~XXI The World~

 

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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.