Major Arcana Discussion/Study

[Amethyst Rose]

This thread is for discussion of the major arcana. If we discuss one card every day then we will just have enough time to cover them all...however, that's just way to much rush for my liking. So, here's what I'm gonna do.... We'll start at the beginning and work our way out, taking as much time as we need to discuss one card....if discussion take a week, fine, if its over in a day,that's okay, too. If discussion goes beyond the end of class, then the class won't be closed until discussion is over, and students can stay and chat for as long as they want/need to.

A little guide line for discussion: Tell everyone what deck you are using and describe the card so they can understand where you get your position from. If possible, you can post images of your cards as well.

Okay, that's it....we'll start with....


0 The Fool

I use the Gendron Tarot, and in my deck the fool is depicted as a young man standing on the snout of a coyote (the coyote representing the traditional cliff). Over his shoulder Slung ovre his left shoulder is a bag, with an eye on it, and in his left hand he holds what looks like a flower, but on top of the stem rests a glowing sphere, with a fetus in the middle . In his right hand he holds a staff. The sun blazes brightly behind his head, although the sky is dark blue and purple and full of stars. He has long black hair down to his butt, and has a blue feather in a headband on his head. His eyes are closed and his face looks peaceful. It's hard to tell if he's wearing anything at all. Behind him is a wolf howling at a crescent moon. The image has a border of different colored roses in full bloom.

As you can see, the Gendron Tarot is a very busy deck absolutely packed with imagery...this is one of the tame cards.

My own personal feelings about this card is that it seems to give more control to the fool than a lot of other decks.... typically the fool is about to step off the cliff and he seems nieve and unexpecting. But the man in this deck seems full of confidence in himself. The imagery represents beginnings, confidence, courage and knoweldge. However, a lot of the imagery (the sun and moon in the sky together, plus the night sky) suggests that not all is as it seems.

What do you think of this? Tell me about your own cards.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Ok, i want to talk about the Fool from 2 of my decks, Spiral and cosmic decks.

The reason for this, is because i get the same type of feeling from the fool as you did amethyst, when i look at the fool card from my spiral deck.
Instead of seeing the traditional meaning, of taking risks, immaturity, innocent and niave... I actually see maturity and strength in this card.

Unfortunatly i can't find an image of this card, so i will explain it.
The fool is standing at the edge of the cliff, he has what looks like a black cat beside him, looking over the cliff in curiousty. The fool is looking upto the sky though, with one hand up and holding a walking stick/cane in the other hand. He has a white flower and brown feather in his hat, and behind him is an angel. She is quite a lot taller than him, and looking down on him, she is gold coloured.

Now when i look at this card, it's as though he can see the things in life that will be too risky to take at a chance at, and he is sensible enough to take advice from others. He seems very aware from his facial expression, unlike most other fool cards, which often depict the fool to be ignorant of dangers around him.

I'd be very interested in other decks, which show the fool like this. I have actually been tempted for a while to buy the Gendron tarot, i think i may have to now! It sounds beautiful.

Ok now the fool card out of my cosmic tarot, is the typical image.
A man dressed as a jester, skipping along and he is literally on the point of the cliff, one more step and he will have gone over. He has a dog beside him, jumping upto him, when looking closely at the dogs face he looks a little agressive.

Now, the thing i noticed different from these two cards was, the fool from my cosmic deck is looking down instead of up (like the one from the spiral deck) and he doesn't seem worried or frightened in any way!

I think, i would read these cards differently from each other if they came up in a reading. I think they are giving out different messages.
The fool from my spiral deck, is showing that he is mature enough to know when something needs to be left alone, maybe it'd come across as a message to the querent to remind them to listen to others and take advice.
The fool from my cosmic deck, is more about being niave, irresponsible and ignorant to lifes dangers. And if this came up in a reading, i think it's a message to the querent not to make any drastic choices, as he may end up regretting it.

[phoenix1010]

A little guide line for discussion: Tell everyone what deck you are using and describe the card so they can understand where you get your position from. If possible, you can post images of your cards as well.

I use the Universal Waite deck. The Fool is shown as a man stepping toward the edge of a cliff while he is looking up to the sky. He has a white flower in his left hand and a stick with a red bag on it over his right shoulder. The bag appears to have a picture of a red fruit on it. He has a red feather in his cap. He is dressed quite well with a multicolored tunic. There is a little white dog barking at his feet. The sky is yellow with the sun in the left hand corner. the background landscape is very barren.
I get kind of a whimsy, playful feel to this card. Yes, it does look like he is going to walk off the cliff, but we do not know what is below the cliff. Is it filled with water or a very shallow valley? Perhaps this card shows someone who is willing to take a chance...fearlessness? Maybe this card is encouraging us to take a chance or not to take things to seriously.
My Little White Book says this card represents: Thoughtlessness, folly, extravagance, lack of discipline, immaturity, irrationality, insecurity, frivolity, delirium, frenzy, enthusiasm, and naivety. I also have Tarot for the Green Witch by Ann Moura which uses the words awakening, fearlessness, courage, joy of life, new beginnig, innovation, primal energy, recreation, playfulness to describe the card. She feels it represents the raw energy of nature. I feel the card can represent both of this descriptions. Being carefree can have it's downfalls but looking at the brighter side of things can keep you from getting depressed.
I popped over to the Aecletic Tarot forum, under the Rider-Waite-Smith section there is an interesting bit about the dog, is it a companion to the fool or warning or trying to stop the fool from going over the cliff. Is the dog trying to warn the fool or is he a faithful companion signalling that we are never alone when we take a chance or go on a journey. Another point that was pointed out on the website is that some tarot decks show a cat or tiger instead of the dog. For those of us who have had both dogs and cats how does this change their role in the card?

http://www.tarotpassages.com/old_moonstruck/oneill/0.htm
This site has some interesting notes about where Waite got some of his symbols for his cards. The is also a poem Waite wrote that is similar to the Fool's Journey that was previously noted.
I am sure I will add more to this.....

[FaerieGothMommy]

Well, i always seen the dog as a warning - like the dog is trying to pull the fool back, and say "hey, can't you see you are about to fall off of a cliff edge"....
But i really do think, the way you interpret the dog (either a warning, or companion) depends on which deck you use, how it comes up in the reading and who you are reading for, just like any cards i guess.

[Darakash]

Is this discussion limited to members of a specific class in CoT? I would love to join in and add my interpretations of my deck The Witches Tarot, by Ellen Cannon Reed...but, don't want to stick my .02 cents were it doesn't belong! LOL

[phoenix1010]

FaerieGothMommy on one of your decks there is a black cat looking over the edge of the cliff curiously. Could this be indicating an outside influence causing the fool to go astray? I have had cats and dogs all my life there are destinct differences in their behavior and attitude. Cats are often aloof, curious, independent, etc. Dogs are loyal, lovable, dependent.
I might be getting carried away by this... On one site I read that AE Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith didn't put anything on their tarot cards just for the heck of it--everything has meaning; background detail, colors, etc. So now I look at every detail on the cards.

[FaerieGothMommy]

FaerieGothMommy on one of your decks there is a black cat looking over the edge of the cliff curiously. Could this be indicating an outside influence causing the fool to go astray? I have had cats and dogs all my life there are destinct differences in their behavior and attitude. Cats are often aloof, curious, independent, etc. Dogs are loyal, lovable, dependent.
I might be getting carried away by this... On one site I read that AE Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith didn't put anything on their tarot cards just for the heck of it--everything has meaning; background detail, colors, etc. So now I look at every detail on the cards.

Oh yes! Every tarot deck, IMO, is created with symbology imbedded in all of it. I hadn't really noticed the cat before in the deck, strangely enough. The fool card doesn't very often come up in my readings, and the thing on that card that stands out the most is the golden coloured angel.
I like to look at the colours, other objects (animals, plants, symbolism, boats, houses etc) and take them into account when reading a card.
Until now, i hadn't really thought about the meaning of the black cat.... I'm off to research it :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

Just a little snippet i found, is that depending upon which country you live in, black cats can mean luck or unlucky... Straight away, i thought maybe it means that there are risks which if you go with, may bring you luck or maybe end up being unlucky ? And also, i found out that fishermans wives used to keep black cats while their husbands went out to sea, they believed that black cats would prevent danger occuring to their husbands. Which seems really interesting to me too, seen as the cat is looking over the egde of the cliff, it seems like a protection thing to me.
It may well be, a bit like you said pheonix, with an outside influence. But i think it is more like, it is keeping the fool from danger...

[i_am_serenity16]

In my deck, (not quite sure what it is, just a generic deck I paid a few bucks for) The fool is depicted as a man in green clother, shirt, hat, and pants. He is riding on top of a large cat, as if it were a horse. He is carrying a red sack on his shoulder as if he was on a journey. A blue bird is sitting contently on the cat's tail and another is in the man's hand. There is no background, none of my cards really have a background, it's just black except for what I just described.

[Amethyst Rose]

Is this discussion limited to members of a specific class in CoT? I would love to join in and add my interpretations of my deck The Witches Tarot, by Ellen Cannon Reed...but, don't want to stick my .02 cents were it doesn't belong! LOL

Sure, you can join in if you'd like, however, there is a discusison on the major arcana in the Tartot Forum, also, if you'd like to have a wider audience. :)

[gypsy0108]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/gypsyginny/0.jpg
I am using the old english tarot deck
It shows the dog pulling at the fool like the voice of reason trying to keep the fool from going over the cliff and the fool walking on with a smirking look on his face ignoring all warnings. I think it shows walking into danger with out heeding the warnings given the expression on his face shows a lack careing for the warnings given in this particular card i dont see a innocent or immature responce but by the expression is a smirking look as if thumbing your nose to the world or something.

[Amethyst Rose]

In my deck, (not quite sure what it is, just a generic deck I paid a few bucks for) The fool is depicted as a man in green clother, shirt, hat, and pants. He is riding on top of a large cat, as if it were a horse. He is carrying a red sack on his shoulder as if he was on a journey. A blue bird is sitting contently on the cat's tail and another is in the man's hand. There is no background, none of my cards really have a background, it's just black except for what I just described.

So, what do you t hink of your card? What do you think it has to tell you? I think it sounds very unique.

[i_am_serenity16]

So, what do you t hink of your card? What do you think it has to tell you? I think it sounds very unique.
I like the cards in my deck but I'd like to get another deck... I just don't feel that special connection with it, though this class has helped me get more used to it.

To me this card is a card that symbolizes a journey, either literal or spiritual. Also the man is very content and happy. When I look at this card I immediately know that it signifies a journey, fresh start and happiness.

[Khaelo]

The Fool from the Art Nouveau Tarot looks like he escaped from the circus. He's dressed in patchwork (very colorful, although blue and orange are predominant), bells, ribbons, one fingerless glove, a cape, etc. From his face, I'd say he's fairly young, either high school or college age. He's chasing a butterfly, and he's so focused on it that he doesn't notice he's about to go over a ledge. Because the card is framed such that the Fool is running towards us, we can't see how serious a drop he's about to take. He has no animal companions, no traveling bag, nothing to suggest that he's prepared for a journey. He's just a kid playing a game.

This artist opted to emphasize the innocence and naivete of the Fool. He's following a dream without paying attention to where he's going. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"... The crazy getup, however, is remenicent of court fools, who were allowed to say and do things that would get anyone else in serious trouble. Maybe this Fool operates under a similar protection. The card is ambivalant about the ultimate outcome of the Fool's carefree/careless attitude.

[dolphincity47446]

I am using the Gilded deck. In my deck the Fool looks like a jester or a joker. He is floating in the air as if he has already went off a cliff. He is juggling all the signs of the zodiac and he has a gold ring he seems to be tweerling around his leg. His head is faced up and seems to be concentrating on juggling. His facial expression seems to show that he doesn't care. The background is night with the moon and stars, yet there is some light showing through the night, as if dawn is just breaking through. He took a leap and seems to be saying, "Where I end up is where I'll be." Does he really want to be there? It doesn't seem that he cares either way.

What I see in this card is concentration on where he is going and carless to what he may encounter on his journey. This is due to concentrating more on what he is juggling than the ring around his leg. This card to me is about taking a leap forward, and not letting anything stop him from doing so. He is more intrested about what may be at the end of the journey for him than what may be in his way. Is this really a foolish thing to do? It can be if his journey leads him to a place he doesn't want to end up or it may not be if his journey leads him to happiness.

[Rhianna813]

Well I just got my new DruifCraft Tarot deck and think I may use it for this class instead of Robin Wood. I think using a new deck I am not accustomed to will be more challenging and offer a fresh perspective.

The Fool - DruidCraft

This card is generally based on the RWS image. It shows a young man (or could be a woman) just one step away from stepping off a high cliff. He is dressed in a simple brown tunic with a green cape and plaid hat with feather. He carries his napsack on a stick and a bundle of mistletoe in his other hand. He is looking far off into distance with a pleasant smile on his face. He does not appear to even notice the cliff's edge. But his trusty black dog looks only to him, very concerned; although he too is just one step from the cliff as well.

So the first thing I notice is the lack of obvious gender in the Fool. I think this is key because the lesson offered transcends something as mundane as sex. It taps an innocense that usually only exists when we are children and the differences between boys and girls is of no concern. The greater importance is the journey, packing light for the adventure, and your trusty dog! I think the dog is a symbol of instincts and loyalty. And this card is about trusting your instincts above what seems logical. To know when to "take the leap" of faith and to know when you are just being foolish. And to ultimately be loyal to your own inner wisdom.

Rhianna

[Amethyst Rose]

So the first thing I notice is the lack of obvious gender in the Fool. I think this is key because the lesson offered transcends something as mundane as sex.

Ah! Yes, good catch. I can't really tell if the figure on my card is male or female either, because the're facing away, and all I get is half a profile.... from what I can see they look pretty flat chested, and the face seems to be more male, but that could just be my assumption. The lack of distinguishable sex really is important, thanks for pointing that out!

[FaerieGothMommy]

It is clearly visible that from my spiral tarot, the fool is male. From my cosmic, i guess it can be seen as female, but i would still say male. In both cards, they also look young - like early 20's.

[i_am_serenity16]

Yes, In my deck the fool is male, pretty clearly.

[Amethyst Rose]

Okay, here is an image of the Fool from my deck (Gendron Tarot) if anyone was interested.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Okay, here is an image of the Fool from my deck (Gendron Tarot) if anyone was interested.

Wow, i love that card! The gendron has been on my wishlist for too long, my SO was even going to buy it for me not long ago, and i told him to save his money..... DOH!

I've tryed looking for the fool card from my spiral and cosmic decks - i can't find them :(

[Amethyst Rose]

Yeah, I ended up just scanning my card. :) It really is a gorgeous deck. I found it on ebay shortly after I started reading tarot and as soon as I saw the images I knew it was for me.

[nightstream]

I'm using the Sacred Circle deck, and the card used in this deck to represent the Fool is called "The Green Man"; it features a figure (definitely male, though you'd have to be looking hard to tell that...). He is surrounded by mossy stones and tree trunks and ferns; around the edge of the card are pinecones and blackberries and some sort of three-petaled leaf (I don't have my book with me to reference these...). He is crowned with leaves, with a heavy mantle of leaves on his shoulders, and stands in the midst of all the green life, looking ready for a challenge (or ready to put forward a challenge).

I definitely get the feeling of being challenged from this card; I get the feeling that this Green Man is almost threatening. He also has a very vague expression on his face; it's an expression that I don't quite understand, and it kind of freaks me out. This is not one of my favorite cards in this deck, mostly because the look on his face is just... weird and creepy. I feel like this card exemplifies the Fool in the sense that you see this figure in the middle of the wild world, made of the wild himself, but you don't see any of the innocence and naivete that many other Fool cards have with the Green Man card in this deck.

[Rhianna813]

I definitely get the feeling of being challenged from this card; I get the feeling that this Green Man is almost threatening. He also has a very vague expression on his face; it's an expression that I don't quite understand, and it kind of freaks me out.

I totally agree! I also have this deck and when I first went through the deck comparing it to the standard RWS I noticed right off how it was different in name and image from the Fool. I also thought the card seemed intense and kinda freaky. His posture and expression (especially the eyes) are strong, protective, and yes threatening. Not at all like the Fool card. But in this card I can see the wildness, the instincts, and message that says it's not all about logic and conformity.... But at the same time it says something about hiding, blending in, secrecy, and definitely protection.

Rhianna

[phoenix1010]

So the first thing I notice is the lack of obvious gender in the Fool. I think this is key because the lesson offered transcends something as mundane as sex. It taps an innocense that usually only exists when we are children and the differences between boys and girls is of no concern. The greater importance is the journey, packing light for the adventure, and your trusty dog! I think the dog is a symbol of instincts and loyalty. And this card is about trusting your instincts above what seems logical. To know when to "take the leap" of faith and to know when you are just being foolish. And to ultimately be loyal to your own inner wisdom.

Rhianna
I like that bit about the gender of the fool. I am pretty sure my fool is male but some other cards have made me wonder.

Amethyst Rose, your fool is very pretty.

One of the things I have noticed is that some of our fools are holding different flowers in their hands. I believe most are white, possibly roses. One was mistletoe.
http://www.tarotpassages.com/old_moonstruck/oneill/0.htm
This site mentions that the flower is white signifying purity, innocence. Since it is behind the fool and he is moving away, it may indicate loss of innocence, growing up, or moving away from the past.

[angelbaby]

I'm using the Celtic Dragon Tarot. My fool card shows a young man standing at a fork in the road. He is wearing a white tunic looking thing that has lots of celtic design around the bottom and on the sleeves. He has 2 scrolls under one arm and is holding a crystal topped wand in his other hand. Around his waist is a small bag, like a fanny pouch. In front of him are 3 small dragons; a blue one, a red/orange one and a yellow one. They are acting as guides as they draw the fools attention away from the ordinary and into the realms of the extraordinary, the astral and spiritual. Almost hidden in the forest behind him there are other dragons, animals and birds watching to see which path the fool will choose to take. If he follows his intuition the correct path for him will lead to greater spirutal and magickal knowledge, but if he allows the conscious mind to control he will wander off on the wrong path. There are celtic spirals on the rocks of one path, which represent the spirtual path. The fool on here looks confused as he watches the dragons flying about before him. This card represents finding a new path, taking a journey into something new and to follow your intuition and let it guide you to where you need to be. I hope this makes sense, i'm still half asleep and in a hurry, have a busy day but wanted to join in this disucssion. I scanned a pic of my card, but for some reason those yellow spots showed up, why not sure cause the card is clean, but my scanner may need cleaned off, if i get a chance will clean it off and try to rescan it. Sorry its such a bad pic, cause this really is a beautiful card.

[PeleRising]

I am using the Robin Wood. My card shows a lovely man or woman (it is hard to tell) with long golden hair. "he" is wearing a wreath of 5 white roses ... as well as a red feather. The Fool is dressed like a harlequin, a full sleeved white shirt with a blue and yellow striped vest. For pants he is wearing tights that on one side are green and yellow striped and on the other are red and white checked. The fool is playing a penny whistle or recorder and staring straight ahead although he is just a step away from the edge of a cliff. On his back is a back pack with 5 ribbons streaming from it... red orange yellow green and blue. Surrounding the fool are 3 butterflies and at his feet is a small white terrier on its hind legs. It doesnt appear menacing at all to me... in fact it looks a bit like its dancing to the music the fool is playing. The ledge the fool is standing on is covered in bright green grass and little yellow and red flowers. In the valley that is below the cliff are three pine trees and a river that meanders its way off into the distance. Far off in the distance are snow covered mountains and topping the card off is a brilliant blue sky.

What I see in this card is a person who is not seeing the danger of where he is standing... he is too engrossed in what he is listening to/playing. Too busy watching the distant horizon to pay attention to where his feet are. He sees the end goal but has no concept of the steps it takes to get there... child like innocence... one who is loved but up till now protected. That step over the cliff will bring him face to face with many things he just doesnt comprehend currently...

I will scan the card in as soon as I can... and I can also do the spiral and cosmic decks if you want FGM as I have those as well.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Yeah, I ended up just scanning my card. :) It really is a gorgeous deck. I found it on ebay shortly after I started reading tarot and as soon as I saw the images I knew it was for me.

Ugh, sorry... Had a bit of a dumb moment :lol:

*Runs off to get her tarot decks to scan cards*

[FaerieGothMommy]

Ok, here they are.

The first being the fool from my cosmic tarot, and the second is from my spiral tarot. I personally prefer the second, it is filled with much more symbolism, beautiful colours and it is depicted in a slightly different way to how the fool usually is.

[Naiad]

I have the Experimental Tarot deck and the Fool in this is very clearly female, which I think is a bit unusual. In fact the symbolism in this card is very different from other fool cards.

She is standing at the base of a tree in a blue dress holding a flower. She is balanced very steadily on one foot. The tree is multicoloured and to me represents the tree of life. She is about to start her journey on the tree of life. Behind her are more flowers but these are very boring and uniform. To me these represent restricitons and limits. The keyword on this card is Potential which I think is apt because this girl on the card is full of potential. She can become whatever she wants and has her whole life ahead of her. There will be restrictions but these can be overcome. She is also barefoot and in this alone tells me of her freedom and independence.

Here's a pic of the card. This is scanned in, I know there are pictures of the deck on the authors website but the quality of tehm isn't very good.

[Catiana]

I'm using the Celtic Dragon Tarot. My fool card shows a young man standing at a fork in the road. He is wearing a white tunic looking thing that has lots of celtic design around the bottom and on the sleeves. He has 2 scrolls under one arm and is holding a crystal topped wand in his other hand. Around his waist is a small bag, like a fanny pouch. In front of him are 3 small dragons; a blue one, a red/orange one and a yellow one. They are acting as guides as they draw the fools attention away from the ordinary and into the realms of the extraordinary, the astral and spiritual. Almost hidden in the forest behind him there are other dragons, animals and birds watching to see which path the fool will choose to take. If he follows his intuition the correct path for him will lead to greater spirutal and magickal knowledge, but if he allows the conscious mind to control he will wander off on the wrong path. There are celtic spirals on the rocks of one path, which represent the spirtual path. The fool on here looks confused as he watches the dragons flying about before him. This card represents finding a new path, taking a journey into something new and to follow your intuition and let it guide you to where you need to be. I hope this makes sense, i'm still half asleep and in a hurry, have a busy day but wanted to join in this disucssion. I scanned a pic of my card, but for some reason those yellow spots showed up, why not sure cause the card is clean, but my scanner may need cleaned off, if i get a chance will clean it off and try to rescan it. Sorry its such a bad pic, cause this really is a beautiful card.

That's the same deck that I have.

[IvyWitch]

I don't have a picture of this, but the Fool card in the Old Path deck is really symbol heavy.

In the foreground, a baby who is unaware of the danger crawls towards a fire, while it's horrified mother runs towards it to prevent it from stepping into danger. Behind this there is a young man dressed in green carrying a sack on a stick. He is walking down a path that branches into many different paths up the mountain he is travelling towards. On the side (attached to the edge of the card) is a butterfly emerging from it's cocoon. There is also a partidge bird on the ground near the baby, and a goldenrod plant in front of the mother.

The fool card in the old path seems to put a heavy emphasis on beginnings and decisions (for better or for worse). I don't really see a lot of the naievete that you often see in fool cards, and personally I think for such a card there is just waaaay too much going on - you don't need more than one character for this card.

[phoenix1010]

Wow! That sounds like a pretty heavy card!!

[FaerieGothMommy]

IvyWitch, is it possible for you to scan that card? :)

[IvyWitch]

I wish I could. ^^; I was supposed to get my scanner last week, but I didn't go pick it up. I'm going to scour the net to see if I can find it. The artwork is really very pretty.

Edit: I found one! Google images is my God

[PeleRising]

I found a copy of that card... Sounds like an awesome deck.

[FaerieGothMommy]

I wish I could. ^^; I was supposed to get my scanner last week, but I didn't go pick it up. I'm going to scour the net to see if I can find it. The artwork is really very pretty.

Edit: I found one! Google images is my God
Oh that is impressive!!!

[IvyWitch]

Yeah, I love this deck. It's pretty heavy on the symbolism, but the artwork is beautiful.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Yeah, I love this deck. It's pretty heavy on the symbolism, but the artwork is beautiful.

That deck is going onto my wishlist, along with the gendron tarot :)

[Nellie]

That deck is going onto my wishlist, along with the gendron tarot :)

Same here. I'd never even heard of that deck, til I read saw the picture. I shall definitely be purchasing that in the future. Cheers for bringing it to our attention IvyWitch :hahugh:

[IvyWitch]

Same here. I'd never even heard of that deck, til I read saw the picture. I shall definitely be purchasing that in the future. Cheers for bringing it to our attention IvyWitch :hahugh:
Really? Wow, I thought this was a very popular deck.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Really? Wow, I thought this was a very popular deck.

I'd looked at the deck many of times on aeclectic... and just thought it was pretty, now i'd really like to get it.

[Amethyst Rose]

Okay, next card is:

I Magician

I'll post about it when there isnt a toddler on my lap and I can use 2 hands to type. :)

[i_am_serenity16]

In my deck the magician card is an interesting one... there is a rabbit who has the face and hands of a man. in the palm of his hand there is a green orb with a symbol that is so small I can not tell for sure what it is, I'm pretty sure that it is the symbol for female but like I sadi it's very small and I can't be sure. Above his head is a sun and a crescent moon.

[Amethyst Rose]

How do you feel about the card? What do you think about its meaning?

[i_am_serenity16]

To me the magician seems to emenate confidence and energy so that is the vibe I get from the card.

[FaerieGothMommy]

I'm at my sisters right now, and didn't bring my cosmic deck, but i do have my spiral deck with me, luckily i brought it do readings whilst i was here.

Anyway...

The magician in the spiral tarot is quite different to how they usually look in traditional style deck.
It pictures a man standing up, and behind him it looks as though it's showing the four seasons. The background is split into 4 quarters, top left is summer, top right is autumn, bottom left winter and bottom right spring.
He isn't really wearing clothes, it's more of a shawl wrapped around him, with cups and daggers printed on it. His boots are knee high with wings on them, and his hair is blowing all over the place.
In his left hand he is holding some sort of wand/trophy type thing which is pointing upwards, and in his right hand he is shining light from his finger downwards.

To me, the magician holds so much information that it can sometimes be tricky to read what it is showing you.
This card always comes across to me as the querent holds a lot of wisdom, and that they are currently on a path/journey mentally which they are very dedicated to and skillful at. In my card, the man is looking straight on with a facial expression of "i know what i'm doing, and i'm confident in what i'm doing".
He seems focused, yet in a position to be able to change the things around him to benefit him at that particular time. And, almost like he could take advantage of it.

Here is an image of it.

[LisaT4P]

The Magician has always meant control over your environment, to me. I like to think of him as someone who has alot of potential and knows how to harness that potential, use what it around him, and make the best of his situation. Here is a link to the 2nd Aeclectic Community tarot project, I did the magician card. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/project/2/01_magician_rhiannon.shtml

[enchancea]

The magician in my deck, the goddess tarot, is Isis. She looks like she holds alot of knowledge and is a very strong woman. The card itself looks very magical. I attached an image of what my card looks like

[Rhianna813]

In the DruidCraft deck the Magician is akin to the RWS card. He stands in a powerful stance with his right hand raised towards the heavens. He holds a wand with a very subtle phalus on the end. His left hand is open and towards the earth. Before him is a stone table where his tools lay: cup, wands, pentacle, and sword. He appears to be standing in what looks like Stonehenge and there is a black rooster crowing behind him.

The real presence of this card is the Magician himself. He looks like a shaman, older, wild, intense. He has wild white hair with a bald spot on top, a white beard, and powerful blue eyes. He wears a grey tunic with gold necklace, belt, bracelets, headband, and assorted symbols. He wears a black feather cape but I am not sure if these are rooster feathers.... they seem more like raven feathers to me. Also his nails are long which gives you that ewwwwww uncomfortable feeling. But what I see is a man who is driven by a need or calling or power that is outside of society. He is beyond caring what his hair and nails look like. Perhaps their naturalness and length give him power? He is working body, mind, and soul with the natural energies around him: water, fire, air, earth, masculine, feminine. And he looks to be successful at it.

Rhianna

[Khaelo]

My scanner claims not to exist. :nuhuh: Attached image is from Google.

Anyway, like quite a few of the Art Nouveau majors, the Magician feels heavy on aesthetic appeal and light on symbolism. He's a young man with long brownish-blond hair and eerie gray eyes -- no way to tell if the eyes are deliberately creepy or if that's just the model Myers used -- dressed in tight blue pants and brown leather boots. His belt is loose Celtic knotwork. Instead of a shirt, he wears a voluminous cape which rises almost like wings off his shoulders. The inside lining features a dark blue and purple swirly pattern on top, while a red and yellow flame motif graces the bottom half. The outside top has the same fabric that hangs over the Empress, a leaf-and-fruit design. About halfway down, it turns into a green, blue, and purple pattern of waves. The flames are obviously Fire, the waves Water, the vegetation Earth, which makes those violet blotches Air (stormclouds, maybe?). According to the LWB, "the intense Magician may be juggling the objects before him, or he may be levitating them with the strength of his mind alone." The most obvious of the objects in question are glowing balls. Gem-like spheres are one of the artist's favorite devices. In this scene, there are eight of them, they're amber brown, and they appear to function as flashy placeholders between the symbolic items. The dagger and chalice are also stand-outs, but one must inspect the card closely to discover the coins and branch (to round out the suits), and the elemental animals: curved salamander, fish, rodent, and bird. The Magician stands on a beautifully decorated floor which looks like a pentacle at first but is in fact more Celtic knotwork. It's made of orange strands on a blue background. The purple ribbon border of all the Major Arcana include more orange gem-drops, and the Magician is no exception.

These exercises are great motivation for me to examine this underused deck of mine, but the more I look at it, the more cynical I become. :) It's a gorgeous piece of work, no doubt about that. It just seems that the creator is more artist than Tarot-ist. Of course, I'm comparing it with Robin Wood...:woah: </gripe>

This is a Magician oriented towards control and illusion. All of the elements are literally at his fingertips. And he is "at home" in all of them, as evidenced by his cloak. As the LWB says, it's hard to tell how he is manipulating his tools. Is he juggling, balancing all the different energies, timing the specific behavior of each, spinning them into harmonious motion? Or is he perfoming an act of mind over matter, imposing his will, demonstrating powers beyond the mundane world? Or is it both? From the picture, it looks more like he is using telekinesis. His hands are outspread and not in line with the objects' path of motion. So if he is manually juggling, he is a master at illusion.

In any case, one does have to question what he's planning to accomplish here. Tossing elements around is cool, but does this trick have any use outside of entertainment? It tends more towards the stylish than the substantial. Either the Magician's power -- his ability to create meaningful change -- is limited, or he is still stuck in the adolescent phase of "Look at me!" (Compare later cards like the Chariot, where the control is progressively more significant.)

[Nellie]

My deck is the Beginner's guide to Tarot. The Fool is smartly dressed in red & orange carrying a blue & white spotted scarf on a stick over his left shoulder. He is carrying a white rose in his right hand. He looks joyful to me, almost as if he is singing to himself. He is looking up into the sun and appears to be unaware of the cliff edge. A dog by his side looks up at him, as though to warn him of what lies ahead. A butterfly flies before him.
I guess I would interpret this card in much the same way as the other reviews. If this card came up in a reading, it could possibly indicate the start of something new. I can feel the energy of the excitement of something new, something they would have been looking forward to, as if finally they get a chance. Perhaps this enthusiasm hides the pitfalls that could occur, but for now this is of no significants. I like this card. It feels me with hope!!

The Magician confuses me abit. He stands in a well cared for garden in front of an archway made up of white & red roses. (I believe red stands for passion & purpose, while white indicates purity.) In front of him is a stone table decorated with Lemniscates (the symbol of infinity) and placed on top are the four suits of the minor arcana. The Magician himself is wearing a simple white robe with a snake belt (the mouth is holding the tail) which is another symbol of eternity. A cloak around his shoulders is red. He has one hand pointing down while the other points upwards.
He appears very serious to me, not at all how I'd expect a magician to look. This throws me some what. Perhaps this card shows purpose on your journey. All the elements are there for the taking. It is up to the querent to chose what best suits that purpose. As he is a magician be wary of false promises as he could be tricking you.

[dolphincity47446]

The Magician in the Gilded tarot deck shows an older man with white long hair, a white beard and a white mustache. He has a gold necklace around his neck. He is wearing a purplish, black robe. It looks as if his eyes are looking right up at me and outside of the card. You can see concentration in his eyes. He has his hands out in front of him. In front of his hands is a sword, a cup, a wand and a pentacle. They are floating around in the air and his hands are controlling them. There is a little bit of light shining out of his hands and to me that symbolizes the enegry he is putting out in order to move the objects in front of him. There is a green planet behind him and a light shining out of the top of it. The background is blue and black, but mostly blue.

When I look at this card, I can see him using his power. It's as if he is saying "Look what I can do. I have all this power." I can also see energy flowing in this card.

This card tells me of control, concentration, power, a warning of being manipulated or manipulation of some kind.

[Amethyst Rose]

Alrighty, finally some time alone to get some work done. :)

In the Gendron tarot, the Magician is called The Magus. It's basically your typical magician card, with the magician standing infront of an altar covered in tools, with right hand raised. That's where the similarity ends though.

For one, the Magus on this card is a woman. She's wearing bright yellow robes, and she's either blond or the robes have a hood over her head. Right behind her head is a blazing sun....both the robes and the sun have rays blazing from them. Above the woman's head is an infinity sign. Above the sun is a crescent moon. She wears a blue beaded necklace and blue beaded headband. In her right hand, which is raised, she holds a glowing wand, in her right hand, palm open above the alter, yet extended out slightly at her side, she holds a grey stone. (my book says it's 'the cosmic egg'). Flying by her left hand is a humming bird. On her left shoulder sits a crow. On the Altar is a dove, a chalice, sword, pentacle and blue altar cloths. Infront of the altar is a black cat, and many different flowers. Bordering the image of the magus are representations of all elements, bordered by roses.

According to the companion book there's an owl somewhere in the card as well, but I can't find it. If you can see it in the picture, let me know. :)

Whew! That's a busy card.

So, what does this card speak of to me? Power, and the ability to orchestrate change, and control mainly. Whenever this card comes up in a reading I generally take it to mean that the querrant has the power to do whatever they want in life. They have the ability to control the circumstances and the outcome.

If anyone's wondering about what the animals mean: Cat = magic, independence; crow = divine law; dove = peace, holy spirit; hummingbird = bliss and the owl I can find = astral projection, clarvoyance, and magic.

[IvyWitch]

The Magician in the Old Path deck is really busy too. In the foreground there is a man with antlers in fur holding a sword and casting runes. Next to him is a chalice and some sort of burner with flames shooting out, and coming out of the flames is a wolf. In the background a unicorn walks past a structure that I assume is supposed to be stonehenge, under a full moon.

I have never seen a magician card like this in any other deck, and to me it really captures the essence of this deck as a whole - it really makes the connection to paganism (though in this card more ancient than neo) obvious, and it's do so artistically. There's a lot going on in this card, but it fits together very easily. And, this is actually one of the only cards in the major arcana in this deck without plant symbolism.

[Nellie]

According to the companion book there's an owl somewhere in the card as well, but I can't find it. If you can see it in the picture, let me know.

Well I looked for ages last night, and again this morning....could it be a miss print about another card????? Very strange if not!!! Maybe I need a cuppa coffee first!! :caffeine:

[Amethyst Rose]

Yeah, I've considered that it just might be a miss print in the book, but I figured I'd ask if anyone else could see it, just incase. :)

[phoenix1010]

Yeah, I've considered that it just might be a miss print in the book, but I figured I'd ask if anyone else could see it, just incase. :)

I am pretty good at finding the hidden picture within a picture thing, but I don't see an owl anywhere.

My Magician is from the Universal Waite deck. He is dressed in white and red with an infinity sign above his head and a purple serpant around his waist. Right arm is up to the sky with a wand in his hand and the left arm is pointed down to the ground. There is a table before him with a sword, wand, pentacle, and cup on it. There are some inscriptions on the edge of the table...one looks like a bird flying up to the sky. There are red roses draped at the top of the card and red roses and white lillies at the bottom of the card. There also appears to be some other type of plant at the bottom but it is hard to make out.

I feel this card represents mastery, wisdom. The Magician has alot of power and knowledge but doesn't abuse it. He knows how to properly use it. He is a very self-reliant person, he is flexible in using the different objects on the table.

[Amethyst Rose]

Next card...

II The High Priestess

This card is rather difficult to describe, and its one the most difficult cards to interpret in my deck. It shows what appears to be a woman, but her 'body' is just one giant faceted blue crystal. Instead of arms she has wings, and in one hand/wing she holds a white stone, and in the other a black stone.... more shiney stones fall from both "hands" and there are piles of stones and crystalsw on the cround beneath her. (She floats above the ground cuz the crystal has no legs). Her face looks very shap and tense, it's ver ypale and basically non descript with the exception of a pink stone at her third eye, and a halo around her head...she has no hair except for bangs. Above her head is a crescent moon, and in the left and right corner of the card are raven heads. The background is the black expanse of space, filled with stars. Oh, and I just noticed that she has a 6 pointed star on her 'chest'.

Like I said, this card is one of the most difficult cards to interpret in my deck, and I still have problems in a reading when it crops up. The symbolism to me just doesn't represent the traditional meaning of the card, at all. The companion book says that the ravens represent magic, psychic power and shapeshifting, adn that the stones (apparently they are pearls) in her hands represent wisdom of postive and negative forces. Oh, this is interesting....apparently the crystal that is her body represents a storehouse of knowledge, and the moon above her head intuition and illusion.

Okay, so see, now it makes sense. The symbolism that the author attributed to this card I wasn't familiar with.... to me pearls mean difficult but rewarding effort/labor, which is totally differnt in this book. This card demonstrates how it is important to be aware of what the author intended for the card, and how they viewed the symbolism. Cuz sometimes, your own knowledge just isn't enough.

[Khaelo]

The High Priestess is one of my favorite cards in concept. Once again, I'm not overly thrilled with the Art Nouveau's excecution. There are some interesting ideas in here, though.

LWB says:
"The Priestess, smiling and secretive, stands atop a hill. Her diaphanous gown both reveals and conceals. Hidden forces, as well as obvious influence, are at work."

Well, you could have fooled me about the hill. The Priestess wears a gown of Egyptian styling, but the broad collar, belt, and belt hanging display Celtic influence. "Both reveals and conceals" is a good description -- gorgeous as it is, it would get her arrested on a public street. ;) She looks slightly to the side, a coy glance. She is heavily made-up. She had peacock feathers in her wavy blond hair, which falls to her knees. A flowers-and-leaves canopy hangs over her head (the pattern matches one of the three over the Empress). Two bare trees stand behind the Priestess, and there's a very large crescent moon in the sky. A subtle liliac glow flanks the moon and the Priestess's outstretched hands. At her feet, two rabbits crouch amongst flowering thistles, and luminescent butterflies float around.

In this rendition, the dichotomy of "reveals/conceals" is dominant. The gown, the cosmetics, the coy expression...in this context, we can add the moon and maybe those rabbits as well -- now you see them, now you don't. The feathers suggest beauty and perhaps vanity, the passivity of being looked at rather than looking. I don't know what's up with the thistles (Scotland?!?). The butterflies fit with a transformation/soul motif. The two dead trees echo the pillars on the Rider-Waite card, where they represent polarity and passage. I'm not sure how much of that symbolism carries over to this version. Unlike the Robin Wood High Priestess, which also uses tree-pillars, these trees are both the same color rather than one black, one white.

~~~~~~
As for my own impression of the Priestess (Oracle), I've attached a painting. It's the only one I've done so far; apologies for the art. :twitch: The symbology is incomplete as well. What's there: It's nighttime. The Oracle sits in the dark, her eyes blank. She is blind to the material world and sees only in the spiritual/psychic realm. She's dressed in indigo, and she wears a lunar symbol on her belt (could be a moon in the sky) and a fire-in-water symbol around her neck (specific to goddess portrayed). She sits between two boulders (supposed to be a cave with a tunnel leading downwards), a passage, the border between light and dark. The orbs in her hands are a reversal of that same polarity (supposed to be empty-handed). On her right side, there is a bonfire and on her left, there's a waterfall. Although the two elements are opposites, they are both transformative. At the Oracle's feet is a book, open but abandoned (there's also supposed to be a lyre). Her wisdom is hinted at in words, in music, in poetry, yet none of these things can capture her truth. The Oracle provides answers, but her meaning is often obscure.

[FaerieGothMommy]

The High Priestess is one of my favourite cards from my cosmic deck, mostly due to the artwork.

It shows a young woman, her face covering the whole card, her eyes are really hypnotic with a yinyang on her forehead. You can see through her face, and the ocean is behind her and you can just see a glimpse of the sun in the top lefthand corner.
Below her face is an open book, with the initials A + O on the pages which stand for Alpha and Omega, with a cresent moon sitting on the book.

The Alpha and Omega symbols to me represent the beginning and the end of something. So maybe a situation beginning, as another one is ending. Or this could also signify two things coming together, which is also how i read the yin yang, like two opposites coming together and working together.

I mostly get a feeling of balance and being able to come to some sort of peace and understanding with the things around you, or yourself. Being in a situation that you can understand, and kind of like in a higher state of conciousness where you are able to see a lot more about something than anyone else. I feel this is also about learning lifes lessons, and how we can work around problems and make them into something more positive.

The High Priestess from my spiral tarot is a little different to my cosmic one. This time, The high priestess is shown sitting on her thrown, she is draped with blue fabric, on her thrown at each side there are statues of faces, beside her feet/legs theres a dog with 3 heads. And in front of her is a fire burning, she seems to be gazing into the fire, the 3 heads from the dog are looking in different directions. Also, on her lap is a scroll with the word TORA written on it.

I've looked on the internet, and found two meanings to the word Tora. One is that it's a japanese word meaning tiger. The other, is that they used the word tora in the morse code of the pearl harbor attack meaning "we launched first torpedoes".
If i was to go with the tiger meaning, then tiger means : Passion, power, devotion and sensuality, full and new moons. Which fits nicely with the High priestess card.

This depiction of the high priestess is really interesting to me. I get the feeling that as she is looking into the fire, she can see everything around her, good and bad. But it's like she has the power to influence these situations. She can change certain things which can prevent bad happening. Again, it's like balancing situations out, to be fair.

The meaning of dog is : Faithfulness and protection, strong spirit. When searching for three headed dog meaning, i kept coming up with the greek three headed dog that was known to guard the gates to hell, the dogs name was Cerebus.
I can't fit this in with the card, but if anyone else can find anything about the meaning/symbolism of a three headed dog, i'd be really greatful.

[Amethyst Rose]

Another interpretation of 'Tora' could be the Jewish Religious text, the Torah. It would fit in quite nicely with the card. :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

Another interpretation of 'Tora' could be the Jewish Religious text, the Torah. It would fit in quite nicely with the card. :)
:) Thank you, i will look that up later.

[phoenix1010]

Universal Waite deck
My High Priestess sits between two pillars; the right one is black and has a B on it, the other is white and has a J on it. The background looks to be blue sky and blue water. The tapestry behind the priestess has palms, ivy, and pomegranates on it. The priestess is dressed in white with a blue robe over the white smock. She is holding a scroll with the Tora on it. There is a crescent moon at her feet which her robe tangles into. Her crown is white, it looks like a full moon with two half crescent moons next to it. There is a cross on her chest. She sits there looking straight ahead very confidently.

The first thing I thought of when I saw the Tora was the Jewish text.

Since she sits between two pillars I see her as an even-minded person, she tries to bridge differences or opinions. May be she represents the middle ground between two choices. I feel she is a very knowledgable person generally but specifically spiritually. Since she is reading the Tora that may indicate that she is not just knowledgable about her own spirituality but other religions also.

I looked up the pillars on Aecletic Tarot Website. These pillars were taken from descriptions of the pillars outside of Solomon's Temple. Freemasonary adopted these pillars...Waite was very familiar with Freemasonary. The pillars generally represent various dualities. Black and white; conscious and subconscious; feminine and masculine; etc..
Black Pillar= hebrew letter Beth for Boaz, strength, feminine, upper air, lower earth
White Pillar= hebrew letter Yod for Jachim, beauty, legality, establishment, upper fire, lower air

[IvyWitch]

There are lots and lots of animals on the High priestess card in the Old Path deck.

The scene on the card is of a partially naked woman (wearing nothing but a transparent blue robe) standing outside a forest with a stream running behind her. She has long blonde hair and wears a silver crown with a full moon on it. She also holds a wooden wand. And, she is surrounded by animals. There are doves, a butterfly, a unicorn, rabbits, a cat, a squirrel, a doe, a snake, a moth, and a spider's web. Also above her head is an inverted triangle, which is a Goddess symbol. On the border of the card is a dark and a light crescent moon.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/terrir/images/oldhps.jpg

This card seems to project three things - wisdom, mystery and grace. I think this is one of the most expressive High Priestess cards out of all the decks I've seen. Even if the symbolism is not completely obvious this card just screams "Goddess" to me.

As for the animals, to me they all represent aspects of the Goddess, and also the desired qualities in a High Priestess to an extent - unicorn for purity, black cat for mystery, doe for wild innocence, rabbits for fertility, squirrel for swiftness (of mind and body), butterflies for joyfulness, snake for rebirth, the spider web for creativity and magic (and it's also a lunar symbol), and doves for peacefulness.

[Rhianna813]

There are lots and lots of animals on the High priestess card in the Old Path deck.

The scene on the card is of a partially naked woman (wearing nothing but a transparent blue robe) standing outside a forest with a stream running behind her. She has long blonde hair and wears a silver crown with a full moon on it. She also holds a wooden wand. And, she is surrounded by animals. There are doves, a butterfly, a unicorn, rabbits, a cat, a squirrel, a doe, a snake, a moth, and a spider's web. Also above her head is an inverted triangle, which is a Goddess symbol. On the border of the card is a dark and a light crescent moon.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/terrir/images/oldhps.jpg

This card seems to project three things - wisdom, mystery and grace. I think this is one of the most expressive High Priestess cards out of all the decks I've seen. Even if the symbolism is not completely obvious this card just screams "Goddess" to me.

As for the animals, to me they all represent aspects of the Goddess, and also the desired qualities in a High Priestess to an extent - unicorn for purity, black cat for mystery, doe for wild innocence, rabbits for fertility, squirrel for swiftness (of mind and body), butterflies for joyfulness, snake for rebirth, the spider web for creativity and magic (and it's also a lunar symbol), and doves for peacefulness.

Hi IvyWitch,

That is a beautiful card! I agree that it is one of the most lovely I have ever seen!

Rhianna

[Rhianna813]

The High Priestess from the DruidCraft is an interesting card. I must admit my very first reaction was that of dissapointment in the depiction of the HPS herself. So many of the decks I have used or seen really play up a certain image of Her and really show a beautiful woman with a certain grace and ethileral quality. To me this card shows a different side of the HPS.

The card shows a women standing before a stone table, her arms are up as if she is communing with the crescent moon over her head. She has long black hair but it is wild. Her eyes are closed and her face is somewhat gaunt with a blueish hue. Her features seem frail and compared to the other cards her stature seems small. I can not tell her age. She wears a blue dress with stars and over it is a gold tunic with 2 dragons and finally a dark blue cape and golden torc. Her dressings look tattered and worn.

Behind her are the familar 2 pillars in the shape of tall stones that open up to the ocean. A stripped cat is in the back ground. Upon the table before her is a closed book with a pentacle on it and I believe a small athame next to it.

Again my first impression was that the card looked cold and that the HPS looked somewhat gaunt and tattered. But now I see a woman who is wise and bit wild (like the Magician from this deck). She is more connected to her world than with our own. Her eyes are closed to us so she may connect with the spirit world. Her book is closed and tied shut because she no longer requires it. Another imprssion I get is..... in the Celtic world many people are depicted as strong with gold or red hair and fair skin. But the "fairy" folk and some say the original race of Picts are shown as smaller, dark skinned with dark hair. This is what she reminds me of. No doubt the card is very mysterious!

Rhianna

[dolphincity47446]

I like the image of The High Priestess card in the Gilded tarot deck. There is a woman floating gracefully above water. Her feet barely touches the water. She wears a see through white gown and a mask on her face. In her hair, there are nine orbs. The book with this deck says that the orbs represtents each of the nine planets. There are two pillars behind her. You cannot see the top of the right pillar because she is floating in front of it, but you can see the bottom of the right pillar. On the top of the left pillar there is a round ball with an image that I can't really describe. In the book with this deck, it says that the image is "mechanisms whose purpose is unclear." Behind her is a quarter moon and a night sky.

To me this card is about the unknown (because of the figure at the top of the pillars). It is also about the unseen (because she is blocking the top of one of the pillars). It speaks of intuition (her foot skimming across the water and the see through gown), and dreams and illusions (the moon).

[Nellie]

The High Priestess from the Beginner's Guide to Tarot, shows a woman sitting demurely on a bench. She is holding flowers across her lap. She is wearing all white except her shoes and is completely covered from head to toe. She appears deep in her own thoughts. She appears to be a very innocent person. Behind her there are pillars, one white, one black either side of her holding up a cloth decorated with pomegranates. New or maybe half cresent moons are on top of each pillar. There is supposed to be a stream running behind the pillars but I cannot see this. What does this card mean to me....I have yet to decide!!!

[Amethyst Rose]

Nellie....what does the card make you think of? How does it make you feel? What does your intuition tell you? There is no 'deciding' what a card means or intends to tell you...it's a matter of looking into the card and seeing what is there.

[Nellie]

Nellie....what does the card make you think of? How does it make you feel? What does your intuition tell you? There is no 'deciding' what a card means or intends to tell you...it's a matter of looking into the card and seeing what is there.

Ok well my first thoughts were of innocence, shyness, young, vunerable, hidden. But this is where I seem to fall down as there is so much symbolism that I don't know, so I feel like I've not got the whole picture and that I'm wrong...but then there is no wrong!!! I gotta be honest I'm struggling with the Major Arcarna and what they mean to me, coz I feel they are suppose to have such specific meanings. I guess thats why I said I hadn't decided!! :sadman:

[Amethyst Rose]

It's okay, you'll get there....it takes a lot of time and practice. :)

Next card....

III Empress - I'll post about my card later today.

[FaerieGothMommy]

The empress in my deck - spiral tarot - shows an image of a woman, sitting at her throne. She is holding the same thing the high priestess was (which i couldn't determine what is was) it looks like a small magnifying glass with an eye in it. in her left hand she is holding a spiral of thread. She is resting her left foot on a cresent moon. She is wearing really rich looking material, green with red roses printed on it, red robe with red roses printed on the hem. And blonde hair flowing behind her.
There is a lot going on in this card.
Behind her is a small waterfall, with lots of trees. Her throne is placed in corn with poppies growing inside it.
The sun is rising behind her, and there is a white bird flying in the distance.

I always get the feeling from the empress card of creativity and knowledge. She looks wise, and as though she is optmistic of her own future and wellbeing. As she is surrounded by all sorts of plants, trees and water this gives me the impression that she has a special connection with nature, and everything nature creates, so she would be like a mother figure.

As there is so much symbolism in this card, i'd like to have a little look on the net and see if i can find any meanings to the symbolism.

Waterfall : water generally represents the unconcious and emotions. A waterfall is a positive image that suggests a cleansing of negative emotions or physcological issues.
Poppies : Pleasure, consolation.
Water : Spirituality, emotion
Cornfield : Wealth, security
Sun : Success in romance and finance
Cresent moon : what i could find is that a crescent moon represents feminine, liquid, passive - and also meaning the highest form of spiritual attainment.
Red roses : Love, unity.

Main colours =
Green : growth, health, luck, jelousy, finances, luck, physical healing, abundance, growth, fertility
Yellow : joy, smart, study, perserverance, persuadsion, charm, creativity, communication, learning, breaking mental blocks, confidence, persuasion
Red : love, lust, power,strength, energy, strength, passion, career goals, courage

http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_03_the_empress.jpg

[Rhianna813]

The Empress in the DruidCraft is stunning! It shows a woman sitting in a wooden chair right on the bank of a small river. She has long golden hair and wears a green dress with flowers on it and dark cloak. Her face is looking slightly down with a gentle and almost shy expression. She has a large pregnant belly and full breasts. Her gown is fitted around her middle to show this. She is barefoot and and one foot stretches out to touch the nearby water. She holds a bundle of wheat in one hand and a horn of plenty in the other. In the foreground is a small Goddess fertility statue. In the background are lush rolling hills, trees, and flowers.

When I first learned about the Tarot and read that the Empress card shows a pregnant lady..... I thought how can you tell? The lady seamed to be wearing a loose dress but I could not really tell that she was pregnant. I like a card that truely shows the pregnancy! To me this card is about our physical expression on life's journey. A reminder of just how beautiful it is. That being spiritual is connected to our bodies, our desires, our need to connect with others.

This is a highly fertile card with many fertility symbols:
Pregnant woman
Barefooted
Wheat
Horn of plenty with fruit and flowers
Green gown with flowers
Lush nature, greenery, and flowers
Flowing water
Goddess statue

But the fertility idea is bigger than just Mama n baby. This card can mean conception, pregnancy, and birth of an idea, a project, a relationship, and your deepest desires. It says if you honor your ability to love, nurture, and care for something - the universe will honor you.

Rhianna

[Amethyst Rose]

Well...everyone just kinda disappeared for a week, didn't they? Myself included, so it's no biggie. Here's a pic of my Empress card... I would try to describe it myself but it has so much that I wouldn't be able to do it justice.

However, the symbolism present in the card means (according to the book): Flowering trees: harvest, Heart "shield": Divine feminine creation, Ocean Waves: changes, Prismatic Rays: expanding matter, Spheres: fertile life, Twelve-spoked Crown: abundant riches.

To me this card always means creation and fertility. I see the woman in this card to represent the goddess creating the universe, with all the galaxies around her. It's also supposed to mean wealth, riches and abundance as well, but I've just never associated it with that. It's always been one of my favorite cards, because when women get it, especially in conjunction with the Emperor, or lovers, or even 2 of cups, it often signals a possible pregancy, and I love that. :)

Edit: oh, and if no one else posts by the end of the day (my time) then we'll start with the next card.

[LisaT4P]

I'm using the DruidCraft also. One of my key-phrases for the Empress card is "Pregnant with Possibility". :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/RGareth/TheLady.jpg

[Amethyst Rose]

Next!

IV The Emperor

The emperor in my deck is basically identical to the Empress, yet opposite. It's a man (of course) and he stands on the right side, and he has different animal symbolism, but basically it's exactly the same.

This really is significant because the Emperor and Empress are really two haves of the same coin. Usually if I get both of these cards in a reading I get really excited, because they're so powerful together and they have so much positive energy.

Here's what my book says about this card's symbolism: Chestplate and Belt:, disciplined rule, Prismatic Symbol: balanced, masculine creativity, Rams Horn Crown: ability to wage war, (I also see this as a representation of the god and masculine power), Red Flowering Trees: contained passions, Ruby on Chestplate: divine hert, Spheres: Kingdom, subjects to rule, Waves: changes, Eagle: divine authority, Frog: purification

[phoenix1010]

Universal Waite deck. The Emperor.
An older man is sitting on a stone throne that is decorated with ram's heads. He wears a red robe over black armor. He has a crown on his head which is gold with various jewels in it. He holds a wand in his right hand and a sphere in his left hand( possibly the world). There are deep canyons behind him. The background is dominated by yellows, reds, and oranges.
He is a very strong male character. He embodies intelligence, worldly influences, authority, etc.

[Amethyst Rose]

Phoenix...do you see in your card how the Emperor blances the aspects of the Empress?...can you see how they compliment each other? What do you think of their relationship?

[Khaelo]

The connection between Empress and Emperor is fairly hard to miss in this deck. They're dressed in color-coordinated outfits, under the same star-spangled drapery, seated in the same kind of throne, holding the same kind of septre. Both are middle aged and look quite confident in their power. This is an older Empress, and she's not pregnant. I think she's supposed to represent a mature femininity. The focus falls more on her quietly assured authority than her fertility ("life-giving powers," according to LWB; interesting turn of phrase). Both are backed not by scenes but by tapestries. The Empress sits before a tapestry of flowering and fruitful trees. The Emperor has a little blocky castle and a pair of helmeted guards with upraised swords. LWB says that, "those drawing the Emperor will see in their situation a struggle for mastery and control." I guess that had to be put in the LWB because, aside from the protection implied by the guards, there's not much struggle pictured here.

Both cards emphasized power. The contrasts are interesting. The major one is gender. That's the aspect on which the LWB focuses. This is not simply creation-power, defense-destruction power. They are very particularly feminine and masculine. There are other things as well: The Empress's tapestry is nature-aligned, whereas the Emperor's depicts constructs of society. There's a small pond at her feet and a campfire at his. But the defining difference is that she's a woman and he's a man.

I tend to think of the Emperor as a more active warrior. The Art Nouveau has given a nod to his fiery nature with the camp flames. It's still hard to imagine this guy out on a field of battle, though -- he looks more like a modern president than an ancient commander. Male power asserted through red tape and paper-pushing...I dunno. It's kind of a stretch. :P But maybe this is an Emperor for modern times. As apt as swords are for male symbols, they're somewhat outdated as a mode of power now. The person in charge no longer needs to be out in the battlefield.

[FaerieGothMommy]

The Emperor from my spiral tarot.

As soon as i see this card it shows power and authority - and if i was to link it with the empress card, i get the feeling like they are husband and wife. She is the typical nurturing type, looking after the family and staying at home, whereas he is the one to take charge, protect his family, rule and be the worker.

In this card, the emperor is sat on his throne which is very elaboratly decorated. It looks like 2 eagle heads on his throne, with a lot of gold on it.
He is on a carpet/rug, the long type (for example the red carpet for celebrities) expect this is coloured black and white squares.
To the left is a shield with an eagle on it, in front of him is chalice encased in a sphere, and to the right is his sword.
The background is shown as though he is up in the sky - above everyone else.

To me it shows being in a positive situation, having the ability to take control of what is going on and having the power to influence events.
It is the strong/dominant version to the empress - whereas she is caring and nurturing for people and nature. The Emperor is more of a material man, making decisions that are beneficial to him but also to those closest to him (wife and children).

It holds so much power - i think it's one of the most predominant cards in the deck.

http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_04_the_emperor.jpg

[Rhianna813]

In the DruidCraft deck the Empress and Emperor are called the Lady and Lord. Visually speaking there is not a huge connection between them in the cards. They are not sitting in similar thrones, wearing similar garb, etc... Based on general appearances the Lord looks a few years older than the Lady.

However, both show a good representation of the classic Lord n Lady persona in Paganism. You can see a picture of the Lady in Lisa's post above. The Lord is shown seated in a carved throne of stone with rams heads on the armrests. He wears a metal chestplate, green tunic, and red cloak which waves in the wind. Quite prominently he wears a copper helmet with HUGE antlers stretching out to either side. He sits with one leg crossed atop the other, one hand resting on it and the other firmly holding his staff. The staff has a lighting bolt on it. There is an egale flying in the background but the Lord himself is the most dominant image of the card.

Next to the antlers his face is the most striking feature. Unlike many cards in this deck his eyes stare right at you! His face is solid, mature, and he sports a groomed beard and mustache. Everything about him says power, maturity, strength of body and will, and masculinity.

One of the first things I noticed was how his leg was crossed on the other. This is similar to the Hanged Man and suggests the "number 4" which is the cards number. Fours are very structured: 4 walls make a building, 4 legs hold up a table, we have 4 limbs, there are 4 compass directions, etc... Fours bring order to our lives much like the Emperor. While he can also be headstrong, dominant, and controling, he also brings order, needed rules for society, and a Fatherly aspect.

Rhianna

[Amethyst Rose]

Next Card!

V Heirophant

The Heirophant is probably my least favorite of the Major Arcana, mostly for the art. Compared with the other cards it just doesn't really seem to fit in. It's doesn't have a lot of symbolism like the other cards to, and while it's really quite detailed, at the same time it's boring. It's very stoic and rigid and unweildy....which I suppose is the whole point. It also seems to have a very oriental/east india feel to it, which seems rather off. If this deck has a nationality attached to it, I would say that it feels more Native to me.

Down to how the card is represented....

A person (sex indetermined) sits on a golden throne (with a golden bull pictured on it), in the classic yoga position, with feet together, and hands clasped, with flowers in their hands. Sitting in the person's lap appears to be a smaller person, but with 3 heads. The main person wears a head piece, with an equal armed cross on the top, glowing with white light. There are two golden pillars beside the golden throne, with human faces, one white, one black.

The book states that the symbology in this card is as follows:

Cross: trials, dogma
Crown: spiritual achievement
Dark and Light Goddess Pillars: guardians of "the way", knowlege to access the Divine
Gold, Jewels: spiritual wealth
Throne: Sovereignty
Triune Goddess: three gunas: creation, maintenance, dissolusion
Bull: fertility through sacrifice, prayer

[FaerieGothMommy]

Hierophant from Spiral tarot.

Although in other decks i have always found this card awkward to read, in my spiral deck it's one of my favourite, the art work is beautiful and it is such a positive vibe i get from it, so i love this card coming up in readings.

It shows an older male, he looks very wise, it only shows his face and hands, and he is casting a rainbow with his fingers. There is a lot of things going on in this card, so it may be better to take a look at the imaged i've attached.
In the fore front of the card it shows, what looks like to me as grapes growing, then behind them is pine trees, and behind the trees are clouds and the sky. Leaping out of the clouds is a white horse. From one hand he is holding a key and the other is surrounded by little moons, full moons and half moons.

I always get the feeling of a higher self, tapping into knowledge you didn't think you had. Especially has the Hierophant has a key in one of his hands, and when ever i see a key in a tarot card, to me it symbolises opening up a door to something new that you did not know was available to you.
I see the Hierophant a bit like the Magician card, the hierophant has a lot of knowledge and can help influence situations to benefit people.
Also as he is casting a rainbow with his fingers, this always symbolises to me that he bringing about calmness and harmony.

White horse : Strength, the ability to work alone and within groups, support, balance, friendship, overcoming obstacles, nobility, energy.
Keys : That which opens, frees, allows and (conversely) closes, imprisons and forbids, open of the mysteries
http://www.themysticeye.com/info/images/virgo.gif - Astrological sign of Virgo : Zodiacal Sign of the Virgin, studies or libraries, cabinets, concealed or private drawers, hot houses
Grapes : Pleasure, abundance, life, fertility, sacrifice
Full moon : Full - Fruitfulness, generosity



http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_05_the_hierophant.jpg

[LisaT4P]

Ah, I've been waiting for this one! PeleRising and I had a brief discussion about the Hierophant after one of the assignments where she said it was her least favorite card.

The artwork of this card in many decks depicts the Hierophant as the Pope or at least a clergy figure. I think it's usually a reaction to that imagery that poses a problem for so many of us. It took me a long time to come to terms with him myself. The first deck that this card ever clicked for me with is the Legend: Arthurian tarot where he is depicted as Taliesin instead of a catholic bishop or Pope.

The usual keyword for this card is "conformity" but I've found that I don't care for that definition. One of the things I wanted to discuss was the idea that this card can mean STRUCTURE instead of CONFORMITY. I see it sort of like "book smarts" vs. "street smarts".

Any thoughts?

[Khaelo]

V is the Priest in the Art Nouveau deck. Here's the image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/khaelo/tarot/priest.jpg

Like other Heirophants I've seen, this one is decked out in clerical vestments and is in a church-like setting. He's flanked by two candalabras and stands at the gateway of the altar railing. There are no specifically Christian icons, however. The symbol of his faith appears to be three linked circles -- there's one on the wall behind the Priest and one around his neck. Each candalabra holds three red candles. Trinities are safely multifaith: Insert Religion of Choice Here. ;) His blue garment also features linked circles. The man himself is surprisingly young. He turns his face towards heaven, with his hands in a classic prayer-posture, linked and bound with prayer beads. An ethereal glow either decends upon the Priest's head from above, or is part of the mural behind him.

LWB description: "Though he is youthful, the Priest is robed in and surrounded by the trappings of conservative religion and traditional ceremony. Custom and conformity are exerting pressure."

The deity whom I connect with the Priest is an earth-god whose symbols include the spider. I think a lot of the troublesome aspects of this god, and by extension the Priest/Heirophant, can be spelled out in spiderweb/net imagery. Webs and nets are series of connections. Everything is linked through structure, and an event in one place can be felt throughout the connections. In a way, this is a good thing -- think of a safety net. When someone gets into trouble, often their family or social connections are there to support them, to break their fall. Furthermore, when one piece breaks, the whole thing has a weakness. That, however, feeds into the flip side. A web is designed to capture, not to launch. Once you're in, it's very hard to get out. The web entangles and enforces participation (= conformity). Those same connections that can save you when you need support can strangle you when you need freedom.

That, perhaps, is the side of the Heirophant that people react against. For Americans in general, and pagans in particular, independence is a high virtue. To pick paganism at all indicates a level of non-conformity. But, independence is not a value espoused by the Heirophant. The Tarot itself is not terribly conformist in philosophy -- it seems to attract those interested in the esoteric and spiritual seekers -- so it's not surprising that the more negative aspects of conservative religion have landed on the Heirophant.

In this Priest, for example, the implication of the man's youth (and the LWB) is that he's stuck in this stuffy old church rather than finding himself. Note the use of the word "trappings" in the LWB. The man is using tradition as a crutch rather than as a source of meaning. However, I think we should keep both sides of the coin in mind to get the most out of this card. Rituals can be confining, but they can also be comforting.

Hmm, this addresses the "conformity" vs. "structure" issue. In a really roundabout way. :)

[phoenix1010]

I use the Universal Waite deck. This Hierophant is a man dressed in a red robe, sitting on a throne between two stone pillars. He has a large gold crown on his head. In his left hand is a type of wand, he is holding up two fingers with the right hand. There are crosses on his shoes and the sash on the robe he is wearing. THere are two keys crossed on the rug at his feet. In the foreground we see the backs of two attendants who are facing the Hierophant. One attendant has red roses on his robe and the other has white lillies.
I also disagree with the LWB on this card. I feel it could represent spiritual maturity. This person has reached a certain level of spirituality if people are coming to him such as the attendents. This card could be warning a person to pursue higher spirituality but beware of becoming trapped in the rigid conformity of some religions. Always question what you are being told about faith and spirituality; it is the only way to really grow. I feel the idea of conformity may be a reversed meaning for this card. I can see the structure ideal of this card. As was said before structure can be both constrictive and comforting; it can thwart you or force you to grow...expand above the structure.

[Rhianna813]

The Heirophant is not my favorite Major for the same reasons pointed out by others. I guess most of the traditional keywords and descriptions are: tradition, structure, conformity, formal learning, routine, and ritual.

I can see this in the card but it just doesn't seem insightful. So many of the other cards have such deeper meanings.....

Anyway, in previous Tarot class I took the instructor talked about the connection between the major and minor cards. Basically connecting their associated numerical order. That puts the V Heirophant connected with all the 5's. And the 5's are really tough cards that show a lot of imbalance. That they are that rough period when you are transitioning between something old and emerging into something new. Very transitional. But I ponder how this relates to the Heirophant.

A couple of the decks I use have abandoned the image and name for this card. The Sacred Circle has renamed it the Druid and the DruidCraft deck calls it the High Priest.

Rhianna

[Amethyst Rose]

One of the things I wanted to discuss was the idea that this card can mean STRUCTURE instead of CONFORMITY. I see it sort of like "book smarts" vs. "street smarts".



This is an excellent point to bring up, I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner. I see the hierophant as representing neccessary structure, like the structure seen in society in general. Is the neccessity to....not conform..... but to be part of that structure. If everyone doesn't all work together, what you're left with is chaos. I think that we all get a little widgy when people talk about conformity -- down with conformity!! But there are times when it's necessary to be a productive person.

[Amethyst Rose]

Next Card!

VI The Lovers

This is one of my favorite cards in my deck, simply for the artwork alone. The card itself is a little mushy, and I heard someone mention somewhere about The Lovers meaning something about making a decision between two people. I have to admit that I have never seen the lovers to mean that... in my lovers card, you can see, it's just about love. The man and woman are emraced, and inbetween them grows what at first looks like a rose, but in closer inspection you can see it's actually a baby in the woman's womb. That is my favorite part of this card.... the obvious love of the two people....the message that love leads to creation.... stirs the romantic in me, I think.

Oh, I suppose I should mention the symbolism present in this card:

dolphin: manna, life breath
hummingbird: joy
snake: kudalini, awakener
baby: creativity, completion
eggs: cosmic potential
pegasus: divine inspiration
pheoenix: regeneration
rainbow: bridge to heaven, divine emanation
roses: love, passion
spiral: dance oflife, solar and lunar energies
winged symbol: feminine, masculine balnace.

[Rhianna813]

The Lovers card is really interesting, especially in how it's depicted in different decks and it's meanings. It is interesting how some cards do show 3 people and others only 2. Usually cards that show 3, either the Adam, Eve, and Angel or a man and 2 woman; are presenting the idea of choices, temptation, decision, as well as balance and love . While the 2 image cards show usually a man and woman alone and tend to mean male/female balance, love, romance, and fertility.

In the RWS deck it shows Adam and Eve figures with the tree n snake behind Eve and above them all large angel with outspread arms and wings. And the Adam and Eve story is filled with temptation, choice, and decision. One interesting observance I either read or heard was that Eve is looking up to the Angel while Adam is looking at Eve. The supposed meaning is that woman *is* connection to spirit and that man receives his spiritual connection through woman.

I think that the decks (Enchanted tarot is one) that show a man and 2 women - one always seeming more sweet and other kinda sultry - are not literally about chosing one woman or the other. I guess it's just an easy to understand metaphore.

Rhianna

[FaerieGothMommy]

The Lovers card taken from my spiral tarot is also one of my favourite from the major arcana. Firstly the artwork is beautiful, and i also like the fact it can take different routes - not just all about passion/love, which i want to talk about.

In this card it shows a naked man and woman holding each other. The man is looking at the woman, whereas the woman is looking above their heads - where there is an angel type figure. All around the couple is plants, and it looks to be set at night time.

Now, this card can take many meanings, and depending on surrounding cards i usually find it pretty easy to determine what the card is showing.
I want to use examples here, as though i am giving someone a reading, just to show how different this card can be interpretated. Although this is true with every card - i just wanted to show how different the Lovers card can come across as.

1. Reading 1 - A querent wants to know about their current relationship.

Nine of Swords - The querent is going through a rough time, at this point they are feeling some sort of guilt. They feel they have made wrong decisions or have the "wrong" feelings towards a situation, which is causing them worrying and guilt.
The Lovers - This guilt is coming from the querents current relationship - the querent doesn't feel satisfied within their relationship, but this is what is causing guilt. They feel they should be satisfied as they have everything they need, and a partner who is devoted to them. But the querent feels something is missing, and they need to break free to find out what it is.
Ten of Wands - Following through this may cause feelings of guilt, but will lift a whole lot of burdens from the querents mind. They have felt restrictment, and they felt as though they needed to explore. Going with their own feelings, will help the querent feel a lot more freedom.

2. Reading 2 - A querent wants to know about their current relationship.

Ten of Pentacles - Taking care of your family is on the querents mind a lot lately, and is their focus right now. This is bringing them much joy, spending time with loved ones and sharing what they have. The querent may also be deciding wether to add a new addition to the family.
The Lovers - Taking advice and guidance right now is a good thing, and also taking some time to spend with your partner and find what ways in which you can bring more happiness to your relationship. This could be referring to the new addition to the family - spend a lot of time with your partner at this point, and give each other as much affection as you both can. Families are based around love.
Ten of Cups - Theres a ot of joy and happiness entering your life, new things are blooming and plans are coming to fruition. Things will flow freely from here, just enjoy the things around you.

As you can see from surrounding cards and how the artwork is done - the Lovers card can mean substantially different things within a relationship.

I think this card is always about honesty and trust though. And whatever the situation is about (negative or positive) it's a reminder to be honest in relationships, and be open about your true feelings.

http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_06_the_lovers.jpg

[LisaT4P]

You can see the Lover's card from the Druidcraft in the bottom right corner. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/RGareth/4cards1.jpg

Beware: nudity!

[FaerieGothMommy]

You can see the Lover's card from the Druidcraft in the bottom right corner. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/RGareth/4cards1.jpg

Beware: nudity!

Thats a beautiful card!

[phoenix1010]

Lovers from the Universal Waite deck.
To me this image is very biblical...Adam and Eve in the garden with the serpent. It shows a naked male figure on the left and a naked female on the right. There is a flaming tree behind the male and a fruit tree with a serpent in it behind the female. The male is looking at the female and the female is looking up at the angel. There is a mountain in the background between the two. There is an angel in the sky above the two of them. The angel is dressed in purple with purple and red wings. It is hard to tell but the angel's hair looks to be on fire. There is also a large sun in the sky also.

I went over to Aecletic tarot and found that the angel is possibly Gabriel- the angel of annunciation, he/she brings compassion; divine messenger who reveals God's will to humanity.

It is hard not to let the biblical story of Adam and Eve influence the meaning of the card. I feel it can represent love, tust, temptation, romance.

[Khaelo]

The Art Nouveau Lovers (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/khaelo/tarot/lovers.jpg).

No third figure; the choice angle is reflected in the lovers' thoughtful expressions. On closer inspection, I also see little salamanders on the drapery behind the llovers, reflecting the sexual side of elemental fire.

[Amethyst Rose]

You have good eyes, I can't see the salamanders. Good catch on the symbolism of them! I think that the expressions on the lovers' faces of your card is really quite telling. They don't really seem to be that happy. It's obvious the closeness they share...you can see it how they hold each other, but they almost seem distracted or worried. And the guy....he could totally be my ex. :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

The Art Nouveau Lovers (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/khaelo/tarot/lovers.jpg).

No third figure; the choice angle is reflected in the lovers' thoughtful expressions. On closer inspection, I also see little salamanders on the drapery behind the llovers, reflecting the sexual side of elemental fire.

I think this is a bit similar to the lovers card from my deck. It can be so easily seen as one way or the other, i prefer these types of cards for the lovers - they are more expressive to me.

[Amethyst Rose]

Next!

VII The Chariot

This is another of the cards from my deck that I don't really like. The image is really boring, and it has absolutely nothing to do with a chariot or the meaning of the card. It's a really frustrating one to come up in a reading because I get nothing out of it. I think that this is one of those cards that you really have to know symbolism to understand. Here's the symbols:

Horse: power, action, freedom
hummingbird: untiring joy, life's nectar
crown: victory
golden rose: achievement
infinity: cosmic consciousness
reigns (Oh!! Is *that* what's in her hand?!): control of passions
seer: divine guidance
transparent orb: inner knowledge, wisdom


Seriously....look at that symbolism. I didn't even notice that the image behind her is the head of a horse... I had no idea there were reigns in her hand.... and what's that about a seer? I had no idea that the ghostly image in the background was a seer. Bah! This card just annoys me.

[FaerieGothMommy]

Hehe, sounds like your really put off from the chariot out of your deck. I will talk about mine sometime today also. :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

I'm going to show the images from the two decks i use most, cosmic and spiral.

Whenever the chariot comes up it usually indicates either travelling or expanding knowledge, depending on what the reading is for and surrounding cards.

The chariot from my cosmic deck signifies travel more to me, as it actually shows a man in a cart being pulled by two horses, they are not just trotting along though, they are galloping, yet the man looks totally still.
In the spiral tarot it shows a man in a cart (by the way both these carts looks richly decorated), on the spiral chariot though instead of horses they are sphinx statues, and it is connected strongly with Horus the sun god. Also a little snipet i found about the chariot from the spiral deck
In the Spiral Deck we also see protection in the form of the Scarab beetle featured on the chest of the charioteer - the Scarab beetle was sacred to the sun Gods and as such a scarab amulet provided the wearer with the protection of the solar deities.


They are classed as cards of movement, and to me they can also mean growth in knowledge, moving forward and learning/progressing in stages.

This card has confused me in the past, as it is hard to understand what it is indicating when it shows up in a spread, so i'm interested to see how others view the chariot card.


http://www.tarot.com/images/decks/cosmic/full_size/7.jpg
http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_07_the_chariot.jpg

[phoenix1010]

VII The Chariot
Universal Waite Deck
This card has actually come up in alot of readings I have done; I am quite sick of looking at it!!

This card show a young man dressed in armor riding in a chariot pulled by two female sphinxes (one black and one white). The sphinxes are pointed in the opposite directions. There is a castle and a river in the background, the sky is yellow. The yong man has a crown of ivy and stars on his head. There is a blue wand in his right hand. On front of the chariot is a winged shield with a red top-like object on it. I have learned that this red symbol is a hindu version of the ying-yang symbol. It is a Lingam and Yoni, it represents duality and unity.
I always feel this card means overcoming conflicting forces or victory but there are conflicting ideals that may disrupt it....kind of like you won the war but not the battle. Possibly conflicting influences.

[Khaelo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/khaelo/tarot/chariot.jpg
Hope these things aren't too big; the scans look most like the originals at 60%. Any smaller and the images get weird.

The charioteer is all decked out in armor, massive shoulder pads, a fancy cape, and about six billion little blue gems. On his head, he wears a laurel crown of victory (over what?). He looks pretty sure of himself. His chariot is drawn by griffins, creatures associated with nobility, victory, gold, and the sun. The scene is reminicent of Roman triumphal processions. On the other hand, these griffins are bickering. The charioteer either doesn't notice their "disagreement" or he doesn't care to control them. While the meaning of the card includes travel, I'm not sure that this show's hitting the road anytime soon.

The image on the front of the chariot is a person adult in form but curled into the fetal position (developed or still developing?). There are also a pair of wings extending from the attachment for the griffins' chains (freedom/flight or control/bondage?). The city in the background looks peaceful. Is the charioteer returning to his home in triumph, or is he leaving for fortune, or is this a foreign city he's passing in his journey? The sky is cloudy, but beams of sunlight slip out from behind the storm clouds, a sign of changes to come.

Readings: obviously not my strong point, but I'd take guesses at change, control, a victory past but struggles still to come, and/or an incomplete triumph. I agree with FairyGothMommy's interpretation as a card of movement as well. It all depends on context. ;)

[Amethyst Rose]

I love your deck more and more, every time you post a card. :)

We can move onto the next card now...

VIII Strength

I'll post on this card later. :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

I love the strength card from my spiral tarot. Infact, i think this is a good card in general, and to me, it always gives an element of hope within a reading.

In my spiral deck, it shows a woman and a lion, the woman is crouching down towards the lion. The lions mouth is open, and she is holding it with both hands, as though she is taming the lion. She looks confident in doing this, and not afraid at all. On the left side there is white roses, on the right side there is red roses. In the background there is, what looks to me to be palm trees.

This is what the card says it is, strength. It's about having courage during a situation or event, and not being afraid to take it on. This card can also indicate hidden strengths, when a person feels weak and unable to overcome a situation, this card can arise as a message to say, you can do it and you do possess the strength and courage. It can also signify being able to overlook an obstacle, and see the positive.

http://www.ima-adama.co.il/images/know_yourself/tarot/spiral_tarot_deck/major_arcana/spiral_major_arcana_08_strength.jpg

[Amethyst Rose]

Oh my.....seems like no one wants to talk about strength, huh?

Well, I'll talk about my card a bit and give it one more day, and then move on.

Strength (or fortitude) is considered one of the tarot virtues, and is offen interchanged in position with Justice. Historically this was based on the region and which virtue was considered to be more important. Now, however, it's based on the type of deck you have..... Waite, upon making his deck in 1910, switched strength to 8 and justice to 11 simply because of historical prescident, and now in Rider-Waite based decks, its just standard.

Anyway, enough about the history. This is one of my most favorite cards in my deck....it's just so relaxed and peaceful....you can see the strength in it, with the lion but it's a strength beneath the surface of the card, rather than in your face. The serenity in the woman's face as she prays is just so relaxing.... It also has some wonderful artwork and is packed full of symbolism.

A quick list of the imagery:

Dragonfly: illusion, reflection
Lion: harnessed power
Mocking Bird: sacred song, soul's purpose
Moth: soul
Snake: awareness
Squirrels: preparedness, activity
Curtains: maya?
Flower: universal nurturance
Gazaebo: boundaries, protection
Galaxies: unlimited potential
Infinity: absolute strength
Layers of Creation: as above, so below
White bush: herbs and healing properties

[PeleRising]

I am using the Robin Wood deck. My strength card shows a woman dressed in a white robe with golden trim on the shoulders. Embrodered in the trim are little infinity symbols. The woman has blonde hair and has a wreath made up of daisies, forget-me-nots, violets and babies breath. She also has some of those same flowers in her lapalong with what appear to be sunflowers, white lilies, and pink roses. The woman has one arm over the shoulders with her hand resting on the lions mane, and the other hand underneath his mouth. She has placed flowers in the lions mane as well, and she is smiling at him. They appear to be in a meadow, with mountains off in the distance and an oak tree behind them.

She doesnt appear to be holding the lion back, if he wanted to leave he could. Just the strength it takes for her to sit beside this wild beast talks of inner courage and conviction.

I have never understood this card very well... but to me the card doesnt speak so much of physical strength as in she can take out this lion in one fell swoop... but intead of inner strength.

[Nellie]

The Strength card in the DruidCraft tarot shows not a lion as in most decks, but a boar. I asume this is in keeping more with the times & theme of the cards. The woman is drapped in a red shawl which she clings to in one hand while holding the boar down with her other. It is her left side which holds down the boar - the subconscious side, the yin side! The boar represents the yang! This is an important action as I feel this card is more about inner strength than physical. The fact that a sword is laid down behind her as useless is also an important symbol as swords are connected with analytical & logical thinking (the conscious side). This card could speak of conflict in issues - not necessarily with others but more within oneself. The need sometimes to listen to your own intuition, to understand the thoughts and feelings we have which are connected with our subconscious side. Sometimes these feelings need to be dealt with in order to progress, though at other times they must remain in check! It is also connected with masculine & feminine. Sometimes strength comes not with force & bullish behaviour, but with thought & consideration and to me this is apparent with the young woman keeping this wild boar tame by her side.

The book says "The woman represents the power of the Goddess within us, who is able to unite our animal insticts and the power of our sexuality and life force, with the strength of our awareness and compassion. The woman doesn't need to kill or hurt the boar with the sword of reason or power, she simply needs to stand in her own strength."

Not sure why but the attachment isn't showing up :ahhhhhhh: so the link for the picture of the card is Druidcraft Tarot: Strength (http://www.mysticwicks.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=46564&stc=1)

[Khaelo]

Card image attached (49% of original size). Strength is number eleven in this deck; I don't know why.

There isn't all that much to say about this particular Strength. The girl sits with a pet lion. There's no leash, sword, or any other means of force compelling the lion to behave himself. The girl might be influencing him by means of gentleness, although she doesn't seem to be paying attention to him, or he could be there because he wants to be -- no way to tell. The girl also sits in the shadow of an oak tree, contemplating an acorn in her hand. This is the artist's real innovation and insight into the card, I think. The oak is a symbol of strength and leadership itself (associations with storm gods -- apparently oaks get hit by lightning frequently), so the acorn represents potential strength. The girl is quite young, so she too could be a future leader.

By the way, the artist used real people as his models for the paintings in this deck. So it made me smile when you mentioned that the Lovers guy looks like your ex, Amethyst. Spooky... :p

[Amethyst Rose]

Okay, this is wayyyy over due.... sorry everyone for the delay. The long weekend was really busy, and then this week has been hectic. Anyway, excuses asside.... here are couple of cards to catch us up:

IX The Hermit

This is another one of my favorites from the MA, soley based on art work....and a bit on the card itself. This whole card is just relaxing and it speaks of spiritual, personal and inner growth. It suggests a time of turning inward for reflection... of withdrawing in order to see the larger picture. It's really very calming. You'll see from the picture that the color theme for this card is green, which adds to its feeling of serenity.

Symbols present in this card:

Eagle: great spirit, hidden energy
White hare: fertility, new life (which I can find no where on the card)
Globe: illumination
headdress: spiritual wisdom
mountains: higher self
staff: integrity
stars: divine light

You'll also notice that the woman has a glowing blue star on her brow, which I just love. :)


X Wheel of Fortune

Compared to the previous card, this one is rather plain. It's actually kinda difficult to explain it, but it seems that a woman, dressed rather old fashioned, is spinning rainbows on a wheel with a giant spider on it. There is some hebrew? text beneath the wheel. This card doesn't do much for me.... it reminds me of what it's supposed to represent, moving forward on your path...destiny, fate, things you have no control over...but, I think it could have been better done.

Symbols in this card:

spider: web of fate
globes: manifest spirit, heaven and earth
spiral: dance oflife
tetagrammation (oooh, is that what that is?!): name of divinity
wheel: karma

[Khaelo]

Hermit and Wheel attached. The LWB description of the Art Nouveau Hermit: "The Hermit levitates before a stained glass window. His eyes are closed, for his wisdom comes from within."

I didn't know that he was levitating. That could represent a disconnect with mundane life. When trying to pull the physical card out of my deck to examine it more closely, I accidentally pulled the Priest first -- the two look similar in this deck. It's an interesting comparison. Both have connections to traditional religion (the names coming from Christianity), but the Priest stands for the social, connected, community leader aspect while the Hermit stands for the personal, private, mentor aspect.

My altar book entry on the Hermit contains my idealized image of the card and the reason for its selection. Unverified Personal Gnosis alert; if the goddess in question belongs to a known pantheon, I haven't found her yet.

Image: A woman dressed all in black, veiled from head to foot, gazes over the edge of a cliff. She wears a simple silver crown topped with three pearls; it is her only jewelry. In one hand, she holds a glass sphere containing the sunlit image of a figure running. In the other, she grasps a sythe as one would a traveling staff. The path under her feet heads over the bluff. Below, dotting the nighttime landscape, the lights of a town echo the lights of the stars above. The woman stands between them, dark and alone, guided by the vision in her globe.

Who’s This? This is Eridan, the second member of the Iter trinity. Among her titles are Queen of Hell, Heaven, and Earth; Daughter of Fate; Veiled Lady; and Black Virgin. She is primarily Queen of the Dead. She becomes ruler of heaven and earth when Uramn and Jupet repectively abandon their realms to her. After all, she is known for her reliability and her justice. She never removes the black veil covering her face. Always observer and never observed; her secrets are forbidden to the living and possibly the dead as well. The silver crown bears one pearl – symbol of suffering and of layers – for each of her rulerships. Her sythe, a traditional symbol of death, is both weapon and sceptre. Her onyx sphere is a tool to evaluate the souls that come to her. When she needs to make a judgement, she clears its opacity and watches a true image of the individual’s life. Eridan has no consort and no children.

Symbols: The goddess is veiled – isolated, protected, alone, private, and internal. She walks a path – this is a journey. The scene in the globe depicts either the Fool or the World – either the one being guided or the destination, but both moving and both providing light. She holds a scythe – aside from a death symbol, this is also an attribute of Cronos as Father Time. The town reflects the stars, or maybe vice versa – as above, so below. The lady is suspended between them, part of neither.

Why This God? First, the Death and Justice cards both feature others.
Secondly, Eridan unites the twin themes of isolation and authority (guidance) in the Hermit card. Forever cut off from the world by her veil, she is utterly alone. At the same time, she is thoughly enmeshed in relationships as a queen. She also reflects the motifs of insight, of revelation and mystery, of wisdom and truth, of walking among worlds while belonging elsewhere. As a death deity, she is also linked to the soul and spiritual matters. Finally, her name is Silence, remenicient of introspection and listening. The Hermit’s lessons are learned in Silence.


On to the Wheel...LWB says, "Lit by the sun and moon, and influenced by both, the Wheel of Fortune turns in space. Positive and negative, darkness and light, all are portions of the Wheel. Chance or luck are in control; nothing is certain."

I struggle with the Wheel of Fortune image. To me, a Wheel indicates predictable cycles, ie the Wheel of the Year. That which rises must fall; that which falls must rise. Fortune, on the other hand, seems far more capricious. Sometimes it will change its course, but sometimes it deals permanent blows or windfalls. It's anything but predicatable. So, a Wheel of Fortune??? (The gameshow uses the wheel as an instrument of fortune, eliminating the predictability.) I know the motif is far from unique to the Tarot, but that doesn't really make it easier to understand. The LWB seems to focus on the Fortune aspect, even though the name on the card is just "Wheel."

If anyone has insight on this issue, I'd appreciate it. :)

[phoenix1010]

Gosh! I have some catching up to do!!

Strength
I use the Universal Waite deck, so this card shows a woman holding the jaws of a lion. There is an infinite sign above her head. The sky is yellow. The background landscape is quite nice and green with one mountain risig quite high up out of the horizon (one site I looked at said this was a phallic symbol). She has a wreath of roses around her head and waist.
I always though the woman was pulling the jaws open but some sites say she holding them shut. Either way she is trying to overcome a powerful beast. The infinity sign could maybe indicate that our personal strength may have no end. This card just doesn't indicate strength to me but ability to overcome something; almost a David/ Goliath analogy.
Hermit
This card shows an old man dressed in a grey robe, holding a lantern with a six-sided star in it. The man is looking down almost like he is contemplating something or he is excepting his fate. The background is very simple...blue-white sky, white mountains. This card can be lonely and sad but also quiet, solitude, calmness, exceptence of something.
Wheel of Fortune
This card almost has to much to look at!! The wheel is in the center of the card. The word Tarot is spelled out around the wheel. Four winged beasts(angel, hawk, lion, goat) occupy the four corners of the card. Around the wheel itself is a sphinx, jackal, and serpent. The serpent and the jackal seem to be going against the clockwise turn of the wheel. THis card indicates fate, destiny, changes, transitions, time, cyclical movement.

[Amethyst Rose]

Okay, this took an absolutely nose dive....sorry everyone. I"m gonna put this study on hold until after my vacation.

Please let me know if anyone out there is still interested in persuing this when I get back. If you're interested we'll keep going, if not, then we'll just leave it be.

[Niamh celtic mist]

I did not have time to check this out earlier but I think now that my final is in I will. Enjoy your vacation and if others want to continue I will too...in the mean time I can catch up.

Blessings,

Niamh :flowers: