Tuesday, September 04, 2007

KNIGHT OF WANDS MEDITATION (On Sage of Wands in The Voyager Tarot)

Sage (Knight) of Wands -- "Seer" -- in The Voyager Tarot


INTRODUCTION:

Below is an edited transcript of a lengthy meditation I did recently on The Sage of Wands in The Voyager Tarot, which could be corresponded to The Knight of Wands in more traditional decks. Each of fourteen nights I meditated on one of the Ace through King of this deck – which is ideal for such use. It not only deepened and widened my understandings for each card in general, but yielded many valuable personal insights and a lot of support. (I’ve edited out some personal insights as they would require too much explaining. And even then, not be all that relevant to the card for someone else.)

What I share below would be better called a “writing meditation.” I light a candle and incense, cast a sacred circle, and then look at the card until I start having responses. Then I write and write, without pausing, except to look at the card again (and not all that often). With each of the fourteen cards I wrote for an hour to an hour and a half.

I do have a decidedly psychological approach to The Tarot. Even so, at least from my perspective, this meditation shows how the energies of the Knight/Sage of Wands can sometimes operate. It also illustrates one way of meditating with the Tarot cards. Of course, should you try Tarot card meditation the results would be uniquely yours. (E.g., I can imagine that a person with a more intellectual approach would get very different kinds of results from mine.) The Tarot has a great deal to offer each one of us, according to our individual lights and needs.

Lastly, you will note a switch from the “I” to the “you” voice at two points. This is when I feel I am being “spoken to,” as opposed to being the speaker. (This voice, more present in others of these meditations, is often a “we” voice. It tends to offer tough love, saying the hard things I need to hear. But it is always working for the highest good.) To help distinguish it from the “I” voice, its comments are italicized.

MEDITATION:

I’m still a bit sweaty and shaky from doing some heavy house work, so the fiery look of this card is certainly appropriate. :-) Hm. Yes, I can see the Knight of Wands here, taking the Page’s new energy out into the world, sharing the results of years of listening and growth.

This card is an interesting complement to the previous, The Child (Page) of Wands. The Child of Wands being quiet and receptive and this one being active and perceptive, but both with an incredible openness – The Child in awe and this Sage in joy. With the name “Sage” I think of wisdom accrued over a lifetime. An even deeper wisdom is knowing one doesn’t know it all and that what one does know can change on a dime. Then holding that wisdom – which can be frightening at times – within a warm sense of humor about life’s variety and tricks. (Love the grin on the face of the “Shaman” in the lower left of the card.) Also knowing that things one sees are ultimately only guidelines and provisional ones at that. Yet still taking the chance and sharing those guidelines for what ever they might offer others. Then, celebrating all of this!

So, what does this “Seer” [the title of this Sage of Wands] have to say to me tonight? LOL! See what happens when you eat well and are more physically active? There’s room for some positivity. Ah, yes, there’s also something here about the fires of digestion, both metaphorically and literally. Neither works well for me when fed sugar, and especially grains. It’s like throwing sand or wet blankets on a fire expecting it to keep burning.

Hm! This is a rather masculine card (though to be honest I can’t be certain of the sex of two of the figures, though I think they’re male), which would fit elementally as this card is attributed to “fire of fire.” Interesting, one of my dreams last night had a bunch of naked men climbing out of a didjeridu. Didjeridus are like the ultimate wand, being made from a tree branch. But back to this maleness, and the men in last night’s dream: I am not comfortable with it at all. Whereas I was at home with The Child (Page) of Wands. The energy of this card can all too readily turn aggressive, and not always in direct or overt ways. “Sages” can control, use, and manipulate others. (Women "Sages" can do this too, of course. It’s the energy that’s masculine not necessarily its user.) I fear this as I have been manipulated in that way by so-called gurus and leaders. That misuse is the shadow of the power that comes with partial wisdom. But it cannot succeed unless the shadow of the one who seeks out the Sage wants to give up the responsibility for him/herself. This is where I worry I could still get hooked. I tend still to yearn to be taken care of. And I know this now all too well, therefor will not fully trust any “Sage,” for fear I’ll give up my own power again. My mistrust of authorities is therefore really a mistrust of myself.

These ideas are not really new to me, but considering what I have to be doing in my life right now they are very illuminating, to the point, and energizing. The world has nothing it needs to prove to me. I need to prove to myself that I am OK, and am capable and willing to move forward, beyond all this muck and mire I tend to create that I could suffocate in if I don’t get the hell into fast (fiery) motion! Which is what I’ve been doing these past several months, betwixt and between collapses back into the muck. This pattern does not reveal failure or weakness, but a tremendous gumption and a fiery determination that gives me deep and far seeing vision and a huge strength to move boulders. I am sort of sensing, rather than “hearing” that other voice urging me to really recognize my power. Yes, I see my power. I acknowledge it. I embrace it. This is the fire that does not burn but leads to life. May I not forget all this when the flames are less obvious behind life’s inevitable dark clouds. Steady as she goes! No turning back, no giving up. I see a new life taking shape in the flames....

END OF MEDITATION

Resource: Knight of Wands in The Taiga Tarot, not surprisingly one of my recent Taiga Tarot deck designs was this card. You can also see here a more traditional version of The Knight of Wands (scroll past the Knight of Wands black and white design).

‘til next time, keep sharing your wisdom in joy, 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).****

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

THE EIGHT OF WANDS REDUX II

The Eight of Wands -- HARMONY -- in The Voyager Tarot


For comparison, here's The Eight of Wands in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck:



I just did a meditation on The Eight of Wands in The Voyager Tarot tonight as a part of a 14 day Tarot ritual I'm in the middle of (see "Resource" below). Several new slants on The Eight of Wands in general occurred to me in this process:

Watch a tendency to harsh judgments of yourself or others. They may have the ring of "objective" truth, but they may really be projections from an overly strict aspect of the Super-Ego.

Don't stew in your envy of their harmony. Figure out how to appropriately join in, or leave it be ... for your sake as well as theirs.

You have gathered more than enough information. It's time to take action.

Different aspects of yourself seem to be working better together now than in some time. It might be a good time to take on some long put off project or pursue an endeavor you have always wanted to try.

Before there can even be a hope of harmony, there has to be deep listening. To paraphrase something I read a while ago: the purest gift one has to offer another is one's full attention.


Click here to read my first post here on The Eight of Wands. Click here to read the one before this one.

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Resource: The Tarot Channel book review that includes instructions for the 14 day Tarot ritual I'm doing.

‘til next time, keep offering the gift of attention, 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).****

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Thursday, August 09, 2007

THE PAGE OF WANDS REDUX II (With a Mini-Review of The Voyager Tarot)

I'm going to be doing a fourteen day Tarot ritual starting under the New Moon this Sunday, August 12th, utilizing the wands of The Voyager Tarot. In separating the wands from the rest of the deck in preparation tonight I was delightfully reminded that the Page of Wands is just about my most favorite card in this gorgeous deck. So I thought I'd share it here:

The Child (Page) of Wands (titled Seeker), Voyager Tarot
Jim Wanless, symbolist and Ken Knutson, artist

I love the quiet delicacy of this design, the hush of watching and listening. Notice the light shining through the rabbit's and mouse's ears (upper and lower left, respectively). Traditionally, the Page of Wands (as are all pages) is a messenger. Here it is seeking messages, receptive to them. The overall effect for me is of an awe-filled waiting. It is not surprising that The Tarot would have brought this card to me during this time in which I am filled with lamenting and questioning. Reminding me that to question ultimately requires us to watch and listen, quietly and reverently.

[To read my previous posts on The Page of Wands, click here and click here.]

A happy coincidence -- When I checked out The Voyager Tarot site tonight and clicked on the "card for the day" it was The Three of Wands, another one of my "just about ... most favorite" cards in this deck. That central hand is from a statue of Kuan Yin. The card is called "Compassion" in this deck. A wonderful take on a card often seen to be about new enterprises/business matters.


MINI-REVIEW OF THE VOYAGER TAROT: This is an absolutely stunning collage deck, produced on good size, great quality card stock. There are a few designs (as with every deck :-D) that I do not particularly like or agree with, but they make sense within Tarot and are beautifully executed. Ultimately, though, it is such a stunning deck that I cannot do Tarot readings with it! I find myself lost in the art itself. However, I have always found it the perfect deck to do meditative or ritual work with, as I will be doing starting this Sunday. In short, it is a deck that has not ever "gathered dust" in my collection, even though I've had it since the middle 1980's when it first came out.

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‘til next time, keep watching and listening in awe for the answers you seek, 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).****

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