By Sarah Taylor
In the beginning was the word, the unborn word. Then the word was born. Before its birth, the world was silent; then came the first spark of life, the divine “One,” the first breath, the first thought. The divine was the first existence, the father and mother of all subsequent numbers.
— Francesca Marzano-Fritz, from “The Rohrig-Tarot Book”
The first card I drew today was again at centre: the Three of Swords, or “Sorrow.” This is the main energy at play — or, to put it another way, the central matter that’s up for consideration, whether in the world around you or closer to home.
On the card, a figure, head bowed, faces what looks like the lower part of a large door that is closed in front of him. Three swords are painted on an upper panel that seems to be ‘tacked on’ to the door itself, two swords travelling one way, the third the other, as if countering their movement.
Swords refer to thoughts and words, and the beliefs that stem from them. The implication is divisiveness in the realm of thought, word or belief. Yet the emphasis is subtle: it is not the situation itself that causes the conflict, but how the mind reacts — to the situation, to the words that are spoken around it, and to beliefs that meet each other head-on.
Instead of a meeting of minds there is a sharp point of differentiation that causes a sense of split allegiances. In the card, we see “Doubt,” “NOT CLEAR.” How can we hold to our point of view when the other holds equally to theirs — and still have a meeting of minds? Is there a third way?
To the left of the Three of Swords, we have another Swords card: the Prince, or the Knight in the Rider-Waite Smith version. I remember remarking once that the RWS Knight of Swords wields his sword like a weapon, and encountering him requires caution. He is insightful, with a mainline into his own intuitive capabilities. He can break chains of limiting beliefs, but he is also still learning, and that sword can be capricious and heavy-handed. He is both the two swords that move in unison and the single sword that fights against them.
When we embody the Prince of Swords, we will jump into the fray, weapon drawn, often bitingly accurate, often with the ability to liberate. What lies in the shadows, though, is the potential double-edge of that sword, its insight exposing ourselves in the process as much as it exposes others, sparing nothing — not even the truth.
The caution here: go gently — especially when qualified by the Three of Swords. The sorrow lies in the way ideas are exchanged — or, rather, wielded — and not always in the ideas themselves.
The final card marks a point of resolution that we can turn to — that “third way” that I wrote of. The words on The Magus are the antidote to the swashbuckling shadow nature of the Prince:
“Communication,” “Flexibility,” “Genius,” “handling of all possibilities of communication playfully.”
The Magus corresponds to the planet Mercury (just about to come out of retrograde), which is the planet of communication. Unlike the Prince and the figure in the Three of Swords, the Magus looks at us face-on, his eyes soft, his mouth in a faint smile, head resting on an open left hand. He is curious, engaged, patient. Instead of wings on his feet, here they grow from his eyebrows, the feathered light of them a reflection of the feathered rays of light that radiate from the star that shines at the crown of his head.
This star is the beginning of consciousness — the Big Bang of awareness. The Magus carries this energy in the way that he both engages with the world, and in the way that he creates it. This is the light that is masked in the Prince of Swords, partially hidden behind the upper-most of the amber eyes that ‘bubble’ to the surface of his card.
Insight is not just about what one sees with the eyes alone; it is what one sees with the inner-sight born of a connectedness to consciousness that transcends any one individual. It is greater than all of us.
The Magus knows something; and he is looking at each of us who look back at him.
And so I return to the quote at the beginning of this reading, which is the opening paragraph in the description of The Magus in The Rohrig-Tarot Book:
In the beginning was the word, the unborn word. Then the word was born. Before its birth, the world was silent; then came the first spark of life, the divine “One,” the first breath, the first thought.
What is your “unborn word”? Where is the genius of awareness and connection to something that moves beyond the limitations of one- (single-)mindedness? What can you say that breaks the silence, playfully, flexibly? Is it time to birth it?
Astrology/Elemental correspondences: Prince of Swords (the airy aspect of air), Three of Swords (Saturn in Libra), The Magus (Mercury)
If you want to experiment with tarot cards and don’t have any, we provide a free tarot spread generator using the Celtic Wings spread, which is based on the traditional Celtic Cross spread. This article explains how to use the spread.
Jere – Beautifully observed, thank you!
mirgirl – I do have a sense of The Magus being hermaphroditic — he is the ‘masculine’ to The High Priestess’s ‘feminine’, and both co-exist as archetypes in us all, if we choose to see them.
-Side note on the symbols to the left and right of the Magus’ head: the first is the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet, Beth, which means “house”. The second symbol is either Fehu, or an inverted Ansuz of the Norse alphabet. Fehu being the first letter and meaning “wealth, or cattle”. Ansuz, the fourth letter meaning “one of the AEsir gods”, which generally denotes the primary pantheon of deities.
What I read into this spread is an evolutionary process of mentality, perception, and words. I view the three of swords as a mind ripe in perception, but having no way to convey that perception. The Prince, through personage, as practicing and/or aquiring skills to hone his ability to precision. The Magus I view as the adept who has gained creative mastery (or the path that is the ‘Way’ to such mastery).
That would be my succinct generalized interpretation. On the personal side, I feel/think that this is what I’ve been working on my entire life, and especially through the comments section of PW (I require a LOT more practice!). I think that everyone is (or at least should be) on this particular journey.
I like this one,
Jere
I love this reading: it’s a walk across an unknown field: the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing: there is freedom to proceed with a blithe heart, thanks to your guidance. You have shown us the nettles and the poison ivy before we set out and so we shall not be put in harm’s way if we keep our wits about us.
Today Mercury, my chart ruler, station exact cj MC, tr NN exacting cj my Neptune, and tr Jupiter exact sandwich between my Jup/Ura cjn. N Mercury cj Pallas mid-Libra.
And, yes, my eyebrows look exactly like that, tho I think Mercury might shapeshift to a more hermaphroditic form; over the years, I have often been mistaken (?!) for a man, altho some say I am a beautiful woman.
Thank you so much for your insight and love.
Amanda – I can’t make head nor tail of SCOTUS. It seems like utter madness. … And I really do believe there’s always another way …
Alexander – “When action at a crossroads seems impossible, regression into a frozen wordless place can happen.. rumination that has an emotional flavour takes over.
I have to wonder about how many children get punished when they try to articulate their deepest feelings.. <3"
I find that such a relevant link. And personally relevant too. The third way asks of us not only to relinquish the story of our childhoods and what we were told we were, or should be, but also to re-embrace the creativity that was squished out of us by the wounds we were dealt. To remember that we were, and always have been, good enough.
Thanks Sarah. Brilliant reading and resonant with the mundane astrology.
Moreover, the whole spread’s culmination feels like the unpacking of The Chariot – a card I drew last night.. it also feels like it may be reminiscent of a process of healing ancient trauma. The whole water/air Merc Rx movement this year reinforcing that feelings are feelings and must be felt, while thoughts are thoughts and must issue in action.
When action at a crossroads seems impossible, regression into a frozen wordless place can happen.. rumination that has an emotional flavour takes over.
I have to wonder about how many children get punished when they try to articulate their deepest feelings.. <3
hmm — the first thing to come to mind regarding this reading is the Hobby Lobby ruling by SCOTUS today and the many reactions surrounding it. not sure what a “third way” might be though this one yet.