can make no bricks without clay!”

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from The Sign of Four: “Dirty looking rascals but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark.” The actual quotation continues with “concealed about him.”

The Baker Street Irregulars were a group of ragged children who were ready to take any risk for their hero, Sherlock Holmes. He paid them a shilling a day to ferret out information, with a bonus to anyone who found something highly significant. On the Page of Evidence we see Wiggins, the leader of the Irregulars, about to pick the pocket of a villainous-looking man.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “resourcefulness, loyalty, enthusiasm, candour, uninhibitedness.” Reversed, the card can suggest: “bad news, fables, concern, indecision, instability.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Page of Evidence: “an adventurous person who acts as an emissary or ambassador. . . a catalyst for change and improvement. . . devotion to a particular interest.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “someone easily influenced. Occasionally over-zealous or bored, he likes to grab attention. . . Strange or unsettling news.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 6 of Deduction

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SIX OF DEDUCTION

6 of Pentacles

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Deduction (represented by a question mark) is comparable to the suit of Pentacles. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Deduction is from The Sign of Four: “So much is observation. The rest is deduction.”

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from Silver Blaze. “The horse is a very gregarious creature.”

Silver Blaze is about the disappearance of a famous racehorse and the murder of the horse’s trainer. Holmes investigates and arrives at the correct conclusion, but does not reveal his insights immediately. The horse, meanwhile, has been disguised by painting over the white blaze on his forehead. He wins the Wessex Cup, which Holmes may or may not have bet on.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “material success, winnings, good fortune shared, generosity, charity, patronage, gifts, the great work, the exchange of matter and spirit.” Reversed, the card can suggest: “passion, desire, lack of balance, selfishness, ambition, injustice.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the 6 of Deduction: “generous gifts and sponsorship. . . acts of kindness. Job-sharing, working in harness or mentoring others. . . Rewards and dividends.”

Examples from “The Fog”: “being unable or unwilling to receive. Denying your personal needs. Taking things for granted. . . . Individual or national jealousy.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 7 of Observation

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SEVEN OF OBSERVATION

7 of Swords

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

The Seven of Observation is taken from The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton, in which (to our eternal astonishment and dismay) Sherlock Holmes actually “gets it wrong.” His attempt to burgle the house of the master blackmailer results in the death of his client.

Dr. Watson, in an effort to conceal the blunder, changes the date and certain other details of the case so that the actual events and participants cannot be identified. However, in The Yellow Face, Holmes reveals that if he ever thinks too highly of himself, he knows that Watson will remind him of “Norbury,” the setting of his failure.

On the Seven of Observation we see Holmes as he becomes aware of his mistake. He scatters his newspapers in his haste to set matters right.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from Silver Blaze. “I made a blunder – which is, I am afraid, a more common occurrence than anyone would think.”

Keys for this card, upright, are: “unstable effort, self-deceit, plans fail as a result of unclear thinking, passivity, over-defensiveness, the need for better conceptualization.” Reversed, the card can suggest “advice, warning, prudence, slander.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. Examples from “The Game” for the Seven of Observation: “Little progress. Mistakes are made. Quick thinking, decisive action or improvisation. . . Spying on your partner. . . Strategy may win the day.” Examples from “The Fog”: “Fear of being caught out. . . Feeling vulnerable. . . Regretting lost moments. Getting someone to spy for you. Trying to discern the hidden agenda in a friendship.”

Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 10 of Observation

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

TEN OF OBSERVATION

10 of Swords

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

The Ten of Observation is taken from Arthur Conan Doyle’s book The Adventure of the Empty House, in which Sherlock Holmes “returns from the dead” after three years, astonishing now-widower Dr. John Watson. On this card, Holmes and Watson are about to break into the building where Colonel Sebastian Moran – Moriarty’s second in command – lies in wait. This encounter nearly costs Dr. Watson his life, and the villain escapes after being captured.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is “Well, there’s nothing for it now but a direct frontal assault. Are you armed?” This quote is from The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax.

Keys for this card, upright, are: “the need for daring and resolution, life-and-death decisions, the final solution dictaqted by ruthless logic, affliction, total oppression, acknowledgement of old debts.” Reversed, the card can suggest “favours claimed, benefits, profit, recovery, authority.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings. An example from “The Game” for the Ten of Observation: “A life-or-death decision may leave you frozen. Troubles reach their height . . . Facing fears with resolution and acknowledging the power of past events.” An example from “The Fog”: “Troubles are over at last. . . Setting the record straight improves the situation.”