How are themes of power, dominance, clarity of communication, and mental mastery expressed in each version? How are the cards similar? What makes each unique?
I especially like the snakes and apples in the Tarot of the Trance. Brilliant.
How are themes of constriction, mental interference, and an inability to move forward expressed in each image? How are they similar? How is each unique?
In the Medieval Scapini, the connection to the Major card #8, Justice, is particularly evident, while the RWS version hints at emotional murkiness with the water puddles on the ground.
The Shining Tribe’s woman divining seems a little different than the other two, replacing the overbearing swords with birds circling around a volcano. Could it be saying that communication restricted will one day explode?
June 28th, 2025 § Comments Off on 10 of Wands from the RWS Tarot § permalink
Today’s post is part of a series where I share some observations and/or questions about images in specific cards. It’s not so much about defining the cards, but rather a series of points you might look at to widen your own interpretation of the images. Five Observations/Questions about the Rider-Waite-Smith 10 of Wands …
1. The character in the image is carrying their load in a manner that protects each of the sprouting leaves at the top of each branch. What might that suggest in terms of your reading? 2. Given that this card is a number 10, and that the Minor Arcana goes from Ace to 10 … this card is at the end of a progressive cycle. How might that play into your reading? 3. There’s a house, or a castle, let’s call it a ‘manor’ in the background – who lives there? 4. The load looks heavy, but the sky is a lovely blue – what might that indicate in your reading? 5. This card is one of the Stage cards … like a character is on set. Is there something ‘performative’ about what’s being described?
As is always the case, there’s so much more to this card than I’m observing here. I encourage you to keep looking.
A green lemniscate encircles the pentacles being juggled, suggesting an ongoing process of growth and transformation through the tasks at hand.
This is another ‘stage’ card, meaning it looks like the Juggler is performing on a stage – what might that mean in a reading?
The water in the background is decidedly choppy, but the boats are riding the waves comfortably. Considering water represents emotions, what might this suggest?
This 2 is connected to the Major Arcana card #2, the High Priestess – how might her wisdom and quiet strength be influencing this card?
The Juggler is wearing the colours red and rust, with light green shoes – fiery energy with a foundation of new growth? Or something else?
The Juggler is in motion both with his hands and his feet – this is not a static situation.
And finally … the Juggler is wearing a really odd hat – I don’t know what that means, but I’ve always thought it amusing and worth noting.
Take a look and see what else might be in this card … it’s one thing to memorize a guide book, it can be even more interesting to focus on what you actually see in the image.
April 28th, 2025 § Comments Off on 6 of Pentacles from the RWS Tarot § permalink
This is the first in a series of posts where I plan to share a few observations about specific cards.
It’s not so much meant to be me defining what a card might mean in a reading, but rather just a series of points connected to, or incorporated into a card image that might widen your own interpretation.
It’s a pentacles card and therefore describes a situation in the physical world.
This 6 is connected to the Major Arcana card #6, the Lovers, and therefore incorporates ideas surrounding choice, commitment, and self-actualization.
in a reading, the querent might be represented by any or all of the characters in the image – the person doling out the coins, the person receiving them, and/or the person still waiting.
There is a distinct difference in the colours worn by the characters, with the two supplicants in blankets of muted yellow and blue, while the person with the coins (and the scale) is in vibrant red, and a tunic of stark black and white.
The RWS 6 of Pentacles is considered a ‘stage’ card, meaning that it looks like the characters are performing on a stage.
There seems to be a castle, and a forest in the background. Who do you think lives there?
Of course there’s much more to this card than these six points, but how might these particular ideas influence your interpretation of this card in a reading?
The Rider-Waite Smith deck is probably the most popular Tarot deck in the world. Though painted by Pamela Colman Smith, Arthur E. Waite is credited with most of the deck’s design. But is that fair?
In Mary K. Greer’s upcoming webinar, she’ll be investigating whether or not Waite should be given as much credit for the deck as he actually gets.
Though the famed occultist clearly had a specific plan for the Major Arcana, what about the images in the Minor cards? They were some of the first Tarot Minors to be illustrated with actual scenes in them rather than simply suit symbols.
How did they come about and whose idea were they? Pamela Colman Smith’s?
The two-part class will be offered through Global Spiritual Studies and will be live January 24th and 31st at 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm PT). It will be available afterwards on download and DVD.
But Arthur Waite’s decision to use descriptive pictures throughout the minor arcana made it easy for even first time users to do a reading. And to begin to understand the philosophy buried within the cards.
The RWS deck, accompanied by Waite’s Pictorial Key to the Tarot, opened Tarot up to everyone, not just those who were members of secret magical societies.
I think Waite was interested in much more than just ‘peering into the future’ as this piece seems to suggest, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
Through their deck, Arthur Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith made an enormous contribution to Tarot. They really changed everything.
