Tarot within a dream question.

Normally, I don't keep any sort of dream journal, but I woke up the other morning absolutely compelled to note some aspects of a dream I had. In the dream, I heard the words "Knights Templar divination cards" as I was looking at the cards. The only card that stood out to me turns out to be a variation of the 4 of swords card from Rider-Waite. HOWEVER, and this is where things get weird and I feel sorely confused, the images on the card were reversed, I couldn't see any swords and the figure atop the sarcophagus was a nun in full black and white habit, whimple and all. And, instead of facing to the left, it was facing to the right. There was a second deck involved somewhere, but the message was clear: this was a Knights Templar deck and there was a nun was in the crypt of the 4 of swords card of said deck. Now, I am TOTALLY ignorant of what the Knights Templar deck (which does exist) looks like and I wonder why such a deck, dedicated to a Catholic military order would have a nun as the central figure of the 4 of swords. Oddly, that's the only detail I can recall of the spread.

I don't know if this helps, but a few facts about me: I'm female, ex-Catholic, all Witch, Sagittarius and Guardian/Sword-bearer of my coven.

Any insight, gut-check, ideas would be appreciated.

Look under the bed

You hold your coven leader in high esteem, and rightly so. She is the star upon the Christmas tree!

Your position within is of importance however, you have felt somewhat "pinned" and subsequently current thoughts are manifesting, finding yourself now lost in the wilderness, so to speak. This is the octagon realm, the realm above the square, a transitional position (of the charioteer), rising you in consciousness to the "circle/light" - somewhat akin to reaching the mountain top (4th chakra).

Say good bye to the gross and keep following the light.

Have a close look into the art of "sacred geometry" and you will possibly gain further insights into what I mean.

.... this position is closely guarded - it is the weighing of your heart... good luck.

This is the only Knights Templar deck I found on a *very* quick search, and as you can see, the pips are unillustrated, meaning that the four Swords would have no actual image portrayed on the card aside from the pips themselves.

Weren't the original Knights Templar the champion fighting wing of the Cathars? (Don't quote me on that - my reading is decades old!) they certainly were the armed-and-ready defenders of some mystical order or other. If I were you and I were concerned with the dream, I'd be spending some time finding out which order, and what their beliefs were.

If it turns out that my wild guess was right and they were the Cathars, they held the heretical belief, back in the 11th, 12th and 13th century, that women were actually capable of thinking for themselves (!!) and even holding public office. In fact, Manfreda Visconti, ancestor of the Viscontis that later commissioned very early Tarot decks and may have had her portrait painted in "The Chariot" and "The Papess" (High Priestess), was their future-pope-elect, right up until the incumbent had her burnt at the stake in the Vatican courtyard in 1300 for the dire heresy of believing she was capable of any kind of public office, depe3nding on the sources you read.

Which would tie in delightfully with the early Italian Tarots, and with femininity-in-Tarot. The Nun you "saw" lying in an almost Papal tomb in the Four Swords may even have been Manfreda, as she was in religious garb, in her tomb or recovering in spirit.

You may have been dreaming mystical truths wrapped up in Tarot symbolism to attract your attention.

Of course, scratch that if they are the armed wing of another order.

Spellsinger said:

Normally, I don't keep any sort of dream journal, but I woke up the other morning absolutely compelled to note some aspects of a dream I had. In the dream, I heard the words "Knights Templar divination cards" as I was looking at the cards. The only card that stood out to me turns out to be a variation of the 4 of swords card from Rider-Waite. HOWEVER, and this is where things get weird and I feel sorely confused, the images on the card were reversed, I couldn't see any swords and the figure atop the sarcophagus was a nun in full black and white habit, whimple and all. And, instead of facing to the left, it was facing to the right. There was a second deck involved somewhere, but the message was clear: this was a Knights Templar deck and there was a nun was in the crypt of the 4 of swords card of said deck. Now, I am TOTALLY ignorant of what the Knights Templar deck (which does exist) looks like and I wonder why such a deck, dedicated to a Catholic military order would have a nun as the central figure of the 4 of swords. Oddly, that's the only detail I can recall of the spread.

I don't know if this helps, but a few facts about me: I'm female, ex-Catholic, all Witch, Sagittarius and Guardian/Sword-bearer of my coven.

Any insight, gut-check, ideas would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Nun is a symbol for using facets of your spirituality ...actually weaving them into the fabric of your everyday life.
So they become outward signs of who you are.
Sword is used to protect or cut away something
And knight is a protector.... a person who stands up for a cause...or person.
Either you are being prevented from showing your specific brand of spirituality in your everyday life...or you are trying to incorporate more of it....come out in the open more with it...either way this is making you stressed...

Lark, actually, I'm a very open and "out of the broom closet" Witch where I live. I'm Secretary for my state's Pagan Pride, I've hosted public access tv shows on it, I've been on other people's public access shows, in the paper, etc. Not famous, but I'm public.

As far as the deck, the dream has faded, but I either heard a voice tell me it was a Knights Templar deck or there may have been a box, I simply don't remember that part. I think some of this started at our last Full Moon gathering. Each member of the coven brought their deck and we basically worked on intuition with them for a bit. I never took a formal class on tarot and I actually haven't read in years, seriously, but it's pulled me back to it. Maybe that's what's going on. And maybe it is Cathar symbolism...Another thing to start reading about. And sacred geometry. And tarot.

Thanks, gang.