Start Today with Guidance and a Glimpse of Possibilities

Unlike the Queen of the suit, the King of Cups is not directly connected to the water: his throne rests upon the waves and an artificial fish, as opposed to a live one, is hung around his neck. The King does not look at his Cup but, instead, holds it with the same grip with which he holds the scepter in his other hand. Here is creativity that has been contained and put to use.

The Six of Swords is represented by a deeply mysterious image: a shrouded figure and child are being poled across the water in a narrow boat, which carries the Swords themselves. The picture evokes Charon carrying his freight of souls across the River Styx. The destination that the mother and child (and possibly the man ferrying them) are headed towards is a gentle wooded island, suggesting peace, and a point at which rest may, finally, be found. 

The Hermit stands on a high peak, hooded and alone. The star-shine of his lantern is the only light to guide his passage through the mountain passes. This card represents isolation, but not loneliness; it symbolizes the light that we all carry within us, that can show us the path to take if we can block life’s distracting dazzle for a moment so that we may find it.

Here, we discern a long-held symbol of earthly power: a white-haired man, stern, wearing armor beneath his regal garments, and seated on a stone throne. Note the scepter The Emperor holds, bearing the universal sigil of the male sex, and compare this to The Empress’ totem of femininity, which is carved onto a heart-shaped stone and rests against her dais. His throne bears the images of four rams’ heads, linking The Emperor to the sign Aries, which is ruled by Mars, the God of War. The Emporer is power and strength. The extent to which these can be used for good or ill depends entirely on the personality that directs them.

In this card we see a figure who wields all the suits of the Major Arcana with confidence: in his raised hand he holds a Wand, while on the table (or altar) before him lies a Pentacle, a Cup, and a Sword. They await his will. And herein lies the key to understanding this powerful card: The Magician is intention. He is the focused assertion of the will and the paths that open before us as a result.

In the Five of Cups we see the figure of a woman, who epitomizes sorrow and loss in the manner in which she stands, head down, regretful, desolate, and - we sense - deeply alone in her sadness, quite possible by choice. The three spilled Cups that are the source of her grief lay on the ground before her; behind her stand two remaining upright Cups, as yet unseen, or unheeded.