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XXI The World
Something I find
very important in the symbolism found in tarot cards is that
they are not too literal. When something is described literally
our conscious mind takes a hold of it. On the other hand, if
words or images are used that are similar, broader, archetypal,
or otherwise sidestep what is the literal, precise meaning, our
conscious minds are allowed to move out of the way and our
sub-or deeper-conscious minds go to work with it’s full
intuitive arsenal.
This is an area of particular interest to me as I have all my
life had very vivid and numerous dreams and nightmares.
Especially during the creation of this deck I have been able to
watch what information I put in and see how the deeper parts of
my mind handle it while I am asleep. I tend to think that what
we see when we are asleep is very similar to what our minds are
always working on 24 hours a day just we are now able to examine
it because the conscious mind is taking a rest.
One of the
biggest effects this has had on the creation of this deck is
that I try not to be too literal in any image or description; I
try to keep it symbolic. This is true of my decision to name
the court cards King, Queen, Knight, and Page rather than
Mother, Father, Daughter and Son. So too it has influenced me
in naming this card the World rather than the Universe, which is
really closer to my idea of what it means.
The World, this
rich, mothering planet we live on (like the Empress) provides us
with everything we physically need to live. She is a gorgeous
metaphor for the universe, the physically manifest universe
which also provides everything with all that it needs to live.
I see this card
as a perfect counterpart to the Fool and I love that she is
numbered XXI and he is not numbered at all because she is
examined and counted while he is not. They are the spirit and
the body, collectively. He is new and innocent and she has
already experienced everything, or is in the process of doing
so. He has no physical substance and she has all of it.
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