So decided to try out one of those spreads I've had an eye on...decent reading, not really 'off' but not notable enough to type up either. Art-wise, I find the Harmonious tarot quite pretty, but I am already wondering if it won't end up on the trade-block due to a certain lack of connection in reading with it. Will see. Anyway, though, one of the cards that came up really kind of bothered me.
When I saw this card, I spent a good minute or two thinking it was the Queen of Wands. Why? Well, to be honest, in RWS styled decks I kind of automatically associate sunflowers with the Queen of Wands given the frequency with which they appear in her card. Then you have the bright golden tones, and...most notably, the RAM in the background. Working with Thoth has made me more aware of astrology as of late, and this, symbol of Aries, is most definitely a fire sign; fire, which is almost always associated with Wands. I mean, there is the Silicon Dawn with its quite deliberate and unique (to my knowledge) reversal of Wands and Coins suit elements, but in a deck like this, where there is no real elemental associations in the suits and certainly no deliberate effort to do something different... it just leaves me scratching my head about why are there all these wands/fire associations in what is supposed to be the earthy coin queen.
It's a pretty card, certainly. One of my favorites in the entire deck, aesthetically. And I suppose sunflowers can be an earth associated as well, but the whole card image. to me, just says...growth, passion, energy, self-development, creativity...that ARIES mountain pointing upward, goals to achieve... I cannot see anything at all that I associate with the queen of coins in this card. Mentally I know that is what it is supposed to be, but visually I really do see another queen entirely.
It's one thing if a deck is really conceptually doing its own thing, but when it is essentially pretty straightforward RWS-based in a different/interesting art style... Maybe its my mood or stress level at the current moment, but this just...quite rather annoys me...
4 comments:
Ah, you see this is where ignorance is bliss. As I do not have knowledge of astrology, Thoth, or other systems, I am free to make up my own and make things work for me. There are many cards in this deck that challenge my logic, but here...the sunflower for me simply echoes the shape of discs, and represent fruition and abundance. And the ram represents the randy realities of life in a physical body, nudge nudge wink wink, almost like revealing the potential of what lies beneath her demure exterior. :) I like Harmonious but it is a mystery at times, for sure, and can be quite annoying with its squeamishness toward darker card meanings. I love the way it looks, though, and intend to keep it. :)
hmmm, you bring up a good point carla. it may be that my being too far in the thoth headspace right now is effecting take on this deck...if it doesn't work out right now maybe i will keep it around and see if i don't feel differently about it some other point in time...dunno, been on a bit of a slimming down my collection kick lately...
definitely appreciate you perspective on the card, in any case :]
I was here ready to offer a new perspective on this card when I realized... I am equally annoyed by its obvious Wandishness. For me, it isn't the Queen of Pentacles at ALL. O_O
...maybe the Kings of Wands and Pentacles got divorced and married each other's ex-wife?
I do feel curious - if THAT's the Queen of Pents, what does the Queen of Wands look like!?
You know Marina, your theory about Kings of Wands and Pentacles divorcing and switching spouses actually makes a lot of sense, in an vaguely disturbing type of way...the queen of wands would def make a more appropriate queen of pents in my eyes... http://www.albideuter.de/html/harmonious_-_romantisches_34.html
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