Tyldwick Tarot

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…

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. 👍

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 Swords The paper with its collection of theories and algebraic equations made me think of a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality." And in many cases, it has no ethical or moral compass either. Here is the card of the spin doctors who make a crooked politician look legit, a con man who sells worthless items to an elderly woman or anyone who uses bullshite to impress another person and earn their trust. He has so many facts and figures that it will make your head spin, and he sounds impressive. Forget trying to reason with this person; he has his own b…

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…

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…

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…

King of Staves: Here is the King of Staves, elementally known as Air of Fire. The symbols of air can be seen in the window (the sky), the eagles and the French horn. Fire is represented by the red marble, red foliage, and sun design in the flooring. It is interesting to note the two staffs/spears that have been seen in the other three court cards of this suit have now increased to four, suggesting stability in this fiery suit. The heating of air causes it to rise, as with a hot air balloon, allowing a wide overview (much like the height and perspective the eagle can attain). Such clarity of vision is needed when leading/ruling others. He has to make sure his windows are k…

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…

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…

King of Swords The King of Swords is elementally Air of Air, and objects that symbolize this element abound in this card: butterflies, peacock feathers, a huge fan, and a windmill figure. The King has developed and transformed over the years, as seen by the butterfly. He is no longer tactless like the Page or impulsive like the Knight. The sprays of peacock feathers show him to be an excellent observer. Like a scientist, he will watch carefully and pick up on small details that most folks would miss. Gathering all these observations together, he can make decisions and create solutions that are objective and fair. Just as the wheel of the windmill is turned by the wind,…

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…

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 Swords The Queen of Swords is elementally Water of Air; the water is symbolized by the garden pool while both air and water are seen by the flamingos and the harps. She is a nurturer, but not the warm, cuddly, fuzzy kind. She believes the best way to help a person is to be blunt and honest with them (the harp makes me think of the phrase "time to face to music"). And believe me, this woman can help "tune you up." The flamingos are interesting birds; their deep, shovel-like bills are used to dredge up mud and water then filter out what is edible and what is not. In the same way, this queen encourages us to filter out the emotions that might be causing us to clo…

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…

Magician What I notice in the Magician card: Puppet Theater Quilt-like wall covering Knife, cup, disk, wand/stick Two drawers in simple table The puppet theater shows the entertaining and manipulative side of the Magician. He "pulls strings" to get the figures to perform as he would like. It is easy to get lost in the show and forget that someone else is behind the scenes doing the controlling. I wonder if there is a connection between the artist mannequin in the Fool and the puppets here, as they both can be manipulated. The wall covering resembles a quilt. According to my friend (and quilter extraordinaire) AJ, two of the patterns used in it are the "flying gee…

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…

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…

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 …

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…