What is your favorite symbol in the Rider Waite Deck?

[Samual_Jennings]

There is much symbolism in the Rider Waite Deck. Which is your favorite symbol? Or which symbol means the most to you?

[Celice]

I love the ouroboros around the Magician’s waist that he is using as a belt. There are several infinity symbols throughout the deck but I have a particular fondness for an ouroboros

[Samual_Jennings]

Neat. I like cards that contain yods. I am religious, and Hebrew letters speak to me (especially the yod, symbolizing the divine). The one card with yod I would not like is the Tower, as I may interpret it as devine punishment. If you would like to converse more about the yod or the Tower, send me a private message.

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

it has been a long time since I've seen a RiderWaite, but I was always partial to the salamander sunning itself on several of the cards. Thinking before acting I think

[Saturn Celeste]

The Hand.  Usually offering an Ace.

[Nivian]

The chalice the Queen of Cups holds...I think it's the Holy Grail.

[VGimlet]

I really like the snail on the Queen of Cups.  A very subtle reminder we carry home with us....

[sneezedrops]

Im a fan of the little black cat on the Queen of Wands - she looks like my little Athena. Except the one on the card doesnt wake me up a 3am meowing for attention :)

[tarotsquared]

I like the little black cat too!

[DanielJUK]

I have to do a top 3, I can't pick one but in order of my faves......

 

1. The Sun in the Sun card (I love that optimistic face!)

2. The Cup in the Queen of Cups (I want to scry in it!)

3. The Moon giving side eye at the person in the Eight of Cups.

 

bonus extras that didn't quite make it - Rainbow in 10 of Cups, Star in the Star Card, Caduceus of Hermes and the Lion's head with wings in the 2 of Cups and of course the little Black Cat in the Queen of Wands.

[Libra 58]

The Hand.  Usually offering an Ace.

I like the hands too, with the Aces. So simple but so beautiful! :)

[truelighth]

There are just so many symbols and images in the RWS that I like. On the top of my head, a few:

 

- the black cat on the Queen of Wands

- the child offering flowers to Death

- the dress of the High Priestess turning into water (or it looks like that)

- the snail on the 9 of Pentacles (often overlooked)

- the yods

- the ouroborous circling the woman and lion on Strength

-

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

The Hand.  Usually offering an Ace.

I like the hands too, with the Aces. So simple but so beautiful! :)

 

Colored hands are a strict staple in all of the minor cards in Golden Dawn decks. It's nice that they retained it in the aces of the RWS.

[PageOfCups]

The way Pamela Colman-Smith drew wavy water in the Page of Cups, the King of Cups, and 2 of Pentacles cards (as well as the pebble-like stones in the Queen of Cups card). I think the way they were whismically drawn was supposed to mean something. Not sure what...

 

And the Queen of Wand's black cat.

[Ratty]

The leaves on the wands, reminding me that fire means new life. I'm pretty sure that the central cup on the seven is supposed to be covered by a cloth, but it reminds me of a magic mushroom.

[Arabella]

I have a few favourite symbols and they're all on the one card. The Sun.

The single child - I have one child - a son. The sunflowers - when he was little we would plant sunflowers together by our letterbox. The numbers at the top XlX - to me they look like two kisses, one for me and one for him. And the sun rays - I still sing to him "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine" 

Can you guess the Sun is a very important card for me  :D :D ;)

[~D~]

I like the kitty with the Queen of Wands =^..^=  <3

[~D~]

also the happy child riding the horse for The Sun card

[Cookie]

I like the 12 beautiful star jewels in the crown of The Empress.  And I like the silence in the 2 of swords.

[MysticMoonlight]

I have a few...

 

The shield leaning against the Empress' chair

 

The black cat in the Queen of Wands card

 

The flowers, garlands, and greenery

 

All of the celestial bits...moons, stars, suns

 

These are just a few of many...I LOVE the RWS so I love everything about it, to be honest.

[GreatDane]

Hard question.  So many I like.

 

But the ouroboros and cat would have to be high on the list.

[ashwsh]

Rainbow 🌈 in 10 of cups

[chongjasmine]

I like the book in high priestess's hands.

[Barleywine]

The water running off the front of the 8 of Swords, indicating that following her intuition is the only way forward for the blindfolded woman; seeing and grasping the solution are useless and she can only feel her way with her feet (associated with the intuitive, watery sign of Pisces).

 

I also like the fish in the Page of Cups, but not for any serious reason. It always makes me think of an imaginary scene from Shakespeare: "Hamlet contemplating the scrod of Yorick."

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by Barleywine

[zedekiel]

LOVE how one of Temperance's feet is in the water, and one on land. Also like how the figure is made to be androgynous. It's interesting just how much symbolism is in each card, Pamela CS sure knew her stuff.