The Emperor and The Empress - A Ramble by Helen

I am delighted, once again, to offer one of Helen's Rambles. This time, she is analyzing the relationship between The Emperor and The Empress.

The Emperor and The Empress - A Perfect Match?
~ a Ramble by Helen ~

The DruidCraft Tarot*

Today I wanted to take a look at both these cards and not just see them as individuals but how they actually complement each other and indeed work together. So what do you see when you look at the Empress? A mother, fertility, creativity, nurturing? Is she the symbol of pregnant with expectation? I think for me, she is the beginning of something new. She represents the birth of a new idea, relationship or even a new cycle in life. That is when she’s not being over protective of her new baby as it were. Now her opposite the Emperor often is seen as the ‘father figure,’ combining the energy of knowledge and support with being in charge, but he too can be overbearing, harsh and even a bit of a tyrant at times.

An unlikely pair they seem to make. Their personalities would appear to be the opposite of each other, but it seems to me, what he does with his authority and protection is provide a solid foundation from which her creativity can embark.

 While she is the mother of creation, whether that be a new project, giving birth to new beginning or literally a baby, her energy is focused on nurturing and seeing those creations grow. He is the father who provides the stability for those creations. It is his sense of order and his ability to acknowledge that there are rules and regulations, and that whether we like it or not, we need to work within those boundaries that life sets, that governs if the Empress’s creations actually bear fruit. At his best he can provide order to the problems that may exist, but beware he is strong, authoritarian, and ambitious and can be controlling. However, without his guiding hand, I think the Empress may exhibit a weakness, not in relationship to creating, but in allowing those creations to go out and into the world. The Emperor makes sure they become a material success. He is the part of this partnership that faces up to one’s responsibility in order to turn the Empress's creation into a reality. In short, she is the idea and he is the influence that brings it into existence.

Let's look at them numerically. The Empress is a number 3 card; this often represents in tarot, growth and expansion. It shows where the Ace and the 2 have come together to create a third. In relation to the Empress it’s an expression of the creative energy at work in combining different elements, a major step in turning something into a reality. This is where the Emperor steps in. He is a number 4 card and this can be thought to signify security, structure, stability and most importantly, material completion.

Is this a marriage made in heaven? Not sure about that, but it’s certainly a good match.


* The DruidCraft Tarot by Philip and Stehanie Carr-Gomm, Illustrated by Will Worthington (St. Martin's Press)

Love in July!

Instead of celebrating "Christmas in July" like a lot of retailers do, I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day in July! The following post by Helen Howell first appeared on Tarot Notes on February 15, 2009. Helen has graciously given me permission to share it again today. Enjoy!

Love Is In the Air - The Lovers & Two of Cups
by Helen Howell
I've been thinking about both these cards just recently, and what they share in common but also how they may differ. Both of course are about love, but what about love? Starting with The Lovers, let's have a look at what its message could be.

A common astrological association for this card is Gemini, a sign that is represented by the Twins and symbolises duality and what possibilities that creates.

I think it only right to start off with a Marseilles type Lovers card, so this illustration is from my Fournier deck. As we can see here, the man is between two women. One is fair and younger, the other darker and older. Does he have a choice to make? Is this where the concept of choices comes into the lovers card?

The fair haired woman is younger, less experienced, more pure, virtuous. Blond being considered a light colour perhaps leans towards the light and the spiritual. The dark haired woman is older, more experienced perhaps, making her fascinating, leaning towards the dark and the baser/physical instinct.

The choices aspect of this card therefore is between vice and virtue. I notice how he is looking towards the darker woman. Cupid is above them ready to shoot his arrow. Perhaps in love one really does not choose, or at least choose wisely! Can he stop Cupid from actually shooting that arrow? Love often hits when we least expect it, whether we choose it or not...

The next card is the Rider Waite because that brings us into the slightly more modern interpretation of this card. In this illustration we see Adam and Eve - both naked - standing in front of the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge. The Cupid in this card has been replaced by an Angel who seems to be sending a blessing down to the couple. The man looks at the woman and the woman looks at the Angel. This could be seen as the masculine and feminine energies coming together with the higher self in order to complete the balance.

This card does seem to be about commitment within a relationship and about reconciliation of opposites in order for them to function as one. The Waite card does speak, I think, primarily of love more than choice. Although with the suggestion of Adam and Eve, it could also symbolise love but not without some difficulty to go through.

My next choice for the Lovers is the Victorian Romantic Card 2. This card seems to me to illustrate all facets of The Lovers card. As we see from the image, a mermaid and a man embrace passionately, she still in the water and he still on land.

Here we have the perfect example of how "love is blind" as to not see the difficulties that the relationship could create. Also we see her tail becoming legs. There are two ways to look at this, going with the "love is blind" aspect first, does this also illustrate to us how when in love we create illusions about the possibilities within the relationship?

Now the choices aspect of this card also jumps out to me. Again her tail is turning to legs. Is she ready to make the choice that will commit her to a different way of life? The choice in this relationship can be life changing.

Then there is the commitment aspect of the card where one can be so devoted to another that they are prepared to make it work even against all odds. The sexuality aspect of the lovers is evident in the VR card.

The last Lovers card is my own from Tarot Bella: Two people stand by the light of the full Moon which represents fulfilment. The Moon lights in its path a sign post bearing different choices that can be made.

The couple hold each other showing that embracing love can lead to fulfilment in life and personal growth through relationships. However, our Lovers know that in making a choice something else has to be given up, and that they cannot follow all directions on the sign post. So the one important lesson The Lovers shows us is to consider what is of real importance and not be led by the superficial.

I think therefore that the Lovers card is about choice and about love. I also think it is about reconciliation of opposites or dualities whether it be with another person or within oneself.

On to the Two of Cups:

I am starting with the Hanson Roberts card. It's such a sweet card and shows a young couple with heads bent together, but their cups are not quite touching. We see the caduceus, the staff of Hermes, two snakes coiled around it - just like in the Rider Waite deck. From the bottom of this staff comes a bright white light that not only goes through the gap in the cups, but also spreads out to touch each of the figures, around about where their heart would be. At the top of the staff we see a lion's head. In Rachel Pollock's book Tarot Wisdom she tells us that this is an alchemical symbol of transformation. So a clear message is given here then of "love transforms."

The snakes of course could represent two energies coming together and in the form of a caduceus they can also be associated with healing. Therefore it becomes a symbol of love heals, or perhaps a message that says you can heal from a failed relationship.

The two cups also represent balance and harmony along with co-operation and compromise, and if already in a relationship this is what this card could well be suggesting.

It is a card that does seem, in its symbolism, to signify bringing two opposites together and the likelihood of something new.

So what is the major difference between The Lovers and The Two of Cups then?

From what I can see the Lovers is more about a relationship that may already be formed, whereas the Two of Cups does seem to indicate a new relationship.

Whichever of these cards turns up, be prepared because more often than not, "Love Is In The Air!"


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Deck Credits:

The Lovers
Le Tarot De Marseille Fournier - Naipes Heraclio Fournier, S.A.
Original RIder Waite - Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Victorian Romantic - Published by Magic Realist Press, Prague
Tarot Bella – Unfinished deck - Helen Howell

Two of Cups
Hanson Roberts - Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Napo - Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Old English - Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

The Hierophant, The High Priestess, and The Hermit

Please join me in welcoming Helen Howell with another of her insightful, delightful "rambles" about the Tarot cards!


THE HIEROPHANT, THE HIGH PRIESTESS & THE HERMIT
by Helen Howell
The Hierophant, The High Priestess and The Hermit. . . it sounds like I'm about to tell a joke doesn't it! But I'm not. Instead I was going to initially ramble on about the Hierophant, but the more I thought about this card, the more I thought about its connection in various ways to the other two cards: The High Priestess and The Hermit. Especially The Hermit, as both The Hierophant  and The Hermit are 'Teacher Cards' of the deck.

The Hierophant is often seen as a mentor of spiritual guidance. The depiction of Le Pape shows him with the power of the church behind him. This power is an established one, and so the Hierophant becomes an image of tradition, representing those tried and tested ways. Certainly in the Marseille type decks where he is presented as the Pope, it does seem to symbolism how the people of the time looked to the church for guidance. The church had the power and with that came control.

From one of our more modern decks -- The Deviant Moon -- The Hierophant image serves to illustrate that sometimes people were more than ready to hand over their own responsibility and be the doll in the pocket of the church.

The Hierophant, therefore, can be seen to have special powers through the ceremonies of the church. These could be considered to be mystical, and if not that, then spiritual. As depicted as part of the hierarchy of the religious system, he then becomes the link to a higher authority/knowledge/the man upstairs.

This image does sort of tie him in with the High Priestess, who turns within in order to hear the messages of the higher-self.

Another Link that draws The Hierophant and The High Priestess together is within the RWS deck. Both these two cards have pillars that flank the figures. Although Waite tells us that the pillars in The Hierophant's image are not the same as the HP's, and of course they are not. Hers are black and white and his are grey. But if we look at the symbolism of the colours then there is a similarity.

She sits between two opposites, black and white, a symbol of the duality that exists within. He sits between two grey columns, symbolising the harmonising of opposites (black mixed with white make grey). The Hierophant is a symbol of bringing the spiritual down to the physical and manifesting it into everyday life, whereas The HP doesn't reveal outwardly those secrets she discovers. The connection I see between these two is one of a spiritual nature, although our Hierophant represents the exoteric aspects of spiritual/religion and she the esoteric.

But what of the Hierophant and the Hermit -- not forgetting of course that they are both 'Teacher Cards' within the deck?

Well, it's obvious that The Hierophant teaches us the spiritual beliefs or principals in an outer way. He is very often depicted as carrying the 3 cross sceptre, a symbol of creative power over the three worlds of the divine, spiritual and material. In other words, he brings the spiritual down to the material.

The Hermit on the other hand is depicted as a wise old man who lights the way for us with a lantern. His reclusiveness becomes a representation for us of inner awareness. He shows us that wisdom can be gained through introspection and meditation – he is the Teacher who offers us the advice we need in that inner quest for finding a meaning to life. The Hermit stands upon a mountain top indicating that he has managed to reach a height of awareness.

Here we see the contrast and the similarity between The Hierophant and The Hermit – the contrast of Outer spirituality and Inner spirituality, just as we do with The Hierophant and The High Priestess.

The Hierophant is our tangible link to spirituality if you like, where as both The High Priestess and The Hermit are the link to self awareness that brings us closer to our spiritual self.

I think it worth remembering though that more and more in modern decks the Hierophant is changing his image and not necessarily suggesting anymore that one should follow the rules and regulations that have been set down, blindly. Rather, he becomes a symbol of knowledge and a seeker of truth, for it is in knowledge that one is set free. This too becomes another link to The Hermit who quietly examines what he knows in order to see if it is really what he believes it to be.

Now perhaps when I hold The Hierophant in my hand I will not think of him in isolation, but rather as just one small part of a much bigger triangle.


Credits:

• Original Rider Waite -By A E Waite & Pamela Colman-Smith 
Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
• Deviant Moon Tarot by Patrick Valenza Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
• Le Tarot De Marseille ~ Fournier Naipes Heraclio Fournier, S.A.
• Tarot Bella by Helen Howell (unfinished deck)

Death & The Ten of Swords - What’s the difference?

Please welcome Helen Howell to Tarot Notes for one of her delightful, insightful "rambles." 

Death & The Ten of Swords - What’s the difference?

by Helen Howell

Behold a Pale horse and his name that sat on him was Death!
- Revelation 6.8
Have you thought about the difference between the Death Card and the 10 Swords? Both portray death, that’s for sure. Both indicate an ending of some sort, but is one more final than the other? Is one more imminent than the other? Or do they symbolise exactly the same thing? Out of all of these questions, let’s see if I can come up with some answers that fit.

The first difference is obvious, we have a Major card versus a Minor card. This tells us that one card signifies a life changing event, while the other is more like the small details within life.

The second difference that jumps out at me, is that the Death card tells us that something has come to its end. It’s finished, dead, over with, you know dead is dead. Whereas the 10 does seem to indicate that something is coming to its end, not quite there yet. The figure in the Rider Waite Card is still raising his right hand in a sign of forgiveness -- it just needs to be accepted in order for it to end.

It seems to me that the minor card is a smaller part of the Death card. It’s the realisation or acceptance element, that illustrates that perhaps this has not been achieved just yet. Whatever it is pins you down.

The Death card illustrates that in order to progress, for transformation to take place, we must move forward from that which has died. It’s a cyclic card, it says that all things go on even in death, it’s just that they may not go on in the same way as before. However, I do think the major thing that makes this card different from the 10 of Swords is, that it signifies that death has arrived and there is no escaping it. A way to think of the Death card could be that it is by letting go of the old self that a transformation is achieved. Life changing as I said.

The esoteric name for Death is The Child of the Great Transformers: the Lord of the Gates of Death. The Ten of Swords on the other hand is called The Lord of Ruin which does seem very apt for this card, as we look at the man with 10 swords in his back and think the worst is over, how much worse could it get?

Swords being the suit of communication, thoughts, mental activity, this card then shows us the pain endured by perhaps back stabbing words, thoughts that pin you down if you allow them to. That’s the difference, the 10 of Swords allows you to change to release yourself from this situation, unlike Death which shows us clearly that something has come to a natural end. The 10 of Swords indicates the need to re-evaluate and change the course of action in order to be freed.

 Both cards indicate acceptance of a situation, but in the Death card’s case, it’s already died, whereas in the 10 of Swords case it’s in your own hands to end it. Note in the Rider Waite 10 of Swords, the figure appears to be giving the sign of benediction or blessing. This links him to Christ and more to the forgiveness Christ would bestow on those who inflict hurt on him. A major part of accepting an ending in this image is being able to forgive or let go of whoever or whatever, including yourself, caused the pain in the first place.

What’s the real difference then between these two cards? Death tells us that something is or has come to its natural end, nothing will change that. 10 of Swords indicates it is us who will bring an ending about.

Both these cards hold the opportunity of transformation within our lives. Both illustrate to us endings and beginnings, but the difference lies in that in the 10 Swords it is us who controls whether it ends or not.

~ Helen Howell

Cards are from The Rider Tarot Deck

designed by Pamela Colman Smith

under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

(This post was first shared on Tarot Notes in 2008.)