The Suit of Wands
This is the story of Jason and the Argonauts in their expedition to seek the
Golden Fleece.
The Golden Fleece originally came from the story of Phrixus and Helle, the two
children of Athamas the Aeolian. They were both hated by their stepmother Ino.
Their very lives were threatened and they fled mounting a huge ram which was
a gift of Zeus, King of the Gods. The ram was covered with a fleeze of gold
and could move through the air as well as it could over the earth. Helle fell
into sea during the flight. Phrixus reached Colchis on the Black Sea. He sacrificed
the ram to his protector Zeus and offered its fleece to the king of the country,
Aeetes, who hung it from a tree and set a dragon who never slept to guard it.
In the meantime at Iolkos in Thessaly, reigned King Pelias who had stolen the
throne from his brother Aeson. Aeson's son Jason had been confided to the care
of the Centaur Churon when he was a baby, to protect him from the wrath of his
unsurping uncle Peliar. When Jason had matured his father told him of his true
origin of being king. Jason went to his uncle and demanded rule of the kingdom
according to hig right. Pelias was scared because an oracle had warned him of
a man wearing one sandal and Jason had only one foot shod having lost the other
sandal while crossing the river. Peliar promised Jason that he would wlilingly
comply with his demand but had one small request to make: that he find the Golden
Fleece and bring it back which properly belonged at Zeus' sanctuary in Iolkos.
Jason started building a ship with fifty oars, the 'Argo'. He gathered together
the most famous heroes then set forth in search of the fabled Golden Fleece.
They were forced to struggle against mosters and men as well as against the
elements. They finally reached the kingdom of Aeetes where the Fleece was kept.
King Aeetes daughter the sorceress Medea fell in love with Jason and helped
him to vanquish the dragon which had been guarding the precious Golden Fleece.
On the return voyage Jason and his crew once again had to sail through the terrible
clashing rocks at the north end of the bosphorus which could crush the ship.
At last he reached Iolkos with the Golden Fleece. There he found out that Pelias
had put his father Aeson to death becasue he was certain Jason would never return.
Medea charmed Pelias' daughters into murdering him. Jason ruled as king of Iolkos
but the vicotry of the voyage gone to his head, he was still unsatisfied with
one kingship, he wanted the crown of Corinth by marrying Creusa. The angered
Medea murdered Creusa but the children she had borne Jason as well.
As for Jason, some say he grew weary of life and found the kingship of Iolkos
a burden. As an old man looking forever backward to the day of his glory, he
sat dreaming in the shade of a rotting hilk of the 'Argo' and the poop well
on him and crushed him to death.
Ace of Wands
In the spread it means an uprush of creative energy, although this energy has
not yet formulated as a goal or project. The individual would feel restlessness
and dissatisfied with a strong feeling that new things are possible. The individual
is about to embark on an adventure in pursuit of a vision.
Two of Wands
The Two of Wands is the formulation of a new aim, idea, goal or creative project.
It might not be in final shape of the future but it has potential and is sufficient
to lure the individual out of his or her present confines into a new creative
centure. Things here depend on the courage of the individual to take up the
new idea with both hands and put faith in the invisible creative power which
has generated the vision of the new path.
Three of Wands
It implies a stage of initial completion of a creative idea or project. Enthusiasm
is high and tehre is a feeling of satisfaction and potimism about the future
potential of the project. There is still hard work ahead though, new plants
must be put into action before the full promise can be realized.
Four of Wands
This is a time of reward of efforts previously made. An idea of some sort has
developed and achieved. The individual has a right to celebrate the concrete
results of his or her efforts. This is still only a stage on a long journey.
The ship must soon set sale and face the hardest challenges before the final
goal is reached.
Five of Wands
It is the time of struggle where the individual has to battle with the dragon
of material reality to achieve a goal. Things may begin to go wrong and more
attention has to be paid to the demands and limits of the concrete reality or
else the individual falls into the grip of a depressive or apathetic mood. Compromises
should be made while still retaining the original vision.
Six of Wands
A time of public acclaim or acknowledgement of some kind will happen. It might
be a promotion, a qualification or the recognition of some piece of creative
work by the surrounding people.
Seven of Wands
This is a time of struggle against other peoples creative ideas. Competition.
The individual is challenged to improve and develop his or her project further
to face an envious and competitive world and they need to learn to value his
or her ambition and competitive instinct.
Eight of Wands
Here is a period full of action after delay and struggle. It could mean travel
or a clear stretch of creative activity where the imagination is working at
its hardest after anxieties and tensions have been overcome.
Nine of Wands
This is a time where the individual is at the point of exhaustion. THe final
challenge arises to prevent us reaching our goal and somehow we can find the
strength in reserve to meet the challenge. The strength is only available when
we have used up every other possibility and it seems to be invoked by both our
need and our willingness even though through exhaustion to try one more time.
Ten of Wands
It implies a time where the individual is overstocked and oppressed by having
taken on more than he or she can handle. The flowing ideas of the imagination
has stopped by to many other concerns and some of the daring and willingness
to take risks have been lost. Certain things need to be relinquished so the
creative ideas and process can be refreshed and the cycle mahy begin again.
Page of Wands
Its time for the individual to discover some new creative potential within themself.
This could often manifest as restlessness at work, a vague feeling of dissatisfaction
not yet strong enough to motivate a change, and a hint or glimpse that one might
be able to expand one's life in some way. The fantasies which accompany such
restlessness do not have the uprushing power of the Ace of Wands, an dmay ultimately
turn out to be impractical or impossible yet it is important to take them seriously
for they are the harbingers of a stronger source of inspirations and need to
be nurtured rather than stamped upon as though such restlessness were merely
a 'bad phase' rather than a herald.
Knight of Wands
The time has come for the individual to develop the exuberant and adventurous
qualities. It could be a change of residence because the individual suddenly
feels cramped by his or her environment and seeks a broader and greener pasture.
The Knight of Wands can enter one's life in the form of a charming, exciting
and rather unreliable young man full of new ideas. He inspires but must be taken
with the proverbial grain of salt lest he lead on into a bad fall.
Queen of Wands
It is time for the individual to begin to develop the quality of warmth, constancy
and loyaly. The Queen of Wands may enter one's life as such an imaginative and
magnetic woman, full of warmth and life. If such a person enters one's life
it is not by chance but rather that the indivual should bring forth those qualities
from within oneself.
King of Wands
Time for the individual to encounter the dimension of the personality which
initiates new ideas and sells them to others, thereby generating change in one's
own life and in the immediate environment. It is the spirit of leadership and
that one as the belief that one has a better idea which is worth promulgating
and working to make manifest. The King of Wands could enter one's life as a
fiery, impulsive person. Someone who infects others with the power of his ideas.
This, again is not by chance but the need for one's own developments.
The Cups
The Swords
The Pentacles
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