Tyldwick Tarot

Ace of Swords The suit of swords represents clarity in various guises: ~ the objective truth ~ sudden creative inspiration or problem solving ~ effective communication ~ the light of understanding Yet the sword is double-edged; it can be used to help or harm. The spiraling steel basket around the hilt is more than just a decoration. Along with the cross-guard (hand-guard), they keep the hand from sliding down towards the blade during thrusts and protect the hand from blows by an opponent. Care must be taken with our knowledge and words, or we may wind up with unintended injuries. We need the cross-guard to stop us from crossing boundaries that we don't need to c…

Two of Swords A friend recently heard lots of birds making a racket outside and went to see what all the fuss was about. She found a terrified cockatiel, obviously an escaped pet. She got her cat’s pet carrier and placed it inside, and immediately it calmed down. She turned it in to the local shelter in hopes it would be reunited with its owner. The terror that bird must have felt is what I see in this card. The dove has been locked out of its comfort zone where it felt protected and secure. Isn’t that how it feels when we have to make a hard decision, one that will cause pain no matter what we choose? Though we may want to force the responsibility on someone else, it …

Three of Swords This card reminds me of the saying, "When a door is closed, look for an open window." However this window looks not only firmly shut, but bricked up on the other side. There are times when life is like being in a car that is stuck in neutral; you can't put it in drive or reverse. The decision made in the Two of Swords is a done deal, with no way to return to what was and no option for the future. The only choice is to get out of the car and find some new wheels (ideas, beliefs) that work. Some people might choose to force the issue and get a bulldozer to knock down the bricks, but all that's going to result in is a pile of rubble. Take off that seat-bel…

Four of Swords The wheelchair is a symbol of being incapacitated, but in this case it is not the body that is the problem but the mind. It is the result of over-thinking, or “analysis paralysis.” We’ve become like a little motorized toy car that has run into the wall and continues to bump into it without going anywhere. What we need to do is stop thinking about the problem and rest our brains. I’ve been amazed in the past that as I’m falling asleep or waking up in the morning, I’ll suddenly find the key to unlock the puzzle that’s been driving me crazy. The solution can also come when my mind is distracted by some mundane task like weeding or cleaning. The other symbol…

Five of Swords This image reminds me of the many homes around here that were foreclosed on and now sit abandoned and neglected. It resembles what might be the 5 of Pentacles in the RWS, but it is actually a take on a Thoth-inspired meaning; it could be entitled "The Dark Despair of Defeat." But what caused the defeat in the first place? I think the dirty, broken window gives a hint - lack of clarity and detachment when it comes to self-assessment. My daughter and I were watching "Cake Boss" the other night, and one of the women on one team had an extremely strong personality. She demanded the huge cake they were making be stacked in a certain way. Even though her teamm…

Six of Swords The standing globe and world map on the wall made me instantly think of my mother. At age 77, she has visited over 50 countries, often going back to visit some of them again. In fact, she's making her way from Amsterdam to Budapest now. She comes from a small Southern town in Georgia where what's considered "nice and respectable" is firmly etched in stone. Perhaps because she taught school for forty years, she believes everyone should travel outside their community - if not overseas, then at least to another part of the country. It is easy to adopt certain ideas and opinions based on personal life experiences, especially from one's place of origin. It als…

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…

Eight of Swords There’s only one reason to put barbed wire on top of a fence or wall – to keep people from climbing over it. Having spent part of my childhood on a large farm, I can attest to the problems of trying - attempts often ended with a trip to the doctor for a tetanus shot. But one thing I do remember about those acres and acres of fields enclosed by barbed wire fences. There was always a gate somewhere. So why stay here in this one spot and stare at the wall and wire? It’s a good excuse not to have to do anything. I can point and say, “I have no options.” Okay, maybe it does look like I am blocked with no way out from where I’m standing. But if I’ll move my f…

Nine of Swords The truth might set some people free, but for others it strips them bare and leaves them feeling raw and exposed. Curled in an emotional fetal position, they want desperately to shut off their minds. But what we resist will only persist; it needs to be dealt with. The mind may have manipulated things to make them sound good, but now the “writing is on the wall” (as seen by the swords pip) and the unvarnished truth is plain to see. It’s excruciating the way the brain can replay over and over the choices made or words said and the consequences that resulted. Simply saying “I’m sorry” is not going to fix what has been broken this time. But is it possible we…

Ten of Swords The inkwell, note and red smear on the wall immediately bring to mind a suicide. I can think of no other action that makes such a dramatic statement. But there are other forms of suicide that aren't physical, which is to what this card alludes. In these cases, there is a manifesto drawn up in the mind, an idealistic set of ideas and beliefs that a person is willing to go to bat for no matter what the cost. Just recently the Republican Party shut down the government in America because Obamacare was passed into law and they were angry about it. The politicians got paid for doing nothing, while thousands of Americans didn't receive services or pay while the …

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…

Knight of Swords The Knight of Swords is elementally Fire of Air, so there are symbols of both fire (fireplace, phoenix statues and illustrations, sun-like frame) and air (peacocks, bellows). This knight is the go-to guy in cases where a quick solution is sought. Unfortunately, don't expect compassion to be factored in the answer. Though extremely knowledgeable, he tends to see things in black and white, right or wrong, with no gray areas. He's all about quick action (notice the clock on the mantel), and most people would consider him impulsive. He reminds me of red-tailed hawks; in the blink of an eye, they swoop down, tear the head off a dove, then disappear with the…

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…

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,…

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…

Two of Coins On a brick wall, a pulley system is affixed allowing a bucket with a plant to be raised and lowered. My mother has two asparagus ferns hanging in large baskets from her front porch. When she takes them down for watering, it takes two people to hang them back up again because they become so heavy. This card has a reddish tone to it, and it symbolizes the great amount of energy being expended. We only have a certain amount of time, energy and money to spread over all of our obligations - both those we want to do and those we must do. Like all "twos," this card is about choosing; in this case, deciding how we are going to "spend" our coins (time, energy, mone…

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…

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…

Five of Coins This image appears to be an abandoned building: vines grow up the wall, weeds choke the yard, and old pieces of furniture and other junk litter the area. Yet a set of windchimes made of five dangling circles hangs intact. In this card, the security and stability of the four has given way to the disturbing, disruptive energy of the five. Health, home and our finances may be affected. It feels so hopeless that we may just want to sit in that old, weathered chair chanting the mantra, "Woe is me." But this situation didn't just drop out of the sky, it has been building for some time. And unfortunately, it seems only pain will motivate us to change our circums…

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 …

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…

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…

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 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…

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 …