Tyldwick Tarot

Two of Cups: In this card is an image of a formal English garden; several yards apart are two huge pots of flowers. Both the pots and flowers are similar, indicating a relationship between people who may enjoy the same hobbies, have the same goals, share the same beliefs, or endorse the same political party. What they have in common is the spark that can create an abiding friendship, partnership or romantic commitment. Likewise, the slim, pyramid-shaped garden ornaments between the pots may represent common friends who introduce the pair to each other. The formality of the garden suggests that this is not a "one of" encounter; this relationship will develop some roots and…

Page of Cups: This young fellow has a heart as pure as the white roses beneath his portrait, and he's as sweet as the fruit (oranges?) growing on either side of the roses. Being elementally Earth of Water, his sweet side often shows up in physical ways. He'll want to kiss any boo-boo to make it better, and he'll bring you a bouquet of dandelion flowers he found while out playing in the yard. He's a bit of a dreamer, but that trait makes it easier for him to connect with his intuition and to take what he learns this way seriously instead of discounting it. The small pool at the bottom indicates how he sees life - everyone is a reflection of their emotions. As a result, thi…

Seven of Staves: Having grown up with four stepbrothers and stepsisters, I understand the desire to protect what is rightfully yours. I can just imagine a boy lining up the seven soldiers on his toy box while warning a younger sibling not to touch what's inside "or else." The toy box represents our creative ideas and projects that need to be protected from others who might try to represent them as their own. Or, they may need to remain hidden from people who constantly rip our dreams apart, telling us they are impractical or impossible. The circus elephants on the toy box imply another group - people who want us to "perform" in traditional ways instead of following our ow…

Hermit What I notice in the Hermit card: lots of RED lantern-like hanging lamp fountain statuary (man) in wall niche If you were to collect all the major arcana cards in this deck and fan them out, this one would stand out immediately because it is infused with the color red. Usually I associate red with passion, energy and the life force, but this doesn't seem to fit. In my former employment, I was a bookkeeper, so it wasn't surprising that the phrase "in the red or in the black" passed through my head. Being in the black means you are making enough money to pay bills and have some left over. Being in the red means you are operating with a deficit. So this card in…

Sun What I notice in the Sun card: A statue of Surya Two large vases full of sunflowers Sun design on the wall and rug Surya is a sun god and the chief of the classical planets in Hindu astrology. He is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by seven horses (or one horse with seven heads) which represent the seven colors of the rainbow or the seven chakras. He is associated with healing: in one Hindu legend, a man with leprosy was inspired to write verses in honor of Surya, and by the time he finished the last verse, he was cured. Surya represents the wholeness and balance that comes after the Fool has gained wisdom (through the previous majors) and been made aw…

Fool What I notice in the card: Mirror/looking glass Mardi Gras-like jester mask looking out of mirror 6 different butterflies around mirror Greyhound balanced on edge of black and white marble mantel Metronome or pyramid-shaped paperweight Featureless artist mannequin The mirror reminds me of "Through the Looking-Glass," the tale of Alice who climbed through the mirror to an alternate reality. Things are not what they seem! The jester mask is on the inside of the mirror, about to come into our reality. Again the mask underscores the fact that what is on the outside is not necessarily a true reflection of what is. The jester's wisdom may not come across as poli…

Four of Staves: An artist's palette and a jar holding four brushes and cleaning fluid sit on a table. The background is blank, perhaps what will be painted. The palette is used to mix paints, adjusting the colors until the right shade is reached. This card reminds me of building a house. Though the framework and foundation may have been laid (the blank canvas), there are hundreds of other decisions to be made - choosing what kind of flooring, picking out wallpaper or paint, deciding on faucets and cabinets... The list (mixing colors) seems endless and the number of choices a bit overwhelming. But this card encourages me to celebrate having created a stable base to work f…

Ace of Coins "the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all..." ~ Black Elk The coin on this card resembles a hoop, which brought to mind the quote by Black Elk. Circles are found throughout many cultures, from the medicine wheels of native people to the sand mandalas of Tibetan Buddhists. For Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, they represented wholeness. As humans, we seek the blessings of health and wealth - the kind of wholeness that will allow us to live life more fully. Most wheels and mandalas begin with a dot in the center that radiate…

Page of Swords Although you can't see it in his portrait, I am almost positive this young man wears a t-shirt that says "runs with scissors." This Page is elementally Earth of Air; the air is symbolized by the peacocks and the flute player, while the earth is symbolized by the statue of Pan (information and knowledge is orgasmic pleasure to this young man). What do you get when you mix lots of air with earth? Sand and dust storms as well as tornadoes that pick up and fling objects at 100 mph. This boy is quite a prodigy as far as intellect goes; the problem is that he hasn't developed tact, respect or sensitivity to the feelings of others when it comes to using that sh…

Ace of Cups: Here is the beginning of the Cups suit, whose motto might be "I feel." Aces are pure potential and show us what is possible, particularly in the realm of emotions for the Cups suit. Most people generally think of relationships with this suit, but it may also include intuition and spirituality. On this image is an urn/cup with a covering over its top. It makes me think of Pandora's box - what kind of relationship will spring out if the top is taken off? There may be a chance for deep love and friendship, but heartache and betrayal is also possible. Do we choose to be vulnerable and see what happens? The design behind the urn looks similar to the sun design use…

Seven of Coins A rake leans against a garden wall from which a Bacchus water spout flows. All around are fall colors, and weeds seem to have gotten the upper hand as the season progressed. Yet the frame containing seven gold coins (in the shape of the alchemical symbol for the sun) suggest there has been a return on my investment. The Bacchus head that decorates the fountain is a callback to a Liber, an ancient Italian god of fertility and growth who later became equated with Bacchus. The rake reminds me of the autumn clean-up I generally do this time of year in my own garden. While sprucing up, I can assess what I did right, what I did wrong, and how I might improve n…

In the four of coins of Tyldwick, there is a matrix with 16 cells, and there are numbers in these cells. There is a circle outside the matrix with 16 cells,too, and there are celestial bodies and elemental symbols in them. The numbers in this matrix are: (the first row) 8, 9, 6, 4, (the second row) blank, 9, blank, 2, (the third row )8, 9, 5, 9, (the fourth row) 9, 3, 13, 0. It is clear that the numbers in each row, column, and in the forward and backward main diagonals, add up to different numbers, so the matrix is not a Jupiter Square. I also found that the colors of each cell in the matrix squares correspond in order to the cells in the circle. The first cel…

Four of Coins Some people use locks and safes to guard their possessions, and others use magic. In this card, there is a circle made of planetary and alchemical signs. Above it is a stone head of Jupiter and within it is a square filled with numbers. The circle represents the wheel of change - the impermanence of physical life. The Roman god Jupiter (king of gods, sky and thunder) watches over to protect and preserve what is good (I'm sure he's hiding a thunderbolt somewhere). The 4 x 4 square is Jupiter's "magic square" (kamea in Hebrew); these squares were an arrangement of numbers (usually integers) in a square grid, where the numbers in each row, and in each column…

Two of Staves: In this image, two spikes of a red hot poker (aka torch lily) stand against a bare background. This plant is a native of Africa, so it likes lots of sun and heat. Hummingbirds love these flowers. Here, one inflorescence (cluster of flowers) is in full bloom while another is just beginning; hummingbirds could enjoy the fully opened flowers on the one spike, but would have to wait a while for the other spike's flowers to completely open. In the same way, we often find ourselves enjoying some part of life, but wondering, "Is this all there is?" What we have is good, but there might be something even better out there. We begin to feel restless. Should we mainta…

I was reading your old posts about the Tyldwick on the old AT site and they proved to be of tremendous value. It's really helpful to have found your additional commentaries here and the new perspectives on this wonderful deck. 👍

Nine of Coins Whenever I see trunks and chests like these, I think of two things: treasure and travel. The Nine of Coins shows a person who has finally learned to manage their resources wisely. Hard work, discipline and perseverance has paid off handsomely. Not only is there a nice little "nest egg" to show for all that effort, there is leisure time for trips, artistic exploration, intellectual pursuits or just enjoying life in general. And something else has happened as well - the follower has become a leader, confident and independent with plenty of experience under his or her belt. On each of the door panels are stencils of nine pentacles arranged in the 3 x 3 shape…

Ten of Staves: Holy smoke, all those stacked cords of wood look like the Great Wall of China. A lot of work has been done up to this point. But the ten pieces with red ends (indicating what is important) have become buried beneath other things. It reminds me of when my daughter was born and I made the decision to work part-time in order to spend more time with her. Unfortunately, other people figured I had plenty of free time, so I was constantly barraged with requests to volunteer or help various causes or groups. Before I knew it, the reason I cut my work hours had been buried under a ton of other obligations. Just because we get to the "finished product" doesn't mean o…

Three of Coins Anyone who has ever done any gardening knows that keeping one in good shape requires some knowledge and effort. The three "star" coins on the wall above the rose bush suggest the gardener who resides here is a master. Stars have been used to decorate a student's exceptional paper, to designate the rank of a military officer, and to honor the states of a country on its flag. Generally in all its uses, the star represents excellence and attainment. The four-pointed star is often called a "cross star" and indicates sacrifice and perseverance in order to earn recognition. The number three may imply a requirement of knowledge, passion and practical skill to r…

King of Coins The King of Coins is elementally "Air of Earth." What do you get when you add air (think space) to something solid? I imagine digging a hole in the soil that allows a tree to be planted, or shaping a bowl from clay that can be used to hold food. Likewise, this King likes for things to be useful and have a purpose. But he's not a practical prude - check out that salt shaker and pepper grinder on the desk. He loves what is beautiful, comfortable and sensual. Like the spices, these things have a purpose for him in that they bring pleasure and enjoyment to life. He's a generous soul, but he believes in the saying: "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; te…

Queen of Coins Being "Water of Earth," it is not surprising to find this queen's portrait in a water garden. The two toads that sit beside the pool are suitable symbols, beginning life as tadpoles then continuing as adults on land. When I think of the combination of these two elements, I think of wet clay on a potter's wheel. The Queen of Coins is a very tactile, sensuous woman, and she knows how to use these talents to shape and form what she wants to create. She is well aware of how smell, taste, sound, touch and sight can influence a person's thoughts, energy and emotions. Feeling dull with no "get up and go?" She'll be glad to give you some of the rosemary essentia…

Knight of Coins In this card is a representation of the Knight of Coins, elementally "fire of earth." I am reminded of a seed that sprouts because the soil begins to warm. The Fire element can be seen in the fireplace and the salamanders (Paracelsus - 1493 to 1541- suggested that the salamander was the elemental of fire). The Earth element is expressed in the landscape painting behind the portrait and the tortoises on the base of the vases. Two other animals are evident in this card: dragons and horses. Dragons symbolize a primordial power and are known for guarding treasures. These traits are seen in the knight as he guards and takes care of his resources. This is a g…

Page of Coins This is the first court card I've found without any animals in it, though this "earth of earth" Page has plenty of plants in his garden. The design on the coin symbol above his portrait reminds me of the model of an atom - something he would be most curious about. He is often called a student, not because he loves knowledge for knowledge's sake, but because it can be used to create, build and do things with a purpose. This Page would agree with the Zen saying, "Before Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water; after Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." Except he would explain that his new knowledge enables him to chop and carry much more efficiently. Such …

Ten of Coins Ten gold coins are arranged on latticework with a Bacchus mask in the middle. The design imprinted on the coins mimics the design on the Ace of Coins card. The arrangement is in the shape of the Tree of Life found in Kabbalah. In Judaism, the Tree of Life was a symbol of the life-giving source that sustains and nourishes all. The grape vines and mask indicate not just sustenance, but an abundance of resources. The wooden kegs have had their bungs (cork-like plugs) removed and are obviously empty. I am reminded of the phrase "tapped out," meaning something has been depleted or used up. This expression also refers to wrestlers who "tap out" when they want to…

Eight of Coins “I need solitude for my writing; not 'like a hermit' - that wouldn't be enough - but like a dead man.” ― Franz Kafka When I first had a look at this card, I felt like I was inside a room looking out a peephole. The eight faceted jewels suggest we are perfecting a craft or in the process of some sort of development. And as Kafka states, we need the solitude to do so. The distractions of other people, social dramas or happenings, and the "shoulds" can keep us from concentrating on what is at hand. We must manage our resources carefully, which includes our time. The painting in the peephole is from "The Très Riches Heures," a medieval book of hours commi…

Six of Coins In the Six of Coins, the disturbances of the Five have settled back into balance once again. Lessons have been learned though, as seen by the fenced area with two griffin statues guarding the gates. Griffins were mythical animals who were part lion and part eagle. The lion was seen as king of the beasts and the eagle king of the birds, so this beast was considered especially powerful and used to guard what was considered priceless and dear. The disks that make up the gate show four that look alike and two others that look the same. So what was had at the beginning (in the Four of Coins) has been replaced along with a bit extra (shown by the two disks). We …