Death, Nine of Swords, and the Knight of Mugs
Death. This version is by Lisa Sterle. Death is offered up in a kinder, gentler way as “change.” And that’s not wrong, per se, but it belies that to go through true change, part of you has to die. That doesn’t mean a physical death, but it does mean that some element of who you are will be gone. You are a far different person than you were a decade ago—you were shaped by the world and your choices in it. This is modeled on Smith’s classic Death card, and it includes a small allegory below. The king, with all of their earthly power, cannot stop Death, and attempting to do so is folly. The middle-aged person—who knows too much, and yet not enough—fears death and looks away; only the child and the eldest can look upon Death. The elder’s experience and the child’s innocence prevent them from fearing change.
The Nine of Swords by Lisa Sterle. It’s a card of grief and anxiety. What keeps you up at night after the lights are off and the world is quiet? Those thoughts are running around in your head and will never seem to stop. It will consume you, and in the midst of that turbulence, it can be difficult to get perspective. The blanket of roses tells you that compassion and comfort can be found if you are looking.
The Kinght of Mugs by Cat Rocketship. Love. Emotions, and a Knight that is slowly plodding along with his horse, maybe after their two drinks. Love is a complicated beast. We all know infatuation, and how love is presented to us in the media, but true love, the love of your deepest relationships, is a much, much more complicated creature. There is duty, honor, respect, acceptance, and a dozen other powerful emotions all rolled into one. Love isn’t easy. It means supporting those you love and accepting love from those who love you. It also means loving yourself in the worst of times.
All central characters point to the right and thus to the future. The message focuses on the pain and anxiety of change. What do you need to help you with the big changes in your life? Changing jobs, graduating from college, getting married, having kids, reaching middle age, heading toward retirement, and any number of other big changes are going to happen. Even under the best of circumstances, they are going to cause grief and pain. There are going to be sleepless nights. Where can you get help, comfort, and compassion? It can be right there, but often our pride prevents us from getting what we need.
The Knight is not telling us that “love is the answer” but asks further questions. During your difficult (big) changes, how do you get the love you need? How do you support those you love when they are going through difficult changes? How do you create a world where you can love yourself? There are no easy answers.
