Tyldwick Tarot

Queen of Staves: The Queen of Staves is Water of Fire elementally; she uses her nurturing skills to get the job done. Her fountain flows down to keep the pool filled below. The flaming burners atop the urns, the red marble, the plants with fiery foliage, and the dragons hidden at the top all speak of her passionate nature. If you need a team leader, she's your gal. Water heated up will become steam - she knows how to get things moving. Yet she has another talent - the ability to attract a posse of people around her who will do what she asks of them. At the pool are a variety of plants (ferns, cattails) and fish that need water to survive. These are her "soldiers;" she kno…

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…

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…

Seven of Cups: On an elaborately decorated table sit seven cups; on either side of the row is a vase holding a peacock feather. Behind the cups is a statue of Mahamayuri, one of several Wisdom Kings and Queens in the Buddhist pantheon. As guardians and protectors, these figures were generally depicted with ferocious appearances in order to frighten and destroy evil and ignorance. Mahamayuri however, was generally shown with a peaceful countenance and riding a peacock. In choosing what will fulfill us emotionally, this queen reminds us to look beyond sensual pleasures and the desires of the ego. Wisdom is needed in making this choice, and she warns us not to be impulsive b…

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…

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…

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 …

Six of Cups: My first impression of this card was a vacation picture someone took while at the beach. But then I noticed the inscriptions on the concrete rail. It made me think of memorials, like the Vietnam Veterans Wall or the bronze inscriptions of the 9/11 victims at the twin pools in New York. I've also had friends who planted trees to remember their loved ones as a living memorial, much like the six pots of plants in the card. Such memorials can help us integrate the past with the present; it is a way to learn rather than to simply regret. It is not necessary to shut the door on the past, but it is important to appreciate and live in the present moment. The watering…

Six of Staves: The laurel wreath is a connection to the previous card; an Olympic athlete has bested all his challengers and now is crowned as the victor. What has seemed like chaos - one obstacle after another - has now settled down and become a moment of success. The Greek/Roman temple in the architectural design is also symbolic of honor, built for the various gods and goddesses. The red columns on the diagram draw the eye, and remind me these were not just added for beauty, but helped support the heavy marble roof. In fact, the columns are some of the last part of the building still standing at these ancient sites. The Romans later figured out that arches could suppo…

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…

Star What I notice in the Star card: water fountain in the shape of a hexagram Greek pottery piece flowers and ivy The water trickling down from the mouth of the fountain represents the cleansing and refreshing properties of water (much needed after the Tower experience). The hexagram symbol around the fountain is an alchemical one. The union of the fire symbol (triangle pointing up) with the water symbol (triangle pointing down) is a combination of opposites representing transmutation. In alchemy, that would translate to changing lead to gold, but in spiritual terms, it might signify enlightenment after experiencing the dark night of the soul. The fusion of the tw…

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…

Temperance What I notice in the Temperance card: painting of an angel (dressed half in red, half in blue) surrounded by an arch figures below painting (appear to be two angels on either side of a person) I will have to preface this post by saying most of what I see symbolically in this card is 99% from my imagination. This is the first card I've come to that I did not like (partially because I'm not fond of angels but mostly because details - even enlarged - were impossible to make out). The angel in the painting wears two colors: red and blue. The red color reminds me of the angel Michael, the commander of the celestial forces who brings a sword. The blue color r…

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…

Ten of Cups: Seeing the cabinet filled with various containers (cups, pitchers, teapots, vases, etc.) in this card reminded me of a visit I made to see my grandmother in the nursing home years ago. She took me to see a quilt that hung on her friend's wall across the hall. Each square marked some part of the woman's life: her diploma, a wedding picture, symbols of her career, beloved pets, children and grandchildren, hobbies and friends. Like the cabinet filled with the containers, it was a testament to the emotional peaks in her life. It marked a life of emotional fulfillment, a life blessed by many experiences, challenges and people. The quilt squares and containers are …

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…

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 …

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. 👍

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…

Three of Cups: High on a roof top are three urns, one of which has been put to use as a nesting site for storks. These birds have long been seen as symbols of good luck, fertility and abundance. The partnership of the Two of Cups has now produced something of worth and value, and now it is time to celebrate its success. Yet it is not just two people this card represents, but also a group of people ("tribe") who have common interests and use their love of this interest to support, encourage and create. The decorative iron gate is a large part of the image of the card and seems to be a protective measure. It is not meant to exclude so much as it is to provide a sanctuary fo…

Three of Staves: On top of a chest sits a model of the ship Santa Maria, the flagship of Columbus on his first voyage attempt to discover the New World. People generally don’t build historic models of cars, planes or ships that weren’t of some importance, so this card indicates reaching an important step toward one’s goal. The ship also makes me think of the phrase “my ship has come in.” This phrase originated in areas along the coast where families made their money from the sea; mothers and wives often had to run a tab with tradesmen for food, clothing or other supplies. When their husbands or sons returned and were paid, these women could pay off the credit they had bee…

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…

Tower What I notice in the Tower card: picture (glass cracked) of the Tower of Babel masks around the frame rug under table with star design The biblical story of the Tower of Babel tells of how (after the Great Flood) the people got together to build a tower to heaven. God saw what they were up to and zapped them so they spoke different languages. Without being able to communicate, they gave up their effort. Various rabbinic sources offer explanations for the the story. One suggests the people were motivated by wanting to be protected (no more floods) and special: "God has no right to choose the upper world for Himself, and to leave the lower world to us; therefor…

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…

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…