by estellew | Aug 7, 2015 | Court Cards, Kings, Minor Arcana, Tarot, Wands
Known also as the Prince of the Chariot of Fire, the King of Wands represents forthcoming changes, removing negativity and growth despite obstacles. The King of Wands is the Spirit of Fire - enthusiasm, dynamism and adventure. As a Fire Court Card, he is fiery, enigmatic and dynamic. He will sweep you up in his plans and if you don't get with the program and keep the pace he may leave you behind. As a King, he represents authority, power and magnetism. Not really pragmatic, still, he knows how to win others to his cause. The King of Wands is an agent of change, he introduces new ideas that may seem foreign and perhaps suspect because of that. But if you embrace the energy of this King, your life will be enriched beyond measure. He represents excitement that blows away the cobwebs of boredom and ennui, and if you have ever wished for something different and beyond the mundane, then hang on to your hat and be prepared to have your wish fulfilled. As a person he is a robust, handsome presence, bold and exciting. He is determined that everyone in his presence is transported to a new understanding of life, love and what is really important. He will usually turn up like a whirlwind, irresistible in his enthusiasm and he infects everyone who then wonders what on earth they have been wasting their lives being safe and bored. He often will represent a foreigner, someone whose ideas, habits and beliefs are alien to your own, yet strangely attractive and compelling because of that. And of course, as with all...
by estellew | Aug 7, 2015 | Minor Arcana, Swords, Tarot
The Root of the Powers of Air, the Ace of Swords represents justice, power and an upsurge of mental energy. The Ace of Swords is a powerful force for original ideas, creative energy and a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. The Aces in all of the Suits contain the most potent energy in the pip cards, and this energy must be sufficiently strong to kick-start the positive focus that each Ace represents. As pure potential, the results can go either way and the most positive potential is here, at the beginning. Use the energy wisely and don't waste it. This card will cut through those patterns in your life that have outlived their usefulness, and it brings a renewed sense of vigour, energy and a eagerness to move into new territory. You have felt stultified and stuck in certain areas of your life and you wake up one day soon to realise that the thoughts you have been thinking have all been thought before and they are not even yours. It is as if you awaken from a dream, like the Sleeping Beauty and now need to make up for lost time and opportunities. The energy in this card can move mountains, and it all starts with an idea, a change of focus and a willingness to put one foot in front of the other in the right direction. Your enthusiasm and confidence will enlist others to encourage and support you, as your energy towards an exciting future change is infectious. Traditionally this card refers to legal matters, new contracts or other documents that bring in a new...
by estellew | Aug 7, 2015 | Minor Arcana, Swords, Tarot
The Two of Swords is sometimes referred to as the Lord of Peace Restored and is aligned with Moon in Libra and represents decisions, impartiality and a ceasefire. The Moon represents the deep unconscious forces that influence our behaviour and decisions, and Libra brings the need for balance, fairness and relating to others. Swords represent the two-edged ability of the mind to harm or to heal - the Two is a conflict and it is demands a decision that must be made to resolve the impasse. Now you can make the decision either way, even though it may seem you are powerless and you are blind. There is a storm brewing, and there will be a breakthrough, although it is often a change that is resisted which results in the tension and conflict embodied in this card. You feel you need to make a compromise and yet are unwilling to do so because you don't want to get the pointy end of the pineapple. But with a choice of two options, neither of which is appealing, you would rather sit on the fence but that is no solution either, and by delaying a decision you are merely suspending the consequences of making a choice. Eventually you are going to have to jump down from the fence onto one side or the other. Remember the imagery of this card - the woman is blindfolded, and yet she has a sword in each hand and so is not powerless. The fact that she cannot see with her eyes where to make the mark means that she must use her intuition, her...
by estellew | Aug 7, 2015 | Minor Arcana, Swords, Tarot
Known also as the Lord of Peace Restored, and aligned with the Moon in Libra, the Two of Swords brings peace of mind, the ability to make decisions, especially regarding relationships with others, and empathy. The figure on the card is shown blindfolded, balancing on one leg while a maelstrom swirls around her. What does this tell us? It is possible now to intuitively reach solutions to dilemmas, and achieve balance rather than meet resistance. You have valid insight into situations that previously troubled you and this clarity will give you a sense of purpose to create your future in a better way. This is a period of ceasefire, an opportunity to regroup and make choices that will bring you more security. Whatever threats to your peace of mind that were evident before are now dormant, however don't make the mistake of thinking that the danger has passed. Instead, put measures in place now while you have the space to breath so that you ensure you don't fall into the same trap and let history repeat itself. The Two of Swords is related to the card of Justice, and as such, relates to fairness and balanced judgement in negotiations and conflicts, and so if this is in your experience right now, the outcome will be in your favour. If you find yourself in a deadlock however, there is a need to detach yourself from the emotional aspects of the situation and take a bird's eye view of things - look at both sides as if you had no other involvement but as a passerby presented with the bare facts,...
by estellew | Aug 10, 2015 | Minor Arcana, Swords, Tarot
Known also as the Lord of Sorrow, and aligned with Saturn in Libra, the Three of Swords represents worries, tensions and pain caused by words and thoughts. Saturn represents heaviness and restriction, while Libra is balance and harmony in relationships, so this card brings blocked emotions and the inability to move past hurts and restore harmony. The Three of Swords reminds us of contrast - we love to feel the good feelings of love and joy and happiness, and yet without experiencing anger, stress and worry, we don't know how precious the good feelings are and how important it is to seek these out and not waste time, energy and heartache on those negative states. There are patterns of stressful thinking and worrying, there are storms of emotion, arguments and upheavals. There may be broken ties, but as they are usually based on misinformation and jumping to conclusions, the danger of permanent separation may still be averted. The representation in the card of the Three of Swords looks dire, but if you pay attention, the birds, although black, are all flying upwards. The clouds are dark on the horizon, but they start to lighten higher up which is where the birds are heading. Even though it feels that this pain is permanent, it will always improve; life always wins in the end, and the impulse towards life will out. The Threes are about bringing in something new - the Swords are about thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we get it wrong, thoughts that are new and unfamiliar cause us to shutdown and reject new ideas and new ways of living....
by estellew | Aug 7, 2015 | Minor Arcana, Swords, Tarot
The Four of Swords is the Lord of Truce (Rest from Strife) and has the energy of Jupiter in Libra. It represents a hiatus, rest and recuperation. This card brings a reprieve from stress, especially mental stress and turmoil. There has been a period of time where you have misused your mental abilities - this is often with unnecessary worry, anxiety, and focusing on anything and everything that could go wrong. At this point, the mind says "Enough!" and so the mental tension that you have endured ends for a time and provides a mental ceasefire where you can convalesce your thoughts and bring yourself back to a state of calm from which you can again make good decisions and engage in hopeful thoughts for your future. This is a great time to go on a retreat that will release you from your everyday tensions and restore your health and your vitality. You have been burning the candle at both ends, running around on a hamster wheel and going nowhere. The toll on your health if you continue is inevitable and so this card comes as a welcome sign for you to stop, rest and look after yourself. There is a sense of protection from the world when contemplating the image on this card. The knight is lying supine on the altar, his hands in a position of prayer. Three swords are hovering above while the fourth is lying below him as if he has just laid it there. The three swords represent the struggles and turmoil he has endured, while the fourth symbolises his willingly to lay down...
