View Full Version : Phantasmagoric - Knight of Swords
The knight of swords
The LWB says" Here we meet Tom Tom, who is a naughty nature. He is the Knight of sowrds, a character who steals toys from those who are weaker than he. He gains power by manipulating others and forcing them to obey him. The knight of swords warns us notto let go of our rights too easily. When we meet a character like determination and much courage, but it is our only way of protecting ourselves.
Divinatory meaning: Tom Tom, the knight of swords represents omportance of balancing power and confronting negativity.
reversed meaning: Angry, aggressive"
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In my readings the knight seems to show up if i hace to stand up for myself. But it has warned me of people who want to control me too.
There are various symbols on the card like the spikes on his elbows like he is not affraidto use them ;)
There are some toys on the table before him, A litte train and a bear. Futher more this guy is looking very sweet at the reader with his big blue eyes
any thoughts?
Love and light
Maan
this one is a special one for me, he always comes when i'm feeling unsure, weak or as a warning to look out, to be on the alert
when he comes up he always looks naughty with a deep intense strong look/eye, he challenge me like heh you know i'm stronger than you, what are you gonna do about that! but then he makes me angry! hah, you think so, you will see! }) i know then i have to be strong and don't let people walk over me, i tend to let do that too much sometimes, or challenge people by myself who are trying to do that with me, he's my special warning,
now i don't need him and he looks so peacefull, like an angel, but i know better, lol...steeling the toys of other people, tss! not mine!!! :D
edit: that is why i love this deck...the figures are really real to me, when they come up they can have a totally different look than an other moment when they aren't so important for me at that stage of my life...
at this moment he looks peacefull, kind, you should not think he's a meany boy, only the pins on his outfit can suggest it, but when he shows up his look/gaze change, it becomes very intense, challenging: i want to steel your toys what are you gonna do to don't let me do that...looking how far he can go...thinking he can dominate me...but no way ;)!!!
nice card, my little devil!!!
Oke here is a pic of the kniwght of swords thanks rostie :* is must have taken you alot of work!
Little Baron
23-07-2003, 01:20
Tom Tom!
He is surely one of my favourites from this deck. The courts are so expressionate and have such personality, unlike a lot of decks. I just finished another thread, where somebody asked about Courts to meditate over, and I suggested this pack.
I see a lot of myself in Tom Tom and I see others in my life. It is funny how sometimes, I can only see a certain person in him and not see myself. Then, on another day ... I do see the warning in him as well, so in that sence, he is not the naughty boy, but the friend that is keeping an eye out for me. Did you ever have a friend like that? The naughty one that helped you out of trouble? That's Tom Tom for me ... I know the boundries though!!!!!
These cards are certainly underrated. I don't think that people give them enough of a chance as they see them as flat and not connected so much with the historical associations of tarot.
I love them.
Yaboot
Always nice to see more people fall in love with this deck. Its one of my altime favo decks. You recognized the same depths in this deck as i did.
And indeed like you say Yaboot, Tom Tom is the naughty friend. I think the next time he survaces i will get that sentence in my head!
Love
a happy
Maan
Little Baron
25-07-2003, 07:24
Hi. Well after todays card, 'The Magician', I put all of the skills I had into the work I was doing and I now feel that I am on the way .
My card for tomorrow is ... (picks card) ...
The Knight of Swords - Tom Tom.
I have been waiting for him to make an appearance! For many reasons. Firstly, because of the conversations I have had with Maan recently about this Knight. Secondly, I wanted him to show up because he is my favourite in the deck. Thirdly, he reminds me of a new friend that I have made - you must think I have some freaky looking friends! - well, in this instance, the guy is a little on the odd side and this card resembles him pretty well (even down to his favourite shades of clothing).
I have only met him twice but we got on well. I sense that he can be a little prickly and that possibly, trouble could follow him around bit, which are all contributed to the essense of this card.
What do I see? I see an attractive young man in this card; he is a bit of a 'pretty boy' and I imagine that he could be prone to immature tantrums, should he not get his way. I see a sword on his t-shirt, what looks like barbed wire on his neckline, spikes protruding from his cardigan/jacket. He wears a spade tattoo on his head, wears a crown. Infront of him are toys - a train and a bear. The bear has been cut open and a pin has been aimlessly thrust into it. Tom Tom holds his head. His eyes are an innocent shade of green; his lips, a suculent purple. The background is a red and black check.
Graham Cameron says of this card -
"Here we meet Tom Tom, who has a naughty nature. He is the Knight of Swords, a character who steals toys from those who are weaker than he. He gains power by manipulating others and forcing them to obey him. The Knight of Swords warns us not to let go of our rights too easily. When we meet a character like Tom Tom, we must learn to challenge him. To do so requires adetermination and much courage, but it is our only way of protecting ourselves.
Tom Tom, The Knight, represents the importance of balancing power and confronting negativity".
I can see the naughty nature of Tom Tom, but the vulnerability in his gaze endears me to him (and I am sure he endears others too). I wonder if this is how he uses his powers of manipulation. The sword on his vest shows communication; a person that can communicate well can often overcome others. Does he charm people into taking their toys? Does he then turn nasty when they want them back? His beauty may then turn ugly.
It is interesting that Cameron looks at the negative side of this card by using 'Angry' and 'Aggressive' as keywords for a reversed meaning. In this Knight, and also in my new found aquaintance, I can see this side - an aggression and anger that may be fought by words. I also see that this anger, aggression and negativity, as well as hurting others, can also hurt Tom Tom, which is why he is possibly barricading himself under his hands. He is similar to a porcupine, that puts out their spikes when they feel threatened.
The carelessness of the pins that have been stabbed into the bear and the table suggest a boredom in Tom Tom; that he doesn't really need the toys. He only took them because he knew he could. In this light, I see tomorrow as a day to stand up to opposition, to only do what I need to do and to not take from others things that may cause them stress - whether that is relying on them too heavily or borrowing their 'shoulder' when I can try to lift my spirits by myself.
Joan Bunning says of the 'Knight of Swords' - "Direct/Blunt, Authorative/Overbearing, Incisive/Cutting, Knowlegable/Opinionated, Logical/Unfeeling". As well as being aware of these traits in other people, a lesson is also to be aware of the negative aspects in 'my' interaction with others. Sometimes I can be cutting and rude. I can be tackless. If I am being unbearable and critical, then I need to bring some balance into tomorrow, and my life in general.
Even though I have rambled a lot here (sorry - this is my fave of all the Courts in this deck), I still havn't scratched the surface, I am sure. I look forward to when Tom Tom visits again to see if he shows a different side. I will enjoy his energy tomorrow and keep my eyes (and ears) open to whether he is a facit of myself or somebody else that enters my day.
Thankyou for listening.
Best wishes to you all.
Yaboot
Hi Yaboot
You said something about Tom tom that made me think...i noticed that he is a little bit manipulating.
But i never considered that he can do this so wel couse he is a 'pretty boy' like you say.
Whole new way of seeing Tom tom. His pretty blue eyes could be easely be used to convice some one that he RALLY did not do it LOL
Thanks
Love
Maan
:D That is funny.... I always saw him as rather helpless, with those big, hungry eyes!
Your description sure put him in a different perspective...;)
Just reading Maan's post: yes, perhaps he uses his sweet, good looks to get what he wants. Pretending to be helpless, so that someone will help him out and give in to him.
Little Baron
25-07-2003, 08:14
You are right, Mann.
I have got him propped up infront of my monitor as I type. As I was waiting for the page to refresh, he looked up at me - those little eye-lashes twinkling. He has got that 'don't hit me' look; 'don't mess up this pretty little face', 'you know it would hurt you more than me', 'you don't really think that I did it ... do you?".
There is something about that face that makes you want to forgive him straight away. I think that is the key to this card - don't let that innocent face fool you because in the end, it will be the spikes you begin to feel because Tom Tom will be off - WITH ALL YOUR TOYS!!!
I am so enjoying reading this deck daily, Mann. I never managed to get to grips with it at first. I had waited so long for it to arrive (it got delayed about twice) and when I opened the pack, I absolutely ravished it. As much as I continued to look at it though, and enjoy the art, I couldn't get inside it. Now, I feel like a door has opened.
Just a question - somebody (maybe Hedera) said that you use this as your main deck. Is that for personal readings or for others? If you read for others do you read generally - for example, 'This is The Knight of Swords, be careful etc etc' or do you go into the whole Phantasmagoric World and say 'This is Tom Tom, he steals from others in the Air Sword Labyrinth so be careful of those pretty boy eyes'. I just wondered because as much the latter is more appealing for me, i cannot imagine reading in this way for some people. Maybe a different deck is better for them. With a deck this intense, I think that to not read in the Phantasmagoric World would be a disservice to the cards and the characters that live within them.
Thanks for contributing. Are there many other Phantasmagoric readers on the boards? I wonder, because I feel a tad lonely in my discoveries. LOL.
Best wishes
Yaboot
Hi Yaboot
Yes i know how lonely this feels :( I just so glad that an other phantasmagoric theater lover has appeared
This decks is my main deck but wen i read for others i always let them pick one of my reading decks that appeals the most to them. Somehow they have never picked this one .... From all my friend and family my brother is the only one who likes it...but the day that he will ask for a reading is the day that the sky will drop on my head LOL
O and Hedera...if you keep up long enough with this we soon have you reading with this baby ;)
Love
Maan
Little Baron
25-07-2003, 08:40
O and Hedera...if you keep up long enough with this we soon have you reading with this baby ;)
That's right Hedera!!! We will draw you in, like Tom Tom, with our twinkling blue eyes and pretty faces! And ... like Tom Tom, once we have you, we'll steal all of your toys (or maybe your decks LOL)!
Even if there are people out there that don't warm to this deck, I also would find it quite interesting to know what their differences are. I can see that some might not think it serious enough; not dark enough; not spiritual enough, even. It is a matter of taste, I suppose.
For me, however, it is getting warmer every day. As I work on the card a day, I am getting to know the characters names which I like - Tom Tom, Axle and Hasan. I think that that is a nice edge to a reading - to have names that don't exist in any other deck. Personally, I get to know them better. I don't ever look at tomorrows card as 'The Knight of Swords. Infact, those words are invisible when I look at it. I just see Tom Tom. It makes the deck individual for me and therefore, doesn't conform completely, to the traditional decks which I use at different times. You could liken that feeling to that of The Faeries Oracle - not standard cards but loads of individual characters.
Yaboot
O we will catch Hedera ;)
I know alot of people feel like this deck is not spiritual of deep. But it is!
It also makes sure i don't take myself to seriously and keep both my feet on he ground...and thats a very clever thing to to if your dealing with me LOL
And like you Yaboot i too love the individual stories that go with the cards. My personal favo is Polly. We met a couple of times ( better to say daily for a while) and she had loads to tell me.
BTW i hope Rostie will join us soon. She is the one that got me wanting the Phantasmagoric in the first place.
Well, you know, you guys just keep posting interesting stuff like this....
I'm busy discovering ancient decks at the moment, but I'm sure you can lure me in! ;)
A pity really he didn't put those names like Polly and Tom Tom on the cards!
Little Baron
25-07-2003, 08:59
Well, even though it is just the two of us (and Hedera soon, when she falls under that Phantasmagoric spell hehehe), this thread is livening up! Maybe we will entice some more victims yet!
Yes, where is Rostie? We PM'd a bit about a year ago and it was this deck that we talked about. She converted me too.
I also like the fact that my feet are kept on the ground; after all, Tarot should be enjoyable. This deck gets the message through in a lighthearted way - not to say that those messages are any less deep, spiritual, sensual and precise than any other tarot cards. Even The Tower, which has a habit of provoking anxiety in me when it appears in all other decks, has a different energy here. I know what it is saying, but it whispers rather than kicking me off my chair.
I havn't spoken with Polly yet. She never raises her head from those sketch books she is so into. She'll be in touch soon ... I am sure of it.
Best wishes
Yaboot
Little Baron
25-07-2003, 10:08
Maan, Hedera, Rostie
Just one thing, while I think of it. Since the Ten of Wands came up a few days ago, and I likened the 'Yellow Blob' with the grin to my mother (she was always told she looked like Sophia Loren in her younger days so I am sure she will be elated with that comparison!), I was just wondering what it signifies to you. I hadn't noticed before (probably because I havn't spent much time with this deck in the year since I bought it) that it also appears in the 8 of Wands as well. There is mention of Fingerpin and his road crew, but in the explanation/story of both cards, the yellow blob is not mentioned. At first I thought it may be an inhabitant of the woods that Axle is distributing a flyer to but in the other card, it is part of the circus.
Any ideas? Have I missed its appearance anywhere else?
Yaboot
*I appreciate how odd this question may seem to non-readers (and to readers) of the Phantasmagoric Theatre Tarot*
Hi, all!
Can I jump in here, too? I just can't express how much I love this deck! For me, it is a very personal deck, as no one has asked for a reading with it yet.
I just love going through the cards and getting to know the characters. To me, this deck is like your favorite book series from when you were a kid. There are so many different players and each one is like an old friend. I'm working on memorizing more of the LWB, but it's difficult. Strangely enough, I usually remember the stories about the characters more than the characters' actual names.
When I look at cards from this deck, the designation of the card (from a traditional tarot standpoint) is almost secondary. The first thing I see when I pull the Knight of Swords is not the the "Knight of Swords"...it's "Tom Tom"!
Speaking of Tom Tom, (some of you might not be able to relate to this comparison if you haven't seen the program) he reminds me of Eddie Haskel from the old 50's TV show, "Leave it to Beaver". He's all charm and big doe-eyes and "You look lovely today, Mrs. Cleaver," but you know that he's really planning something sneaky.
Regarding the knife on Tom Tom's shirt, the first thing that struck me is that it's pointing right up at his throat. To me, that seems to be a warning that all his shenanigans will only hurt him in the end.
I'm enjoying your threads, Yaboot, especially since it's urging me to look at the deck itself more often! :D
Peace,
Melvis
:TSTRE
Little Baron
28-07-2003, 09:12
Melvis,
I am so pleased that my posts have encouraged you to pick up the Phantasmagoric again. I hardly looked at mine in the year that I have had it but something clicked about a week ago and that is why I started posting up the daily draws.
I always found the stories and names to be a bit overwelming at first, but as I draw them, day by day, aside from them coming to life, I am also remembering the stories shared by the few of us that have been contributing in these threads.
Please, please, please join in. I am sure you can learn so much from these cards and from the handful of us that are looking deeper into what is a wonderful deck ... and I am sure we will benefit from your insights as well.
Tom Tom is my favourite in the deck, but there are other little characters in their that I love too. The Bald Tufty ones are great that I posted details of on one of my other daily threads.
I have posted a reading in the 'Your Readings' section. It is one of my first with this deck and since I have only reaquainted with the deck recently, it is not one of my best. I am learning from it though. Let me know what you think. I would love to see other peoples Phantasmagoric readings to see how people interpret the cards within a reading; what their reading style with the Phantasmagoric is like. I am sure that it is anthing but 'usual'.
To anbody else out there that wants to jump in, please do. I gather from Maan that this has been a lonely hermits journey for her and this deck. In the past week, Freesiaskye has bought the deck, Galadrial has jumped aboad and now you. Hedera is close to persuation ... I can feel it!
**It's getting a little more crowed in here; I think we are going to have to move the furniture about to make some more room LOL**
Excellent to have you join us, Melvis. Look forward to your Phantasmagoric posts.
Yaboot
darwinia
28-07-2003, 09:21
Originally posted by Melvis
Hi, all!
Can I jump in here, too?
Well, I hate to tear you away from all the action in the William Blake study, but if you insist.
Gosh, I think my tongue just went through my cheek. That Urizen has such a sense of humour.
Ooo nice Melvis...welcome
Like Yaboot says we should buy some bigger chairs;)
Coffee anyone?
Could I have some tea please?
Quite strong, with lots of milk and no sugar.
Off to post something (semi-) sensible in the fave/least fave thread now....
galadrial
29-07-2003, 02:03
Originally posted by Melvis
Regarding the knife on Tom Tom's shirt, the first thing that struck me is that it's pointing right up at his throat. To me, that seems to be a warning that all his shenanigans will only hurt him in the end.
Hi Melvis,
The more the merrier (iced tea, no sugar or lemon, please). Knife wise, I was thinking that it could also be pointing to his throat chakra, intimating that anything he says could be double edged.
Gosh, thanks, all! I feel so welcome! You know, I feel like we're those three little folks in the 3 of Cups card, sitting on our comfy couch. Would you like a straw with your tea? ;)
Galadrial, I'm so glad you brought up the throat chakra! I was thinking of that, too, but I don't know enough about the chakras to know what that would mean. :D I guess the various 'chakra talks' here on Aeclectic have rubbed off a little!
Peace,
Melvis
:TSTRE
galadrial
30-07-2003, 01:06
I don't want to misrepresent myself, it's not as though I've studied chakras. I like the book "Spiritual Tarot", by Echos, Mueller, and Thomson. They describe just about anything on the head, forehead, or throat it terms of chakras, and that has rubbed off on me:-) In describing the Aquarian deck's Empress, they say "The bright red and aqua design on the front of her gown tells us that the heart and throat chakras are activated and that she has the ability to convey her love and compassion." For the Queen of Swords, "...with a decorative accent at her throat chakra. She can express her wisdom." I jumped from that to my comment about Tom Tom; just a bit of free wheeling!
Little Baron
30-07-2003, 01:12
I like your free-wheeling Galadrial and thanks for the info on chakras.
It all seems very 'sensible' in comparison to the post I have just put up 'Phantasmagoric Bedtime Stories'. LOL Hope you post a story; the cards are all in the threads for you to look at.
Best wishes and thanks again. I really have learnt a lot from some of your threads and had those AHA moments when reading your opinions.
Yaboot :laugh:
darwinia
30-07-2003, 01:34
I have one book which pays attention to decorations and articles of clothing that are placed over the chakra regions in the R-W and Robin Wood decks. She does comparisons of each card with both decks and discusses the meanings.
(The Heart of the Tarot by Sandra A. Thomson.) I don't like to have many of these "meaning" sort of books, they tend to get me confused and not thinking for myself, but because of the chakra association I keep this. It's just another way of looking a things.
I did a Random Passage (the exercise I created for myself to do with tarot cards), where I put the chakra numbers one to seven on slips of paper and then drew one from a bowl with my eyes shut. Then I drew a tarot card, and then I had to tie it all together with the song "The Beer Barrel Polka" which I picked randomly because it sounded like the silliest thing. I got a great result, using the heart chakra with the Ace of Wands from the Fey tarot.
Sometimes considering things from a different angle can give you such a burst of intuition and imagination, and you never forget the card and deck you work on in such exercises, and it all seems sort of magical.
spoonbender
16-08-2004, 07:32
I have to admit that, before I got to know Tom Tom (http://tarotkorea.new21.net/deck/Phantasmagoric/Swords12.jpg) better, he gave me the creeps - I used to think he was one of the scariest characters in the deck. I like him a little more now, though.
A train and teddy bear lie before Tom Tom - toys that he has stolen from people weaker than him. The teddy bear looks like it has been tortured; it has been cut open and is missing an eye...! It doesn't look like Tom Tom really needs the toys - he doesn’t even look at them! He only stole them for the pleasure of stealing.
Seen in a different light, I think Tom Tom appeared in my daily draws because I needed to be aware of the fact that I have the tendency to take the fun out of things by being too negative - just like Tom Tom takes away toys (pleasure, fun) from others. I think I need to loosen up sometimes and stop worrying.
It seems that Tom Tom is trying to look as sweet as possible – probably because he knows he has been bad. It’s as if he’s saying: “I can’t help it! It’s just in my nature to do these sorts of things!” (It kind of reminds me of Puss in Boots in Shrek 2, when Puss is looking all cute and fluffy, while he’s actually planning to kill Shrek and Donkey.) Me, I wouldn’t trust Tom Tom one bit – he looks kind of deceitful (and a bit psycho).
Tom Tom is very pale, and there are pins on his jacket. I don’t think he gets out much. And I don’t think he let’s people get very close to him – I guess because he doesn’t like to place himself in a vulnerable position (he likes it better when others are in a vulnerable position)...
Originally posted by Melvis
Regarding the knife on Tom Tom's shirt, the first thing that struck me is that it's pointing right up at his throat. To me, that seems to be a warning that all his shenanigans will only hurt him in the end.Originally posted by galadrial
Knife wise, I was thinking that it could also be pointing to his throat chakra, intimating that anything he says could be double edged. Thanks for your interpretations of the sword/knife, Melvis and Galadrial – I didn’t notice that!!
Spoonbender
Little Baron
16-08-2004, 07:39
Originally posted by spoonbender
he looks ... a bit psycho.
I think thats why I like him. Like the Lunatic of Negativity; another of my favourites.
Yaboot
spoonbender
16-08-2004, 07:43
Hey Yaboot,
Glad to see someone is reading this. I know Tom Tom is one of your favourite characters (it's kind of obvious ;) ) - it's strange that I always thought he was creepy (in fact, he gave me goose bumps every time I saw him). But thanks to this thread, I'm starting to like him now too. I feel like I know him a bit better :).
Spoon
Little Baron
16-08-2004, 08:48
Hi Spoonbender
I am not sure (from my memory) if any of the Phantasmagoric characters unnerved me. I don't think they did. I remember 'Maan' not liking the clown in the Swords card. And I was a bit freaked by the yellow blob.
It's funny because in the PT there are at least six of seven characters that remind me so much of people I know; personality traits and physically also, there are little bits that remind me.
I always saw elements of TT in me, which is why I think I initially identified and sympathised with him. Then around a time that I knew a manipulative person, I could see him in TT physically and also through his actions. Now, he is starting to remind me of the boy next door. The boy next door, Ryan, can be a little naughty. He is probably only about 7 years old. He has his moments of antagonising and irritating his younger brother and sister as well. He is not a horrible boy; he's a very intelligent boy; and like TT, has one of the most angelic little faces I have seen. He really could get away with murder, lol.
Glad you are still enjoying the PT. Is it all starting to 'click' now? Have you done any readings with the deck or are you studying it first?
Yaboot
darwinia
16-08-2004, 09:54
Originally posted by spoonbender
[I'm starting to like him now too. I feel like I know him a bit better :).
Spoon [/B]
Having recently done a psychological assessment of Tom-Tom, I have a greater understanding of his impetus for stealing toys. If I thought about a toy sailboat in this way, I might steal it too.
[See last part of the thread for salient (haha) bit]
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29935