Ace of Swords

Ace of Swords

Continuing my journey into the tarot, I have come to the Ace of Swords (if you missed my visit with the Knight of Pentacles, click here). The Aces of the tarot represent the beginnings of things. They are the seeds of power for their representative suits. Swords can be a troublesome. They are associated with knights, pirates, and officers in the military (the sword in one form or another is still part of the modern military officer’s uniform). They are weapons of war, and symbols of peace. They were once the not-so-concealed firearms of their time. The Ace of Swords represents thoughts, ideas, and awareness, but also problems, self-righteousness, and manifest destiny. The Ace of Swords represents the cutting power of our words, be they true or false, spoken or printed. We must never forget that even in the tarot, the sword is a weapon.

from Barabara Moore's Steampunk Tarot

In the Rider-Waite inspired decks, a sword is presented with its point thrusting upward through a crown. In the Robin Wood Tarot, the crown is of bay laurel, the same type that crowned the heads of the victorious in ancient Greece. In the Halloween Tarot, the suit of bats takes the place of swords. Set against a black, star filled sky, a bat whose left wing is just beginning to unfurl, dangles from its perch, a hand reaching out from a cloud. The middle finger of the hand bears the crown. The Robin Wood and Universal Tarot decks also include pairs of plants that represent the union of masculine and feminine energies. This union of opposites lends itself well to the Ace of Swords, where the idea that a problem carries with it the seed of its solution. In Ellen Dugan’s Witches Tarot, the sword is presented in the air, amid a mountainous landscape. A hawk in flight is its lone companion. In Barbara Moore’s Steampunk Tarot, the sword is held upright in the strong grip of a vice, surrounded by equipment that might be found in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory.  The sword gleams with ethereal light from the equipment’s electrical voltage. Not unlike the bat, which hangs upside down from its perch in the Halloween Tarot, the Ace of Swords in Joseph Vargo’s Gothic Tarot is presented point downward against a black background, and surrounded by red filigree.

from Joseph Vargo's Gothic Tarot

The Ace of Swords represents a thought, either a new thought, or the awareness of a thought that has been trying to get our attention. These thoughts can come from reading or from the media. Sometimes in a conversation, someone will say, “Hey, I just thought of something!” This burst of awareness is the Ace of Swords at work. At times, it can seem like something has been right in front of us the whole time, when suddenly struck by realization, we become aware of it. At other times, we need a little coaxing and prodding to get us to that state of awareness. The Ace of Swords lets us know that something is there, or prods us to take a closer look.

from the Halloween Tarot

The Ace of Swords represents the truth that sets us free. The iconography of the various tarot decks shows this truth in different stages. In the Universal Tarot, a hand holds the sword; or in the case of the Halloween Tarot, serves as a perch for the bat. The seizing of truth is inherent. In Barbara Moore’s Steampunk Tarot, the sword is surrounded by machines, indicating that the search for truth may involve the use of external tools. In the other decks, the sword is presented in the air, either surrounded by clouds as it is in the Thoth Tarot or the Robin Wood Tarot, or floating, surrounded by a mountain landscape in Ellen Dugan’s Witches Tarot. Joseph Vargo’s Gothic Tarot also presents the sword by itself. In these examples, there is no search for or seizure of truth. The truth simply presents itself, and it is up to the seeker to grasp it by his or her own means, or to reject it. However, we must always remember that rejecting the truth does not change it.

from the Robin Wood Tarot

The sword is an instrument of peace and a weapon of war. Swords are not used in modern warfare, and some tarot decks, like the PoMo Tarot reflects this by replacing the suit of swords with guns. Weapons of all kinds are used as instruments of peace, but what kind of peace? None actually, because no weapon can provide peace. All weapons, whether swords, guns, or missiles, only serve to ensure compliance. Making people comply with an agreed upon mode of behavior is how we keep the peace, both inside and outside of our societies. The weapon, in this case the sword, is neutral, employed by those who protect peace, like police and the military, and by those who disrupt peace, be they thieves or terrorists, alike.

from the Thoth Tarot

The sword is also a weapon of offense and defense, and because of this, the Ace of Swords can help us find the line of scrimmage in our relationships. Words can be used to put others at ease, but they can also rile others to action. Because the Ace of Swords is neutral, it will show us where the conflicts are occurring, but we must look to the other cards in a layout to determine just what is going on. Most often, where the Ace of Swords is involved, problems are associated with misunderstanding, miscommunication, or lack of communication altogether. If the best offense is a good defense, then communicating as clearly and plainly as possible, and answering questions as soon as they pop up is a good strategy to avoid these problems.

from Ellen Dugan's Witches Tarot

The Ace of Swords represents courage, dedication, and resolve. A sword is not the kind of weapon that one can simply pick up and use effectively. It takes years of training, involving daily practice. It takes courage to dedicate oneself to that kind of program. There must be a good reason for doing it, and there must be a solid resolve to stick to it. The Ace of Swords can indicate where such courage and resolve are needed. It can tell us when we have to stoke the fires of dedication and persist on our current path. The Ace of Swords is not the card of a quitter.

The crown, where it appears on the Ace of Swords, represents responsibility and power, but it can also represent the illusion of righteousness. Whenever we resolve to pursue a path or a project that we know is for us, we can get tied up in the idea that our way of doing it is the only way, the right way. When this happens, we risk regarding the advice of even the most experienced among us as lesser, or even wrong. We become wrapped up in our own illusions of what is best. Sometimes we can even decide that we know what is best for other people. This illusion of righteousness, combined with the illusion of manifest destiny, can be very destructive. This is the power of the crown represented in one of its worst forms.

The Ace of Swords represents a thought, an idea, awareness, courage, dedication, and resolve. It shows us points of contention, where the line between offense and defense lies. But the Ace of Swords also represents problems, and the crown which may otherwise be seen as a sign of victory, can become self-righteous, paternalistic, and lead to manifest destiny with a might-makes-right attitude. 

The Knight of Pentacles

Knight of Pentacles

In this essay, I use the pronoun "he" because in all the decks I have examined for this essay, the Knight of Pentacles is male. In any of the decks where even one character is female, as are three of the Knights from the Steampunk Tarot by Barbara Moore, I will use the feminine pronoun. I am doing this is to keep the copy streamlined, not to exclude.

Thoth Tarot

Knights are the embodiment of elemental fire within the Royal court. The Knight of Pentacles is the fiery aspect of earth. Knights are trained and educated fighters who go on quests, winning and conquering, although not always with a sword. Knights are characters of action. The Knight of Pentacles seems to be the opposite of his contemporaries. In the Rider-Waite inspired decks, he sits upright on a horse that is going nowhere. He holds a pentacle, but he does not look at it; instead, he looks off into the distance. Looking, but not moving; he is still. He is patient. Where is the action? Where is the adventure? This is the mystery of the Knight of Pentacles, and one that is often misunderstood. The Knight of Pentacles is a person of measured action who takes a long view, directs his attention toward a specific goal, and takes measurable steps toward its attainment

from Joseph Vargo's Gothic Tarot

In five of the decks examined in this series, the Knight sits on a horse, holding a pentacle, a disk, or in the case of the Halloween Tarot, the Knight of Pumpkins holds, you guessed it, a pumpkin. Yes, the Halloween Tarot is different like that, keeping its Halloween theme in this manner. Its other suits are Halloween themed as well. It works. In any case, the Knight faces the right side of the card, the direction of the future. His horse is standing still; and in the case of the Thoth Tarot, bending its head toward the earth. Around him, fields are sown and the crops are flourishing, linking the Knight of Pentacles to agriculture. This agricultural link is enhanced by the Thoth tarot, in which the Knight is holding a flail, an old tool for threshing wheat. The Knight of Pentacles is not otherwise armed. In two of the decks, the Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo, and Barbara Moore’s Steampunk Tarot, the Knight is not looking to the right, but instead is contemplating the viewer. In the Gothic Tarot, the Knight stands amid skulls and wolves. In the Steampunk Tarot, the Knight is walking into view from the right.

the Halloween Tarot

The Knight of Pentacles takes the long view. This is represented by his looking off to the right. He is present in the present, but his focus is on the future. The does not mean that he is neglecting the present; one does not become a knight by daydreaming. He works in the present, he works very hard in fact, but his work is guided by his focus on a particular goal. He does not take his eyes off this goal. It is his over-arching focus, and his guiding light. This is the same focus that an Olympic athlete has, training for an event with a particular result always in mind. Everything the athlete does, eating, resting, and training are guided by this ultimate goal.

Robin Wood Tarot

The Knight of Pentacles focuses his attention toward a specific goal. This is not to say that he has only one goal. In our everyday world, we have multiple things on our plates. We have homes to clean and maintain, we have work to do, and we have to get dinner on the table. We have to think about our health. We have to consider our finances. We have to get the car’s oil changed. And that’s not nearly all of it. We could have at least one goal in every major area of life. The tarot, as a living book (thank you Rachel Pollock) evolves with us. The Knight of Pentacles shows us by example to keep an eye on our goals while we do our work.

from Barbara Moore's Steampunk Tarot

The Knight of Pentacles takes measurable steps toward his goal. This is immeasurably important, pun intended. Progress is only made by taking steps in the right direction. This kind of logic is easy to overlook. Getting to California via Spain is possible, but wouldn't it be better to hop in a car heading west, or better yet, book a flight directly there? It’s the same with any goal. Making a decision, and then a plan to lose weight is fine, but then sitting on the couch instead of taking the first step is counter-intuitive. We can only get to our goal by following the plan or steps that take us to our goal. Keeping track of these steps as we do them is the best way to keep from being discouraged while pursuing a goal, especially if the goal will take some time to achieve. Remember, the Knight of Pentacles does not shy away from work.

Universal Tarot

The Knight of Pentacles represents certain, though perhaps slow and steady progress. Perseverance is one of his watchwords. He takes responsibility for his actions and his use of time. He stays busy, but he must always check in on himself to ensure that the work he is doing is diligent and not merely busy work that takes him nowhere. As Jim Rohn said, it’s easy to busy and only making figure eights. In this, he is ever practical in the way he applies himself. Because he is in it for the long haul, he must ensure that each action counts.

People who embody the Knight of Pentacles come from all walks of life. They dedicate themselves to a future goal, and try to ensure that every job they do in the meanwhile, no matter how small, takes them in the direction of that goal. This type of person may have several goals, usually one dedicated in each are of his life, be it home, financial, career, health, etc. This does not mean that every goal will get hit at the same time. Sometimes one goal may take many years to come to fruition. The person represented by the Knight of Pentacles is a hard worker who, despite difficulties, looks ahead. He is in the farmer who sees the harvest while sowing the seed in springtime. He is the CEO who sees the fifty new markets opening up, while building the first one. He walks beside the parents who work day and night to make sure their children get a college education.  The Knight of Pentacles understands this dedication, and keeps working no matter how long it might take; even if he knows that the goal may not be reached in his lifetime. We can all think of at least one person who worked and fought for a goal that was not reached until after they died.

from Ellen Dugan's Witches Tarot

All Knights face hardships. There is always a dragon to be slain, but sometimes the worst dangers are found within. One of the dangers facing the Knight of Pentacles is perfectionism. Perfectionism is a false idea that satisfaction cannot be gained unless everything, even the smallest thing, is just right. Under the guise of being a perfectionist, the Knight can fall victim to becoming lost in the details, usually the smallest and most unimportant details. When this happens, he loses sight of his goal as he tries to make details unnecessarily fall in line with an unrealistic ideal.

Another risk to the Knight of Pentacles is taking on too much. The Knight is a worker, to be sure. He wouldn't be in the fields holding a threshing tool if he weren't, but no one works alone, and even knights don’t usually make their own armor. If the Knight cannot, or will not delegate the portions of the task that he cannot do well, he can get stuck in stubbornly trying to make do with less than adequate tools or procedures, or he can be stuck trying to do something that a more skilled person could do better. All this, also, takes his sights off his ultimate goal.

Another enemy of the Knight of Pentacles is procrastination. Having a goal is great, but never getting started, or starting and not finishing, will prevent any form of accomplishment. This is akin to fruit withering on the tree, or in our case, a goal dying inside us. This is one of the points in the decision making process where we find the difference between a goal and a wish. A goal inspires action. A wish does not. A wish is a dream without any ties to reality. A goal is a dream with actionable steps toward its reality. Procrastination will turn a goal into a dream that dies before it even gets started.

All of these dangers involve the Knight of Pentacles losing sight of his goal and becoming mired in the present. It’s easy to get lost hammering away at a nail and lose sight of the house that is being built. He must instead do his best, let others help him along, and get on with the business and details that help him succeed, and keep at it.

The Knight of Pentacles appears to be still or slow moving but every action counts as he makes his way toward his goal. Like the tortoise and the hair, he may only plod along at 1000 yards in a day, but that gets him farther than one who runs 750 yards in an hour and then stops to sleep the rest of the day. Ultimately, the Knight of Pentacles wins.

In summary, the Knight of Pentacles represents goal making, forward thinking, looking ahead, making plans, taking measurable steps, working steadily in support of a goal, being patient, being dedicated, keeping your eyes on the prize. The Knight of Pentacles must be wary of losing sight of his ultimate goal, getting lost in the details, getting mired in the present, taking on too much, the fear of delegation, perfectionism, and procrastination.

78 Journeys into the Tarot

The tarot is a fascinating tool for reflection and divination. I have been reading with the tarot since I was nineteen. In all that time, I have endeavored to become better and better at my craft. Since I enjoy researching and writing, I decided to do a series of essays on the tarot; each essay taking on a different card. But the tarot is so expansive. Its imagery is alive and ever-changing. I knew that I couldn't just take one deck and work with it; I risked leaving so much unsaid. With that in mind, I selected seven decks, and even though four of the decks are inspired by the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, I believe that they are different enough to each bring something special to the table.

The first deck is the Halloween Tarot from U.S. Games. I love Halloween, and so this is one of my favorite decks. Monsters, trick-or-treaters, and even German vegetable people populate its images and a black cat appears in every card, walking the reader through the thread of the reading.

The second deck is the Robin Wood Tarot. I love this deck because it was the first purely pagan deck I ever had. The artwork is brilliant.

Next, is the Universal Tarot, not to be confused with the Universal Waite Tarot.

Then, there is Ellen Dugan's Witches Tarot, also not to be confused with the Witches Tarot by Ellen Cannon Reed.

Fifth, is Crowley's Thoth Tarot. It is an enigmatic deck that has layers of meaning. For the purposes of this series of essays, I will only be considering the artwork and meanings as they compare with the other selected decks.

Sixth, is Barbara Moore's Steampunk Tarot. So many steampunk inspired tarot decks have sprung up since this one was released, but I really think that hers is the best. And Aly Fell's artwork can't be beat.

Finally, to add an extra bit of diversity to the mix, I have selected Joseph Vargo's Gothic Tarot. Like Aly Fell, Vargo produced original artwork and modified some of his existing paintings to produce this deck.

My first essay, on the Knight of Pentacles, is nearly complete and will be posted soon. I hope to have at least two essays posted each month. Fingers crossed!

Ever in service,
Ignacio Ceja

P.S.
Click here to learn to read the tarot quickly and easily.