THE ACE OF SWORDS

This one has been on the back burner so long it was practically ashes when I went looking for my notes and sketch. It's based on a line I heard in a dream exactly one year ago: "We are connected by what pierces."

Before I go into more background on the card design, here it is:

[we fly or homestead/swim deep or burn/the midnight oil/what connects/is what pierces]

I may re-do this image as it's not quite as clear as I would like. I'm not sure why the contrast is so poor; maybe I'm just over-tired and not recalling accurately how I used to make these images (a distinct possibility). But the design itself I am content with. [Note of February 14, 2010: Having just begun work on a Taiga Tarot design for The Two of Wands, I finally realized the problem. I had forgotten that I draw in the card colors initially in reverse on white paper (e.g., white space where I want black), then "reverse colors" in the PAINT program. And that is what produces the nice clear black and white balance overall. Well, at least the brain cell that had that information was only in a deep sleep, not deceased. :-D Now I can re-do this Ace of Swords and The Fool (2-18-08 post) so they will be a lot crisper looking.]

For comparison here's The Ace of Swords in a favorite deck of mine, The Phoenix Tarot:



I don't have any more detail on the dream except that it was a spear in the dream. And at the time I knew it was, for the most part, referencing what for me is often the deep pain of empathy with others. It may seem odd to make empathy -- usually understood to be a felt as opposed to a thinking process -- a sword card. However, for empathy to make a difference at all it does need to become conscious, to pierce our awareness, if you will. I also associated this sort of connection to the sword that pierced Jesus's side. That, too, can be seen in terms of connection and empathy.

As I'm relating to The Ace of Swords here there's definitely a sacrifice of sorts. A giving up of anything more than a recognition and bearing up beneath our various connections to others. That is, not necessarily doing anything to rectify or alleviate or deny anything (for self or other), but to bear it, to acknowledge our connections. Which I am beginning to see are constant and pervasive. A magnificent subtle web we are part of, even as we weave our small strands within it.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

'til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

**** [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 Tarot Gallery & Journal; Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm; and DREAMJIN: for Haiku-Like Dream Poems, a Yahoo group.****

THE HIEROPHANT (V)

The Hierophant has always been a little difficult for me. I identify a bit too closely with it as it was the first card in the deck I found out was one of my “family” of cards. (I’m a 5 by both name and birth date numerology, and The Hierophant’s number is 5.) This has meant that when it appears in a reading I feel put on hyper-alert for special s-i-g-n-i-f-i-c-a-n-c-e. Even before I learned of my relationship via numerology to this card, I’d been reading a great deal about it to form some sort of workable, open relationship to it, as The Hierophant is not a card I -- and others I know -- buddied right up to. His association with tradition and established religion can be off-putting to those of us on more fringe paths. Fortunately, it was not long before I learned of the association with intuition or inner teaching/learning. And it helped that the card’s astrology sign is usually Taurus, which is where my moon is. Of course, that also heightened that sense of possible “special significance” when it shows in one of my readings. :-)

The upshot of all this is that I’ve been waiting with a lot of curiosity to see what sort of Taiga Tarot design ultimately suggested itself to me for The Hierophant. In another very basic symbol deck I was designing years back, I had pretty much decided on using an ear for The Hierophant, but was never very happy with that, and did not think it could work with this deck, either. As usual, my dream world came through for me. On May 13, 2008 I had a dream about which I wrote this tanka:

the presence predicts
I'll freeze at first ghost contact
but I'm on a roll
across the bridge by starlight
feet first on a swift gurney

What’s immediately relevant to The Hierophant is “the bridge by starlight.” In fact, it was only when I remembered that alternative names for The Hierophant card are The Pope or Pontiff, and that “Pontiff” (pontifex) means “bridge builder,” that the dream opened up for me. And “starlight”? Intuition is sometimes referred to as twilight or starlight vision. All this led quite quickly to this design:


Before going on to share versions of The Hierophant from other decks, I should add that for me personally, The Hierophant in a reading (especially when I was still reading for others) often indicates that some sort of mediumistic information is trying to come through. This aspect is referenced in the above dream/tanka via "presence" and "ghost."

For comparison, here’s The Hierophant in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck:


And here it is in The Star Tarot:


.... from The Tarot Chapel at Avenieres (wall mosaics):



.... and from The Tarot Graphica:


BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

'til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

**** [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 Tarot Gallery & Journal; Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm; and DREAMJIN: for Haiku-Like Dream Poems, a Yahoo group.****

THE SIX OF SWORDS

So I happened to wonder today when a new Taiga Tarot design would show up. Then I thought about a dream (:-D) I had last night and "voila!" there was the Six of Swords. In the dream I and a vague other person fly in a small plane out over the land of lakes to re-map its changes. I am sitting on the outside of the plane between the wings and they begin to bend. From my weight, I worry? Then I insist we turn around and go back as we are far from home. As we fly back I see the brilliant sunlight on the surface of the lakes. Here's the design this dream inspired:



Traditionally, this card is often said to be about gaining or needing to gain perspective. From the dream I heard getting above or distant to it all is not the only way to achieve a new perspective. Looking below or within is also a way to a fresh view, as in what might have been reflected in those brightly lit lakes as we flew over. Maybe within our own "underneaths" -- :-D -- the higher light from above is reflected, and what could be more of a new way of seeing things than that? I've often thought of this card as saying "As above, so below."

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



What's odd here, is that contrary to how it usually goes for me with the RWS deck, I find it a bit of a stretch to get to the idea I'm positing for a Taiga Tarot card. I have to tell myself a story about the figure: The man is concerned about the adult and child he's ferrying to a different place. It's quite a job to pole all three of them across this wide lake. He's focused entirely on the work very literally at hand. The new view will only be found later as a gift, after they've all reached a new place. This, too, is how I sometimes find perspective, if I'm open to it.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal; Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm; and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems. ****

THE FOOL (O)

I really wasn't expecting a Taiga Tarot design to occur to me for some time. My move here to southern California from New York city barely two weeks ago is still very new and there's tons of stuff left yet I have to do to be truly settled in. But on February 13, 2008 I had a dream that ended: "....I realize I'm going awfully fast and not looking very carefully as I continue to veer to the left. I come to what is clearly a cliff-edge but don't even stop to look before going on. As I keep going vertically down the cliff-side I see all sorts of rocks and boulders, and meandering puddles and streams. I keep rushing straight down, thinking that going this way will take a very long time with all the twists and turns required in order to find proper footing." My immediate thought on recalling the dream was "I sure feel like I've gone headfirst without looking off a cliff [with respect to the move to CA]." "Oho!" I said to myself, "The Fool!" Here's the design that resulted:



And here's The Fool in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



The little dog is often said to be intuition, our connection to God/dess's guidance. And that little dog has been nipping consistently at my heels since I made the decision to move to California, almost herding me toward just the right cliffs to head pell mell over. Once at a cliff-edge, it's been up to me to cope with the new moment before me ... feeling foolish, breathless, and hopeful.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE DEVIL (XV)

This was a devilishly (sorry, but the pun is apt :-D) difficult card to design. Both the drawing and tanka went through not only many minor revisions, but each had a couple major total do-overs, in which I took an entirely different tack. Maybe XV is too "close to home." It's astrology sign is usually Capricorn, which is mine, too. :-)

As with all but two of the previous designs, The Devil card was dream-influenced. I'd just finished a lengthy dream journaling session which had ultimately explored issues of psychological projection. How many of the demons and even sometimes angels we see in others, are our own inner qualities projected on them, masking who they really are and also masking ourselves in that process. I then thought "The Devil card!" Here's the design that thought finally brought me to:



And here's The Devil in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



The Devil's hebrew letter is often "ayin," which means "eye" in noun form. That has always puzzled me a little. No matter the various esoteric explanations of it I'd read, they were not satisfying. But on associating XV to issues around psychological projection I finally find a more satisfactory take on ayin. We need to really, fully open our eyes, to ourselves and others, and not just accept the disowned aspects of ourselves we paste on to each other. No matter The Devil's hand gesture says "All you see is all there is," we need to see this is not true.

One of the positions The Devil can hold in our lives is as a tough spiritual teacher, a Guardian at The Gate, who will not let us go further in our development until we are ready. And, in this capacity, I see XV confronting us with our projections. Those demons and angels we attribute to others that are really our own. Those projections that chain us in fear and stunt our growth. In the RWS version above the chains around the necks of the two figures can be seen to be very loose. Just as with projections, the figures' own willingness to fully open their eyes and see, can free them.

As a simple letter in the hebraic alphabet ayin refers to mirth, and that I have always gotten from the first time I read it. I.e, a healthy sense of humor about the misperceptions and incongruities in life are necessary to our well-being and growth. We also especially need to be able to laugh at ourselves, a lot and heartily; not to take ourselves so seriously.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE KNIGHT OF WANDS

Just short of 25 years ago, I was considering offering my first Tarot classes at the urging of others. I was hesitant to do so as I was not sure I knew enough about Tarot. One night on going to sleep I asked my dreams for help with this decision. In a dream that night I "heard" a voice that I instantly trusted clearly say "You will be taught by teaching." Well, there it was. I began to plan the series of classes the next day. And I learned a great deal (and not only about Tarot) in the preparation and in the actual teaching.

How does this all relate to the Knight of Wands? In the wee hours of this morning I was awake and began muzzily going over in my mind each of the Ace through King of Wands in The Voyager Tarot (like counting sheep, in a way :-D) that I had just finished a two week meditation on. For some reason I settled on the Sage, which could be corresponded to the Knight of Wands. I then realized how the Knight of Wands, especially in The Thoth Tarot, has always for me been a highly energized card, blessed (or fraught, as the case may be) with all sorts of personal associations, in addition to it's usual meanings. To make a long story shorter, I realized it should be my next Taiga Tarot design. It was when I thought this that I recalled the above 25 year old dream. I'd never associated that dream to the Knight of Wands before. But decided to go with it, grabbed my dream notepad and began working on the tanka and drawing. The Knight of Wands below was completely sketched and the tanka written before I finally went back to sleep.



And here's The Knight of Wands in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



This Knight is sometimes said to be very generous. And although I've not specifically associated him with teaching, Wands are about communicating so it fits. (I've probably said several times in these blogs of mine that a Tarot buddy and I had an expression about what we'd see in the cards: "If a meaning doesn't fit, we'll make it fit." LOL!) Wands, in my understanding, are also somewhat closer to Spirit (very generally speaking) than the other suits. So this teaching can be more on an intuitive and spiritual level than the more worldly.

By the way, I think my sleepy mind tossed that dream quote up as it is as applicable now in my life as it was back then. It is, in a way, very reassuring to be told I can learn what is needful along the way. That I don't have to "know it all" before doing anything, as I'm on the verge of going along some pretty big and new roads.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE EMPRESS (III)

Just as all but one of my previous Taiga Tarot designs have been, this Empress is dream-inspired. I'd been thinking a lot over the past few days about several different cards I might design next, none of which were III. When I went to sleep last night, I asked that my dreams give me a clear indication of which one to work on next. The first dream image from last night that I recalled this morning was (very briefly put) of a pregnant woman who was gently tapping her belly in a loving way. I immediately thought of The Empress and then associated the individual taps of the dream woman's fingers to the eight visible stars in the crown of the Rider/Waite/Smith version of The Empress. Thus, my Taiga Tarot design for The Empress is:



Here's The Empress in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



As I sketched eight* stars on my version I recalled I used to wonder if there were more stars we could not see toward the back of Her crown. And that led to the line in the tanka about "seen and unseen." There is so much more available to us from Her bounty than we are ever aware of. There, in the unseen reaches of "creative imagination" (said to be a function of III in some traditional teachings). The Empress is basically a card of bounty, beauty, creativity and abundance, and She's often seen as the archetypal mother.

That last, mother, leads me to an old dreamku of mine:

The Empress cradles
Death in Her wide lap
crossroads

You may note that the card I designed just prior to this one is Death. I did not do this consciously, but I am sure there was some unconscious memory involved in that choice. I won't go on about it all, but my life is very much as it was when I had the Tarot dream that produced the above dreamku. That is, a great deal of life threatening illness and a few deaths around me (my mother among them). An early attempt at a regular dream poem before writing this dreamku addressed the idea of The Empress as a door, based on Her Hebraic letter being Daleth which means door in noun form. At the end of that failed regular poem I spoke to my dying mother, saying: both your doorway and mine swing back//mine opening on this present life//while yours opens//on the Summergarden. ("Summergarden" being where souls go after death in an ancient Celtic tradition.) Ever since, although I only vaguely address this in the pregnant belly shape on the Taiga Tarot design above, I've seen The Empress, above all, as a door. At times, a door not unlike Death's portal. The difference being in directions.

* On checking the RWS III version I see there are actually 12 stars. See what happens when one relies on a sleepy aging memory? LOL! But the line about "seen and unseen" still applies in the tanka. It's just that the road I took to the thought is slightly askew.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

DEATH (XIII)

This post is about the first Taiga Tarot design to urge itself upon me for quite some time, Death (XIII). This is also the first card design so far that was not directly influenced by a dream. However, I do not say my dream world has had nothing to do with it. I have had a few dreams recently that referenced death, but as I did not feel immediately prompted to work on XIII I cannot confidently claim they have influenced this design. I can mention a conscious influence: my Taiga Tarot design for The Hanged Man (XII).

Here's Death (XIII):




And here's Death in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



Very succinctly put, Death is often understood to represent transformation. And though I have only rarely seen it address actual bodily death in a reading, it can carry this meaning as well. However, more often I have seen Death refer to a metaphorical dying, as in a total change. It is this aspect of the card that drew me to design it today, tugging at my yearning for inner transformation.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

VACATION TIME EXTENSION....

The Fool, in The Tarot of the Cat People

I am now extending my time out from blog work to the second week in June. Everything, as usual LOL, is taking longer to get done and stuff to do just keeps almost literally crawling out of the woodwork! BTW, I always read comments and emails, and respond to same (on or off vacation). In the meantime, you can check out the baker's dozen of designs already posted here.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blogs ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL and ROSWILA’S DREAM & POETRY REALM.

THE LOVERS (VI)

The design for The Lovers has been brewing for a long time and even today when I sat down determined to produce it, it was more difficult to do than any other design so far. It required constant choosing between ideas which is, of course, not inconsistent with a basic reading for this card: choice.

Although I'd have to cite a great many recent dreams to illustrate it, this taiga, too, has been heavily dream prompted. Not only by dreams about choices I need to make, but in the more commonly understood meaning of VI: matters of the heart. But the issue of choice has been uppermost and more frequent in my dreams. Some dreams even pointing out that I have a choice, i.e, I'm not stuck or trapped.

Here's the design:




For comparison, here's The Lovers in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck:



One of the ideas I had a hard time choosing (:-D) to include in my version of VI can be seen more clearly in the Rider/Waite/Smith rendition. I've read that in VI the male/conscious, looks to the female/sub- or unconscious for the connection to the Angel/spirit. (Put another way, it's in our sub- or unconscious that we are directly connected to spirit.) I really like that three-fold concept and have tried to represent it in my taiga by the two surrounding arrows and the one coming down from above. I don't think that one needs to know about this to relate to the taiga, but it's there for those who are familiar enough with the Tarot.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE HANGED MAN (XII)

The Hanged Man (XII) design has been incubating for several days, again prompted by my dream world. In early April, I had a dream in which a young woman was suspended on an upright mattress in a doorway. Later at the end of that dream I saw a series of drawings/paintings and what was emphasized most was that there were 12 of them. Of course, when I awoke I thought of The Hanged Man. I let XII simmer in "suspended animation" for a few days and woke in the wee hours of yesterday morning knowing it was time to produce it. I sketched out the design and tanka on my dream-notes pad right then.

The tanka for XII, by the way, is taken from the last lines of a lengthy old "failed" dream-based poem of mine, called "The Seal From Beneath The Sea." I'd been trying to revise it only a day or so before the dream I mention above. That sea image in the poem and title is also intriguing in light of The Hanged Man as the Hebrew letter associated with him is often "Mem," which means sea or waters in noun form.

Here's my Hanged Man design:



Here's XII in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



The Hanged Man is one of the cards that people not familiar with The Tarot tend to be somewhat unnerved by. And although what this card can suggest are not easy tasks (suspension of ego; staying in the moment; complete reversal of viewpoint; etc.), nor is what it tends to portend (hang ups, snafus, delays, etc.) much fun, it is not a card of death or punishment. Rather, at its deepest and highest it can be a card of enlightenment, of "Letting go and letting God/dess," of trusting in the Higher Self's connection to the All to be the bridge from now to now.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE TOWER (XVI)

The dream that precipitated this Tower card design was in the early hours of Good Friday (April 6th), which seems highly appropriate even though I am not Christian. I was singing the lyrics of an old Four Seasons song in my sleep: "Lighting's striking again....lightning's striking again...." Of course, on waking I immediately wondered if I should work on The Tower card. I decided to do so later and got on with my day, which proved to be an extremely "towerish," difficult one. Here's the design I've since come up with:




And here's The Tower in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:




To be truthful to my years of experience with this card, it is all too often a real headache (sometimes literally portending one). However, not all "lightning bolts" are painful. Some are "Eureka!" moments of awakening or creative discovery. They can also briefly illumine what we otherwise cannot or refuse to see, clearing the way for something new or higher.

BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT (Click here for additional background on the Taiga Tarot.):

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE SEVEN OF SWORDS

Leave it to the unconscious! I put up a notice explaining the delay in posting designs here and wake up the very next morning recalling a clearly Seven of Swords dream.

The source dream for this Seven of Swords was about a group doing work on one woman's dream (LOL!). In it I am trying to explain how I look for dark images that are less familiar as they are more likely to be windows onto the unconscious, i.e. new territory. Others either don't get my point or are resistant and even a little hostile to it. I become aware I look much like Johnny Depp in the Disney "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, recalling that the first was about "The Black Pearl." Then there are images of middle class black folk from the dreamer's own ancestry, who are involved with political campaigns in the south in the 1920'-30's. (There's a bit more to the dream than I share here. I've limited what I say above to what is relevant to the Seven of Swords inspiration.) On waking, I immediately thought "pirate" = "thief" = "Taking back one's personal power and history" = The Seven of Swords!

And here is what resulted not very long afterward:



For those not familiar with Tarot, the Two of Swords (implied in the two in the upper right) is sometimes called "Peace." And fives in the Tarot are notoriously unstable (i.e. they tend to be about lessons, movement, change).

Although I have not done this up to now, I'm sharing the Rider/Waite/Smith version of this card for comparison:



I will post the Rider/Waite/Smith version with any new design from now on, for those not familiar with Tarot. As well as say more about the card.

By the way, I now have a theory as to why I had this particular "fallow" time with regard to the designs. At least a week ago I woke with an idea for the Nine of Cups but did not pursue it as I had been expecting the Majors to keep coming. (I did make note of the idea, however.) I believe what this unresponsiveness on my part did was give my unconscious the message to stop offering ideas. I've found in my magic and ritual work that this part of our mind (at least of my mind) is rather literal and direct. So my "rejection" of that Nine of Cups idea may have been taken to mean "stop," especially if the ideas brewing are for Minors right now.

As always, I'd be delighted to hear what you think about any of this. You can leave a comment, or email me.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

UP-DATE ON DESIGN PROGRESS

The Three of Pentacles in The Rider/Waite/Smith Deck

Well, that early surge of designs has stopped. Not that I've stopped thinking and dreaming about ideas, it's just that the designs, and the impetus to make them and write the tanka isn't coming through right now. However, I do have The Lovers card all sketched and it's just awaiting the tanka so I can make the full design. Not to mention the sketches for The Hermit and The World cards that have been whispering to me for a while.

This sort of time when a creative project is "lying fallow" is always hard for me. I know it's a necessary part of the process, but some aspect of me worries I'll never pick up pen or pencil on the particular project again. Ah, well, I wait and ruminate and dream ... hoping those two on the right in the Tarot card above (some say they are The Fool and The Hierophant) start giving me instructions again soon so that I can continue manifesting The Taiga Tarot. :-)

* * * *

‘til next time, keep 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 Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****