Two of Wands, Liminal Death, and The Lone and Level Sands
The Two of Wands is a small wake-up call. This version by Lisa Sterle shows a very successful individual, who (from an American perspective) is on vacation in a foreign country. As she doesn’t look happy. When surrounded by breathtaking vistas and an ocean expanse, the character still has her phone out. What a pity that the crash of the waves and the sky of foreign lands isn’t seemingly enough.
There is an invitation here to take an inventory of what you have, and to look beyond the superficial niceties of the infinite scroll on your phone. A distraction for the dissatisfied in a world of wonder.
This Death (Motel) is by L0st Vegas from the Alleyman’s Tarot. Small deaths are common in life, and this is just that. Things are constantly changing around you, no matter what you do to take hold. It is beautiful and terrifying. Now is not the time to upend your world, but to consider what small changes can do for you. 15 minutes a day creates large impacts over time. Whether you choose to invest or waste it. In that liminal space of choice, what are you going to do?
Finally, the Lone and Level Sands by Connor Kennedy, again from the Alleyman’s Tarot. The card was added to the deck because I love the poem Ozymandias by Shelly. Human hubris. All will eventually meet their fate, even those most powerful, and even those who are gods with pyramids and obelisks.
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
No thing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Look upon my works, indeed. The desert consumes all. This card is reversed; per the Alleyman’s guide, this is the fall to glory. You are already on your way down, but this is a chance to explore the meaning of what you could become.
These cards lead to questions and compassionate investigation. It is important to remember that everyone suffers and can feel trapped by their life. The Two of Wands is asking us to look at our surroundings and sit with them. In a world where people have everything they need—and more—why are we dissatisfied? Do you not have everything you need, or is it just boredom? If we are bored, why? Liminal Death asks us more questions. What small(?) changes could help? Are you bothered by the constant change of existence? Why?
During your investigations, you might not like what you find. The Lone and Level Sands say as much. It happens to everyone; if we were all perfect, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. If you have been hard or hubristic (like the kings of old), why? If you fear the washing away that comes with time and its associated fall, remember that we find meaning and new foundations at the bottom.
