THE SIX OF PENTACLES, with Comments on The Daughters of The Moon Tarot

TODAY'S CARD is The Six of Pentacles. This version is from The Daughters of The Moon Tarot, by Ffiona Morgan, Published by Daughters of the Moon, 1984, 1986 (comments on deck at bottom of this post):



Here's the Six of Pentacles in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck for comparison:



THE SIX OF PENTACLES: As soon as I'd done my previous post on the round Mother Peace Tarot deck, I decided The Daughters of the Moon Tarot would be next, as the "other" round feminist deck of that time period. Although, unfortunately, The Daughters of the Moon was one of those decks I sold in a spasm of poverty-induced insanity many years ago, I still have the book. In looking through the images I was particularly struck once more by The Six of Pentacles. It is very unusual for a "handicap" to appear on a Tarot card. And the scene on the above Daughters of the Moon Tarot Six of Pentacles is so energetic and so filled with "Success" of all sorts I just had to share it today.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR THE SIX OF PENTACLES (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

All the usual sorts of difficulties attendant to working in a group.

Possible need to negotiate between practicality and emotions.

Yearning for success that seems elusive.

Can indicate condescension.

Be sure the person you are trying to help needs and/or wants it.

Be sure you are clear on why you want to be helpful. Is it to boost your self-esteem or because you really care? Your motive will color your actions.

Can indicate something being carefully doled out, as at the start of a new budget, or savings plan. I've had this come up to indicate the start of a weight loss regimen, or that one is advised or necessary.

Generosity; windfall.

Cultivate gratitude for the gifts we receive every moment of this life.

COMMENTS ON THE DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON TAROT: The Daughters of the Moon Tarot is deeply feminist, using words like "womyn" and "wimmin" instead of "woman" and "women." The two female and two male court cards have been replaced by The Great Goddess in Her aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone. The Lovers card is of two women, though a second Lovers card that is more open to variety in pairing was added later:



The scan of the card on the right is a little unclear. The actual image on the card on the right is not clear as to the sexuality of the two lovers, either, leaving it to the viewer to determine what this/these may be.

This deck is also deeply spiritual. One of my personal favorite Deities, Kuan Yin, is on The Nine of Cups:



The Eight of Swords is very arresting and intriguing, those curved blades like question marks:



Although this was not a deck I ever worked with at great length, I always appreciated it's inclusiveness, which may sound contradictory given its near exclusion of positive male images (XV, though, is a very wonderful and positive Pan figure). But just see those wheelchairs in The Six of Pentacles above and know how unusual that is in a Tarot deck.

This deck was initially designed in black and white so that the user would color it herself. (I never did; for some reason coloring a deck has never appealed to me. I'd rather just design my own. :-D) It was published eventually in a beautifully colorful version, images from which you can see at the link by "Resource" below.

Ultimately I must admit that though it is a very lovingly and thoughtfully designed deck I never quite got deeply engaged by it. And now I wonder why, given my basically positive responses to it on this re-viewing.

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Resource: Images from the later color version of The Daughters of the Moon Tarot.

‘til next time, keep being grateful for life's many gifts and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****

THE KNIGHT OF SWORDS, with Comments on The Mother Peace Tarot deck

TODAY'S CARD is The Knight (Son) of Swords. The version below is from The Mother Peace Tarot, by Karen Vogel and Vicki Noble, U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 1981, 1983:



For comparison, here's The Knight of Swords in The Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:



THE KNIGHT (SON) OF SWORDS: I pulled a card today on a dream that was "being dense." The Knight of Swords came up and given the dream symbolism I immediately thought "I'm jumping to conclusions!" This thought was abetted by this Knight's penchant for mental speediness. It really brought home to me one level of the dream: how I have been living way too much in my mind. Rather, in the emotions my mind has been creating with its huge conclusive jumps. I wasn't using The Mother Peace Tarot, but decided to post this deck's Knight (Son) of Swords as I have not put up any round deck card here at all yet. More on my thoughts about this deck below.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR THE KNIGHT (SON) OF SWORDS: (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Knights in general: have to do with being in or getting in to motion. The Knight of Pentacles is the slowest; The Knight of Cups a bit faster; The Knight of Swords faster yet; and The Knight of Wands the fastest. This aspect may help when dealing with timing issues in a reading.

Jumping to conclusions that may lead to very unwise and precipitous actions.

Misguided defensiveness of one's self or another.

A tendency to project one's own negativity on to others.

Wanting someone else to make the decision, and/or do it for you. A desire for someone to "run interference" for you.

Someone who's distanced from their emotions. This is not always bad, sometimes it helps with dealing in difficult situations.

You are not as isolated as you think; it's the way you're thinking about things that's disconnecting you.

Time to stand up for yourself or someone else.

A person who's a "champion" for a cause or for a person, when informed by heart.

A person who's a "breath of fresh air," uplifting, and mentally inspiring.

COMMENTS ON THE MOTHER PEACE TAROT DECK: It was quite a "trip" to go through this deck for the first time in many years. It was love at first sight when I first got it at least 20 years ago. Those were my own stridently feminist years and I adored the fact that the deck was a round deck, too. Even though the cards took up a lot of space on my reading table, and added levels of complication to reading them as there is no plain upright or reverse but both plus all angles in between. The rather simple art work also appealed to me. The entire feel of the deck was rather "grassroots," or "up with people." (Those years were also at the beginning of my political activist period.) The figures from various myths and world cultures also deeply drew me. Though I have to admit my clients generally did not take to the deck, so I wound up using it only for myself. I eventually moved on to newer decks (I was so fickle and still am when it comes to Tarot decks...:-D). It was delightful to view its still vibrant images again tonight. I suspect I'll have some intriguing dreams tonight. As The Knight (Son) of Swords is one of the least interesting designs (IMHO) in this deck, here's two more that have more energy and impact; the wavy lines in the background were introduced by my scanner; you can also visit the link under "Resource" below for some more images:


[Ten of Wands at top and Ten of Swords at bottom; plate from the book "Motherpeace: A Way to the Goddess through Myth, Art and Tarot" by Vicki Noble]

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Resource: Slide show of cards in The Mother Peace Tarot.

‘til next time, keep informing your thinking with heart, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****