King of Swords

Weekly Card The Captivating Fool

June 4, 2015
150604 0 The Fool Bellydancers
Tarot of the Bellydancers

We’ve all met 0 The Fool in our lives. And we’ve all been 0 The Fool at least once or twice. (One of my favourite expressions is, “Mama didn’t raise no small fool”.) And, with a little less embarrassment, we’ve met 0 The Fool here a couple of times.

So let’s finesse 0 The Fool with 3 different images.

150604 0 The Fool Yoga
Yoga Tarot

First, from Tarot of the Bellydancers (yes, really!) we have this smiling beauty offering us a pure white lotus with the promise of a dance. The lotus – and her little dog – are pure, unsullied by the journey. Is this dancer at the start or end of her dance? Is the red bag waiting for gifts or full of the gifts from her performance? 0 The Fool is sometimes placed at the beginning of the cycle of the Majors and sometimes at the end. Does the unopened lotus necessarily mean this 0 The Fool can’t be at the end of the cycle?

The leaping 0 The Fool from the Yoga Tarot has a monkey face, the reflection of his chattering monkey mind. And the outside world is no help, with another monkey pulling at him. Here we have an unrefined 0 The Fool, pulled here and there by the multitude of distractions in life and in his mind. Any banana will do to entice him on his journey.

150604 0 The Fool Renaissance Williams
Brian Williams’ Renaissance Tarot

0 The Fool from Brian Williams’ Renaissance Tarot is a more serious contender. This Jester is dressed for court and ready to entertain the aristocracy. He alone can criticize the ruling class with impunity. With his staff of grapes, he brings Dionysian wildness with him. The skull of mortality tops the staff, acknowledging that the journey of life has an end. Live life while ye may . . . .

What if V The Heirophant meets our mysterious bellydancer 0 The Fool? Will the meeting be the same as with the monkeymind 0 The Fool? Or the Renaissance Jester 0 The Fool?

How about the rational King of Swords? How will the Sky Kitty get on with the bellydancer and her dog? With the monkey? Anyone else hearing a whole lot of yowling and scratched noses, so far? The Jester may have more of a place in the court of the King of Swords.

Or put the various aspects of 0 The Fool through a 3 of Cups experience. How do they colour the situation?

You can see that comparisons of multiple images can bring to light various points on the spectrum of a card’s energy. Do you relate more to one of the 0 The Fools that we’ve seen so far than to the others? How do you think of 0 The Fool? What can you add to provide depth to the character?

Get out there and dare to be a Big Fool this week!

Weekly Card The Rational King of Swords

May 19, 2015
150521 King of Swords Mystical Cat Sky King
Mystical Cat Tarot

We’ve got lots of information about the King of Swords from our last two posts.

So what do we see in the Mystical Cats Tarot Sky King, the equivalent of the King of Swords?

Let’s start with the name. Why Sky? Since Swords are the element of air, the very airy Sky makes sense.

And this is the cold, crystalline air of winter. There’s a stillness in winter that allows us to look at things closely. There’s a sparkle and clarity to the air that’s reflected in our majestic Sky King’s jeweled collar. If we look at snow as frozen water, and water as the element of emotions, creativity and connection with others, we’ve got a King who’s comfortable putting his emotions on hold to be coldly rational. He doesn’t need shelter; he’s able to be out in the world, no matter how isolated he is. And that’s what’s needed in rational authority: an ability to be disconnected from anything other than clear thought.

For the rest of us, that windchime is a wonderfully accessible symbol of the mind at work. It’s tinkling, it’s tinkling, and I’ve got an inkling. . . .

What happens if we look at the Sky King with a 3 of Cups situation? How involved will he be with the heart connections or emotionally-driven creativity? It’s likely that he’ll be found in an analytical position. As others are being creative, he might be the critic, assessing what’s happening, or the rational business manager, interested in keeping the theatrical company together. Rather than join in the celebrations with friends, he’s going to be on the outside, perhaps, as a master of words and communication, telling the story to others.

What if we see VII The Chariot in connection with the Sky King/King of Swords? We’ve got the progress of VII The Chariot working through the mind and authority of the Sky King. It gives us clues about what aspect of our personal make-up will help us move forward: the mental aspect. It can also let us know about the potential for the Sky King in our lives to be making progress in his or her journey. If that person is important in our decision-making process, we’ll be aware of the changes in store for him/her and can make a better informed decision. It could be that we can’t move forward ourselves without the say-so of an important authority in our lives.

As always, bring the Sky King into what’s happening in your life right now. Are you the Sky King? Is someone else in your life? Are you being called to develop your potential in the direction of mental mastery or authority?

And if you decide to get cozy with the Sky King kitty, show proper respect!

Weekly Card King of Swords Revisited

July 28, 2014
140731 Dreaming Way King of Swords
Dreaming Way Tarot

It was just a few months ago that we stood before the King of Swords.  His appearance in the Legacy deck is very different than in the Dreaming Way.  As I’ve said before, The Dreaming Way Tarot depicts people I expect to see in my daily life, even if they’re a bit exotically dressed or positioned at times.

So, let’s reach into daily life this week.  When you look at the image on the King of Swords, who are you reminded of?  How old is s/he?  How does s/he interact with the world?  What happens in emotional situations?  What about when s/he’s required to make decisions?  How does s/he deal with health issues?  With children?  Does s/he like to be in charge?

Go back and read the post that told you a little about the King of Swords.  Now who do you think of?   Is it the same person?  If it’s someone different, how would you answer the questions in the last paragraph?   Are there any overlaps between the answers?  You can begin to find your personal affinity to various decks by comparing what you “know” about the cards with what you “see” in the cards.

Some tarot traditions attach specific appearances to the court cards.  Of those, some say the King of Swords will be fair, with blonde or white hair, and in full maturity.  Others say his eyes will be dark and so will his hair.  The agreement is in the commanding presence.  As you identify the Kings of Swords in your life, do you find any patterns of appearance?  Age?  Gender?  Colouring?  Dress?  Carriage?  Presence?

Finally, what’s your relationship with the King of Swords?  How do you feel when you meet up with your Kings of Swords?  How do you interact?  Do you like him or her?   What would you emulate?  How do your interactions make you feel about yourself?

Find the King of Swords in your life and make her/his best qualities yours!

Weekly Card King of Swords

April 29, 2014
140501 Legacy King of Swords
Legacy of the Divine Tarot
140501 RWS King of Swords
Rider Waite Smith Tarot

 You are now in the high court of the land and would do well to hold your tongue while you look, listen, and learn.  The King of Swords is the authority and decision-making position in the Tarot deck.

You’ll remember that each Court Card has its elemental association from its position in the Court and its suit.  King of Swords is the Fire of Air card.  Kings are the robust and constant energy of the Court.  Swords have to do with ideas, concerns and communications.

Have a respectful chat with the King of Swords while you have his presence this week.  Let him teach you about clear communication.  Ask him about logical analysis and planning for your projects.  Learn what you can about how to discriminate rationally.  Ask him to show you the crux of the matter when you’re ready to make decisions.

The King of Swords upholds law and order, so this is not the week to explore rebellion.  Instead, deepen your understanding of the things around you.  Think about what you would do if you were the mastermind in your own life.  Remind yourself what the King of Swords lives by, that Knowledge is Power.

May the intellectual force be with you!
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