The Knight of Swords The aim of military training is not just to prepare men for battle,but to make them long for it.— Louis SimpsonHere is a first! It’s hard to believe, but it appears that we have never once had a visit from the Knight of Swords in all the years I’ve been pulling … Read more
The Seven of Swords In art and dream, may you proceed with abandon.In life, may you proceed with balance and stealth.— Patti Smith From these past several weeks of inspiring cards, we are now presented with a challenge. Not the most pleasant card in the deck, we see a young man rushing away from a … Read more
The Hierophant Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken.— Bertrand Russell From the past two weeks of revolutionary change and difficulty, we emerge under the tutelage of the Hierophant. With the Rider-Waite-Smith deck’s obvious reference to the Roman Catholic pope, many people are put off by their perception of him as … Read more
The Four of SwordsNowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.— Marcus Aurelius Making its first appearance since March, 2005, we are visited this week by the Four of Swords. Fours in the Tarot are about stabilizing, grounding, and completion. In the Swords, which are so often about … Read more
The Queen of WandsYou gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do. — Eleanor Roosevelt Here’s a surprise! … Read more
The King of Swords Let us face ourselves bravely as we are. For only a philosophy that recognizes reality can lead us into true happiness, and only that kind of philosophy is sound and healthy. — Lin Yutang This week, the King of Swords visits us for only the second time since I began my … Read more
February 2 – 8, 2009The Nine of SwordsThis week, I have attempted to combine my Card of the Week with my offering for the 4th Annual Brigid in the Blogosphere Poetry Slam. For a more traditional interpretation, you can visit here. The Iron Shoesby Johnny Clewell© 1986, with thanks to The Endicott Studio Seven long … Read more
Judgement Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world;The heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own.Wake now discover that you are the song that the morning brings,The heart has its seasons, its evenings and songs of its own. — from Eyes of the World by Robert … Read more
The EmpressAncient Mother, I hear you calling.Ancient Mother, I hear your song.Ancient Mother, I hear your laughter.Ancient Mother, I taste your tears. — Traditional Here is a first since I began pulling the Card of the Week in 2005: The Empress. And she appears, I would dare say, precisely on time. The Empress beckons us … Read more
Nine of Pentacles We are stardust,We are golden,And we’ve got to get ourselvesBack to the garden. — Joni Mitchell, Woodstock We receive another nine this week. The nines of the Tarot are the cards of completion, with the tens being an overflowing of the energy of the suit. So this week, we move from the … Read more