The World in a sexual context

[November]

Hello everyone, how can The World be interpreted in the context of intimacy and sex? The card was pull in terms of advice, I was thinking about suggesting to be more spontaneous and open, I say so because of the image in the RWS deck, but I'm not sure. 

What do you think? 

Thank you. 

Edited March 9 by November

[Raggydoll]

To me, it speaks of self confidence and the importance of knowing one’s own body. She is not looking for a partner to complete her, and I believe she’s in charge of her own pleasure. 

[JoyousGirl]

My instant thought was of the veil that she dances with. I then thought of the seven veils dance - but I'm not sure of the literal meaning behind that.  There's a seduction, a set of movements, a gradual unveiling of the self - an invitation into the private mysteries of the person.

 

To my mind, I'm thinking of a gradual unveiling, sort of like going on 3 dates before putting out, so that, but not actually that. There's a rhythm and a beat, a process - such as talking to see if you actually have a good energy exchange, play, eye-contact, kissing, foreplay, then the decision to 'dance'.  The World's been here a long time, its activities can take a long time. So slowing down despite wanting to speed up.

 

I really agree with Raggydoll's interpretation too. If you can't "get yourself off", no-one else will be able to do it for you until you can.

[DanielJUK]

The figure in the centre, changes depending on the card / tarot system, sometimes it's a man, sometimes it's a woman. The interesting thing about RWS is that several authors have said the figure is both a man and a woman, there's an integration of male and female energies. Plus they are nude, apart from that ribbon, that has confidence and are body positivity, they have great self-acceptance of themselves. Then "the beasts" in the corners, they represent the 4 astrological elements of the signs, a balance of all energies. All the symbols are about feeling complete and an integration, they are at quite a complete and self-assured point in their life.

 

I think this can play out in 2 ways:

 

- Trying something new, there is a way it might happen regularly, but now it's time to move on to the next level, add something new to the mix

- Adding to Raggy's idea. They are really assured in themselves, they have reached a high level of realising their needs and what they want. They know what will make them feel sexually complete, maybe it's themselves, maybe it's a man or a women or maybe it's a group. So they know what will fulfil them with intimacy and sex.

[geoxena]

I often think of the World card as saying someone is centered within themselves and able to balance all the many things that are in their world.  In the context of advice about sexual intimacy, it could be saying that it's okay to be at the center, to be in command of one's sexual experiences, and ask for what one wants and needs, and/or to explore what's out there in the world to find it.  It's about having a satisfying experience that feels complete on many levels, feeling joyful and confident, and enjoying life, sex, intimacy, and relationships on one's own terms.  And it can also be about creating healthy boundaries. 

 

The World is at the end of the fool's journey, and often relates to a state that has already been reached or some kind of conclusion, so in this case it might also mean that the person already has everything they need to feel fulfilled and satisfied.

 

Edited March 10 by geoxena

[lyredragon]

the veil she dances with, to grab from Christian mythology is the veil of death. You pass judgement and you are granted a new body and the permission to eat from the tree of the knowledge of life and death. Basically what people are going through as they go through the procession of the triumphs is listing ways that the hero of the procession overcomes temporal obstacles to achieve a newness untainted by their journey.  

 

YOu are right it does make something sort of sexual because the human animal was designed for procreation so that's how we as a species tend to understand the ecstasy of two becoming one, even if you don't have that orientation. Just one moment when you get to go beyond constraint and experience singularity, an undefined experience when time, boundaries, physical matter, differences, don't matter at all. The thing that is the reason why priests have their ankles tied, because if you can't depart the single moment of ecstasy, you don't get to come back because you no longer separate consciousness between yourself and the other. Sometimes you must be yanked out by people who value your worth to society more than you value your own distinction.

 

But that's the world. It's relief that you passed judgement, the transcendence of triumphing through twenty and one heroic labors, the newness that you can now bring back to your community to elevate it as you were elevated by your journey. But what it represents is the highest consciousness of all looking back through the cards and now that you have also been through them, you can see the influence of The World on all the triumphs you went through because you experienced ecstasy whereas when you were going through them, you often felt alone and abandoned or even opposed. That is the difference between those who pass judgement and those who do not. Those who do not remain in the dissociated, survival-oriented state.

 

When you get the world in a reading it's always good for you. Validation that your struggle was not only worthwhile but that you are to be edified by it. You were not alone after all, even in your darkest moments. So it gets to be the card of the eureka moment. The moment when everything finally makes sense. 

 

Same for in the context of sex. The world is the union of two becoming one, the real meaning of being married to someone else. Not that both of you are no longer unique, you are. but it's the kind of intimacy you get from lifelong partners, who know where you've been and you know where they've been and you celebrate each other for those difficult things as well as all the good things. It's really liberating and sadly rare to be able to trust and communicate and love your partner in all ways. So maybe this card is a moment of examination. Where in your relationship are you survival oriented?