The Four Suits of the Wild Wood - Arrows - Swords - Air - Spring

[WildWoman71]

Let's talk about Arrows both generally and in Wild Wood...

 

The arrows are our desires - independence - self-defense

two crossed arrows represent friendship

two arrows facing away from each other represent conflict

Like hunters we need to be able to focus to achieve our prey

The Natives used arrows for hunting and for protection

Arrows can represent power, love (cupids arrow)

Arrows show direction

Arrows represent strength in finding one's direction in life

An arrow pulled back on a bow shows focus, readiness, and aim

An arrow released from a bow shows action - shows someone who is ready to take on whatever comes their way by maintaining focus and being prepared

A broken arrow show defeat - the end of a battle - addiction - breaking old habits

A bundle of arrows represents readiness for battle - banding together

 

WW

 

 

 

 

 

[SilverLeaf]

@WildWoman71, thanks for getting this up and running! My interpretation of the Tarot in general is that the suits divide the energies of our reality across two intersecting dualities: the first, being the duality of masculine/feminine (as energies, NOT genders), positive/negative, outgoing/incoming, etc.; the second, being the duality of what I call "ethereal/material", the duality of intention/action, idea/manifestation. The four elements, to me, represent the interplay between the combination of these dualities:

 

Arrows/Swords = Masculine Ethereal

Bows/Wands = Masculine Material

Vessels/Cups = Feminine Ethereal

Stones/Pentacles = Feminine Material

 

I see these four energies as the key to progression from divine impulse to creative manifestation, crudely: Thought --> Action --> Interaction (Relationship) --> Manifestation

 

One of the things I love about the Wildwood imagery is the explicit connection between the Arrows and Bows suits. Intention (mental impulse/ethereal represented by arrows) suffers from a lack of direction and power unless it is materially guided by the energy of Bows, bringing intention into play in the physical reality.

 

I love the way you listed the various ways arrow imagery can be used. I'm looking to exploring the suit further over the next few days as time allows!

[WildWoman71]

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Arrows/Swords = Masculine Ethereal

Bows/Wands = Masculine Material

Vessels/Cups = Feminine Ethereal

Stones/Pentacles = Feminine Material

 

I agree 100% with the male/female assignments of the suits in tarot.  To add to it...

Fire/Water combinations - are 'enemies' and weaken

Air/Earth combinations - are 'enemies; and weaken

Fire/Earth combinations - neutral

Air/Water combinations - neutral

Fire/Air combinations - active (strengthen)

Water/Earth combinations - passive (strengthen)

 

Specifically for Wild Wood - there is a timing aspect assigned to them 

 

Arrows/Spring

Bows/ Summer

Vessels/Autumn

Stones/Winter

 

WW

[Wanderer]

6 minutes ago, SilverLeaf said:

I love the way you listed the various ways arrow imagery can be used. I'm looking to exploring the suit further over the next few days as time allows!

Totally agree, @WildWoman71 - there are elements there I hadn't consciously considered, so thank you! Likewise, your explicit correlations, Silverleaf - they make complete sense to me, although I hadn't put them in those words.

 

So, what can I add? The connection between bows and arrows is very powerful, I agree. I've always visualised it as the arrows representing the intentions or desires, and the bow as the means to make them happen - so pretty much the same as you, but in different words!

 

There is a connection between the Vessels and Stones as well, though. When you look for it, it becomes obvious that the water is usually constrained or channeled by stone. Even when it's flowing into and out of vessels, usually it's then funnelled over (e.g. 10 of Vessels) or out of (e.g. Six of Vessels) a stony channel. I take this to represent the material supporting and influencing the ethereal (to use your words). Once again, the one suit is abstract and idealised, and the other makes it happen.

 

 

 

[WildWoman71]

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So, what can I add? The connection between bows and arrows is very powerful, I agree. I've always visualised it as the arrows representing the intentions or desires, and the bow as the means to make them happen - so pretty much the same as you, but in different words!

 

 

Yes!! Totally agree.  Interestingly enough the bow itself has strong links to the past - I believe it represents a connection to the past - and all that comes with it to take aim and actually release the arrow of our desires.

 

Quote

There is a connection between the Vessels and Stones as well, though. When you look for it, it becomes obvious that the water is usually constrained or channeled by stone. Even when it's flowing into and out of vessels, usually it's then funnelled over (e.g. 10 of Vessels) or out of (e.g. Six of Vessels) a stony channel. I take this to represent the material supporting and influencing the ethereal (to use your words). Once again, the one suit is abstract and idealised, and the other makes it happen.

 

I have not seen this connection - but will definately be looking for it now and see if I can integrate the connection in my readings...makes me think of the old cliche "you can't get water from a stone" but can you?

 

 

added:

however, in nature - water is purified and safe to drink if filtered over stones....

WW

Edited January 22, 2021 by WildWoman71
Additional thought

[SilverLeaf]

2 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

 When you look for it, it becomes obvious that the water is usually constrained or channeled by stone. Even when it's flowing into and out of vessels, usually it's then funnelled over (e.g. 10 of Vessels) or out of (e.g. Six of Vessels) a stony channel. I take this to represent the material supporting and influencing the ethereal (to use your words). Once again, the one suit is abstract and idealised, and the other makes it happen.

 

I love this insight, it really fills a piece i was missing, so thank you @Wanderer!

 

I also see each of the feminine suits as a "consequence" or outcome (really receiver) of its polar energy. Vessel energy (relationship) flows as an outcome of Arrow energy (intention), and Stone energy ("deeds" or manifestation) flow as an outcome of Bow energy (actions in motion). Another way I think about the suits are: Arrows (Thinking/feeling) --> Vessels (outcome of having thought/felt); Bows (doing/acting) --> Stones (having done/outcome of actions).

[Wanderer]

2 minutes ago, WildWoman71 said:

I agree 100% with the male/female assignments of the suits in tarot.  To add to it...

I'm going to disagree, then!

For me, the Wildwood is not really about fixed genders, and reflects better the way that they work together. So, I would be very reluctant to assign gender to a suit as a whole, but if I had to, I'd merge them so that within each pair of suits (Arrows/Bows and Vessels/Stones) one was more typically masculine and one feminine. Personally, I see the 'ethereal' suit as the more masculine (abstract, intentional) and the 'material' as more feminine (practical, down-to-earth). This combination within each pairing is what makes the whole complete.

    Now, I realise this goes against the typical suit assignment in wider Tarot lore, but to me it makes sense... or at least gives me a perspective that can be useful! As I say, though, I feel that in this mythology, the male/female roles are a bit of a red herring. Part of the deck's appeal, to me, is how grounded and realistic it is, when it comes to the personalities in it... and they are always combinations of both facets.

    Just seen your addition comments on giving and receiving of energy, Silverleaf - will have to think about that one too!

[WildWoman71]

Personally I do not read male/female energies generally....a lot of my approach is based on numerology - so I do a lot of math in my readings lol....I like to know the total single digit of every reading - which for me really sums up the message of the entire reading.  Also I layer my reading - so each minor also brings a message from the major

[Wanderer]

10 minutes ago, WildWoman71 said:

I have not seen this connection - but will definately be looking for it now and see if I can integrate the connection in my readings...makes me think of the old cliche "you can't get water from a stone" but can you?

Indeed you can!

There's also the old (very Taoist... there's a lot of that in the Wildwood) aspect of water wearing away stone, and the soft overcoming the hard. Although Stone dictates flow on short timescales, eventually the water wins. In other words: although the material seems to be the most important in superficial ways, ultimately it gives way to the emotional.

[Wanderer]

7 minutes ago, WildWoman71 said:

Personally I do not read male/female energies generally....a lot of my approach is based on numerology - so I do a lot of math in my readings lol....I like to know the total single digit of every reading - which for me really sums up the message of the entire reading.  Also I layer my reading - so each minor also brings a message from the major

Interesting! It always amazes me how we can all read in such different ways, and yet still achieve the same results. I confess I don't touch numerology at all, but if I did start doing that, then I dare say the reading process would incorporate it neatly. Links between majors and minors would be a great subject for another thread, at some point!