Expansion. A decision between two has fostered a new endeavor, a new idea or a new frontier to be conquered. Threes are associated with creative energy, a surge of new things, the dynamism of a triangle. From the balance of two was born a new concept, idea, renewed strength.
Camoin-Jodorowsky Tarot de Marseille
Seen with the trump, Le bateleur, the single sword becomes a wand. Applied to the dexterity, astuteness and capacity of the magician, the wand in turn becomes a powerful tool for creation. The deadlyness of the sword becomes an instrument of magic, a doer of things, creator, willpower. Swords and Wands are both active suits so this is absurdly active in its transformation from the third sword to the single wand. The magician holds it with precision, confidently. He knows how to apply his will to action. He knows how to manipulate things, the things before him, to his advantage. A perfect leader.
Camoin-Jodorowsky Tarot de Marseille
Inversely, the single wand becomes a third sword. This reads to me like a preparation for application. In other words, the magician’s will is applied to conquer new frontiers. Becomes strength and authority. The table before the magician can be translated as the two swords surrounding the single uplifted sword. This equates to conquering action. No more playing with trinkets on a table, the situation calls for movement , for overpowering strength. The two occupied hands, one with a wand and a small nugget on the other,become concentrated into a single endeavor.
I have mentioned on here previously that I was reading Camelia Elias’s book Marseille Tarot: Towards the Art of Reading, published by Eyecorner Press. I just finished the book and found it so refreshing, that I want to share a little review of it in this space.
The book is about storytelling with the Marseille Tarot. How to create stories that speak to the querent and that consequently reveal our “blind spots.” It starts with laying down the foundation, how to construct stories, how to ask the cards, and where to look for more information. She provides excellent outside sources to complement our tarot journey, from Alejandro Jodorowsky, Enrique Enriquez to the writer Italo Calvino. She doesn’t delve into the logistics of determining the future and how to ask the right question, that is merely up to the reader and what she/he feels comfortable with. The Tarot is such an expansive language that it can encompass all these nuances, we should not worry ourselves with the minutiae. It is truly up to the reader.
The Tarot is a visual and poetic language that enables us to respond to an embodied situation presented in the cards. It’s the best kind of learning. And often the wisest.
The Cunning-Folk Method:
Useful stories that rests on the premise that a pack of cards can be seen as a tool in describing that which we have no words for, but which we would like to see crystallize before our eyes.
She applies traditional folk methods to reading cards, based on cartomancy, that distills this passed-down-through-the-ages knowledge in the art of telling a story by looking at the cards lying on a table.
A good portion of the book, about half, goes into detail about the Trumps and also uses real life reading situations to contextualize the meaning of the Trump. The interesting part here is where she presents in a very common-sensical manner of interpreting the card in combination with another card. For example: Le Pendu
With Le Pape (The Pope)= A mystic
Jean Noblet Tarot de Marseille Majors only.
With Lemperance (Temperance)= Yoga instructor
Jean Noblet Tarot de Marseille Majors.
With Le Diable (The Devil)= Underground spy
Jean Noblet Tarot de Marseille Majors
To me, this is inspiring. The possibilities inherent within the cards are truly endless, versatile and magical.
With the suits she doesn’t go in depth into each one, she basically applies the cartomantic rules of making logical inferences from the pips and that is all. As she states:
Essentially, we always go from tension to release. And that’s basically all. One is a little, ten is a lot. Unity and division, contraction and expansion, and far and near optical observations.
With the batons we construct , with the swords we fight and dig, with cups we celebrate and drink, with coins we barter and buy. From here on out, we make inferences based on the number and the surrounding cards and voila! ça suffit. This might seem a little vague but when you get the cards out and start playing around with them it starts making complete sense. Also, keep in mind that the most important part to any system is consistency.
Towards the end of the book she gives the basis for the French Cross while also delving into the nuances of the simple three card spread with a top and bottom card and ending with the logistics of a reading/querent situation. How to read for others, etc. All in all, this is an excellent book. How Camelia Elias weaves a story that is both evocative and pertinent is truly inspiring. In my humble opinion, I am not big on reading how-to books, yes I read the LWB tarots come with but in general I don’t delve too much into reading a lot of how-to material. I don’t like being told what things mean, I like getting there of my own accord. This book is so much more than a How-to book on reading the Marseille tarot, it is a magical book on how to see the cards in a more subtle light, how to create stories that speak to us and that take us further than our present moment. It is as the title states, a book on the art of reading. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for a different and stimulating approach to reading the cards.
*Deck used: Jean Noblet, Jean-Claude Flornoy restoration.
A meeting of opposition, expansion from the one to the two. Alone it could indicate a truce, a coming together of binaries. It could also indicate a meeting of opposing ideas, a decision. This calls to mind the traditional Waite-Smith image of the two of swords, the blindfolded woman holding two swords in opposition, sitting outside with a waxing moon behind her. It is the deciding moment where two ideas come to head and one must win out the other.
With La Force it is decidedly a battle of two, a duel of wits and strength. Furthermore, it is a duel that fosters change and empowerment. When the one is equipped with the power and drive of the sword, a meeting of an other in a duel will generate a testing of strength and capacity. Resistance and overcoming resistance.
Camoin-Jodorowsky Tarot de Marseille
On another noted, this could also be read as subjugation, the overpowering presence of the woman in la force becomes the two swords surrounding the flower, which is a transformation of the lion. This is an indication of asphyxia, of being surrounded and cornered.
So many things have been going on recently that I haven’t done much dailies. Today I decided to rectify that. I asked the cards to tell me what is currently going on. As always, their response was direct.
Camoin-Jodorowsky Marseille
There is a transition culminating, from thought to action. With the valet de deniers pondering decisively upon the coin in his hand a thought is coming into fruition. This spread is about the materialization of ideas parting from changes in work and in the heart. Resistance and hardwork is met with harvest. I feel an ushering in of the heart’s desire and an opening that leads to prosperous endeavors.
Camoin-Jodorowsky Marseille, wooden runes
Sometimes the message of the cards is harsh and confrontational, other times, such as this, the cards are affirming. Given the changes looming on the horizon this summer, the message is pertinent and empowering. It tells me to continue the work, keep my eye trained on the goal, my heart open, and my will directed.
On another note, I recently sold some of my decks, the Cosmic, the Gorgon’s, the Golden Universal, and the Hermetic. I was very sad to see them go but I wasn’t using them and felt that it was better for them to be in a home where they will be used. Giving away the Gorgon’s was the most heartbreaking. Inversely, I received the Wildwood Tarot, one which I am very excited to be incorporating into my sacred space. I am waiting for Le Tarot Noir to arrive and I just bought a used Jean Noblet Marseille. I have been pining for a Jean Noblet for too long and someone kindly saw my call for help and sold me their spare copy. Evidently, quite a bit of goodies await my attention. For now, I will be using Camoin-Jodorowsky’s Marseille Tarot, exploring how it reads. Given that I am also reading Jodorowsky’s tarot book, I might do a review at some point. I will continue doing the storytelling posts, I really enjoy those.
Natalia Lee 