Happy Valentine's Day!

In this series of posts, I plan to discuss all of the Tarot cards in order, using a different deck for each card. In celebration of Valentine's Day, it seemed appropriate to explore the Two of Hearts (Cups) from The Enchanted Tarot by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber (published by St. Martin's Press).

I am fond of saying that all of the Hearts cards in this deck resemble Valentines, with their lace and bric-a-brac, pinks, purples, and reds.

The suit of Hearts corresponds to the element of Water, which Monte Farber tells us is associated with "emotions, moods, dreams, fantasy, romance, the season of Summer and the direction, West.

On the Two of Hearts we see two white swans circling in a calm stream among drifting water lilies. Swans, which are said to mate for life, often symbolize the power of love. In his Dictionary of Symbols (Duncan Baird Publishers), Jack Tresidder describes the swan as "a romantic and ambiguous symbol of light, death, transformation, poetry, beauty and melancholy passion." A swan can also represent the ebbing or loss of love.

At the top of the largest heart shape on the Two of Hearts, we see cupids and white flowers. A floating heart decorated with a moon and stars tells us that love is written in the stars. Another heart displays elegant, graceful curves that suggest joyful play and sociability. Monte Farber writes: "These two hearts beat as one."

A card of mutual affinity, union, and partnership, the Two of Hearts encourages us to cherish the loving relationships and partnerships in our life. The beautiful place depicted on the card is a place we create within us, where our thoughts, hopes, and memories of love abide forever.

Happy Valentine's Day, my dears!


Love always,
Zanna

(Note: This blog post originally appeared on Tarot Notes on February 13, 2011.)