View Full Version : Sacred Circle - The Green Man
0 The Green Man (http://www.llewellyn.com/tarot/images/sc_greenman.jpg)
Foliate Head images were central to the ancient Celtic cultures
of pre-Christian Europe, and symbolized fertility, prophecy,
inspiration and regeneration. The Green Man is a symbol
of uncertain origin, though common in the British Isles.
Mischievous, bordering on bad, but never quite bad...
Examples are found among the stonework on churches,
though The Green Man is more likely pagan in nature:
A man with foliage for hair, usually with either a leafy
beard or with leaves growing out of his mouth and nose.
Another such nature spirit is the Wild Man of the Woods ~
the Woodwose. And there's Green George, the Green Knight,
and Jack-in-the-Green.
;)
Image by Clive Hicks (http://www.clivehicks.co.uk/greenman/green%20man%20resources/norwich.jpg)
Paddox Farms Image (http://www.paddoxfarm.co.uk/Paddox%20Farm%20Photos%20etc/400/Green%20Man%20.jpg)
Image by Jessica Galbreth (http://www.enchanted-art.com/img/gifts/green_card.jpg)
"The mysteries of Nature are waiting to reveal themselves to you,
just outside the realm of the mundane... If you follow the path
of the dancing Cernunnos, you may find that the world is a
much more magical place than you ever imagined...
Embrace a tree, relax in a garden, or sit in a wooded glen,
to find the GreenMan. Focus on the mystery of a single clump
of grass or a leaf... If you are patient and engrossed in your
appreciation of simple nature, the GreenMan will come to you!"
from:
A Green Man Grove (http://www.spiralgoddess.com/GreenMan.html)
Great Information, Fulgour!
The Green Man as Fool has always baffled me, so I am very glad that you posted this particular card.
I do know the Green Man as the male fecund aspect of Nature, the Guardian of the green wood and protector of the throne of the King. I can follow his move into being “Robin Hood”. I can see him as, even, the Emperor Card, himself. He is such a powerful figure, and to have managed to come down to us today, his form relatively unchanged is just more proof of his enduring power.
I do not see him as being the same as Cernnenos, the Great Horned one, because his kingdom is of the animals, not the woods and earth itself.
In this, I tend more to Mark Ryan’s’ (of the Greenwood Tarot) view. He has the Green Man as Emperor.
But here I am, looking at the Fool, trying to find my way to seeing him that way!
There is some help in the SC book:
(Paraphrasing like mad, here) The Green Man is outside of our normal order of the day-by-day stuff. He is a wild card, and will take you places and ways you’ve never considered before. He is the sudden storm that washes away the clear path before you and sets you down in another place. If you follow his call, you will discover riches within. “Spiritually you will receive unexpected guidance and fresh inspiration with experiences far beyond the usual. It is the call of the Otherworld to seek and to know."
And, ”It is a leap into the dark”.
“ The Journey of the Fool” through the Major Arcana is the progress of the “spirit towards initiation.” “…The Green Man is the force that triggers the process, arising from discontent and soul searching….”
Which, in this context, we have to admit, is not all bad! :D
Does he work as the Fool to anyone else? And why? Or Why Not?
inanna_tarot
14-11-2004, 09:06
Greetings all.
Since getting this deck, I have had this card on my altar. When i first shuffled and looked at my deck, this card striked me the most. For some reason, the GreenMan picture seems to jar with me. He isn't the innocent fool or the fool on a cusp of realisation (like in the Haindl), the GreenMan knows all that is wild and is daring us to break through to him and feel that raw spirit and instinct and drive we all have and battle with the 'norm'.
I'm having a bit of a staring match with this GreenMan, he's challenging me to look at him, to let him take me on a crazy trip. So , stubborn control freak that i am , i'm challenging him to keep knocking me off centre when i see him and face the discomfort.
To me his eyes are all-knowing, they aren't innocent, only seeing what you aren't seeing whilst seeing your true desires. Its like his gaze just looks right through you, but doesnt judge you either. The GreenMan is wild, he's objective and watches us as we grow and learn to control but use and enjoy the wildness and the thrills we get when we walk into the depths of a dark forest.
Thinking about it, seeing the GreenMan as an emperor probably wouldnt work for me, because the GreenMan doesnt have an authority over the land or the forests, He simply is and does as they are because thats how it was meant to be, not because he willed it to be.
Overall, i like the GreenMan / fool, even though his stare does strikes me slightly.
Sezo
x
This may be completely off-the-wall, but Sacred Circle's GreenMan strongly reminds me of Thoth's Fool, especially in the green Thoth deck & in that Fool's mad eyes. That spirit of the wild. The primal life force of untamed natural instinct that reverberates through the woods. The spirit of Nature, a law unto itself.
It works as The Fool for me.
Susan Cooper authored a series of 5 books known collectively as The Dark is Rising Sequence. The books are:
Over Sea, Under Stone
The Dark is Rising
Greenwitch
The Grey King
Silver on the Tree
I continue to re-read the series because they are so fascinating & compelling, entwined with the Celtic, Drudic & Arthurian legends.
The first book is prefaced by a haunting verse & its various lines emerge in each of the five books:
"When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone...."
"Over Sea, Under Stone" introduces us to 3 children, Simon, Jane & Barnabas Drew, who spend a Summer in Trewissick, Cornwall, at their Great-Uncle Merry's home. Their discovery of a map leads them on a quest for a treasure that is the grail--a trail that is fraught with hidden dangers as they unwittingly become involved with the forces of the "Light" & of the "Dark". They also discover that Great-Uncle Merry is more than a family friend with the honorary title of "Great-Uncle": he is a servant of the Light.
"The Dark is Rising" introduces a 4th child, Will Stanton. He discovers on his 11th birthday that he is the last born of the Circle of the Old Ones, servants of the Light. He is taught by Merriman Lyon, an Old One.
In "Greenwitch", the first 3 children & the 4th meet. There they encounter the Greenwitch, a creature made of tree branches & leaves for an annual ritualistic observance by the townspeople.
It is this series & in particular, the book "Greenwitch" that contributed to my interest in decks such as the Greenwood & the Sacred Circle. The books tell an epic story that draws upon the author's wealth of mythological lore. Although the books are geared for children in the 9 to 12 range, in my view, they also appeal to an adult audience. They are imbued with the magick that touches all great stories (like that of the Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis). & like all great stories, only get richer with each re-reading.
I mention these books because I see a correlation between the GreenMan & the Greenwitch. For those who are so inclined, I guarantee a great read!
Sacred Circle's GreenMan strongly reminds me of Thoth's Fool, especially in the green Thoth deck & in that Fool's mad eyes. That spirit of the wild. The primal life force of untamed natural instinct that reverberates through the woods. The spirit of Nature, a law unto itself.
And Inanna_tarot said: "...the GreenMan picture seems to jar with me. He isn't the innocent fool or the fool on a cusp of realisation (like in the Haindl), the GreenMan knows all that is wild and is daring us to break through to him and feel that raw spirit and instinct and drive we all have and battle with the 'norm'... I'm having a bit of a staring match with this GreenMan, he's challenging me to look at him, to let him take me on a crazy trip....To me his eyes are all-knowing, they aren't innocent, only seeing what you aren't seeing..."
Thank you both for your posts on this....I think I'm getting it now.
Yes, I've been really really disconcerted with this Green Man's stare, and his 2 front teeth, besides...he's a dangerous dude, who'd abandon you in a Mexicali Hotel with no money and broken illusions, in a heartbeat. Not, you understand, out of meanness, but simply on the premise that you could take care of yourself or you wouldn't be running with him! He's an educational experience on wheels. And, MeeWah, he does have that Crowly mad fool's stare...............I'm developing a new understanding of just why I haven't much wanted to connect with this card!!! There is nothing innocent about him, and I knew him well, in my younger days. Sometimes I ran with him, sometimes I was him. Matter of fact, if our family had a Crest, he'd be on it!! :D
And Inanna_tarot said: "... He isn't the innocent fool or the fool on a cusp of realisation (like in the Haindl), the GreenMan knows all that is wild and is daring us to break through to him and feel that raw spirit and instinct and drive we all have and battle with the 'norm'... To me his eyes are all-knowing, they aren't innocent, only seeing what you aren't seeing..."
Thank you both for your posts on this....I think I'm getting it now.
Yes, I've been really really disconcerted with this Green Man's stare, and his 2 front teeth, besides... He's an educational experience on wheels. And, MeeWah, he does have that Crowly mad fool's stare...............I'm developing a new understanding of just why I haven't much wanted to connect with this card!!! There is nothing innocent about him, and I knew him well, in my younger days. Sometimes I ran with him, sometimes I was him. Matter of fact, if our family had a Crest, he'd be on it!! :D
Yes. Although The Fool may traditionally or otherwise be synonymous with innocence &/or purity, The Fool holds within him all experiences & not just the potential for same. This Fool speaks of a freedom borne of not innocence, but of its opposite: that of knowledge; a wild abandon from experiencing that knowledge. May even be Bacchanalian (is that a word?). More like Pan or of Herne the Hunter (with apologies for any crossing or blending of the unlike).
inanna_tarot
16-11-2004, 11:56
definate Crowley Fool stare.. hmm, i was thinking about pushing myself to having them both on my alter to see if i can out-stare them, but i think if i did that i'd just hide away instead lol.
Sezo
x
tarotlova
17-11-2004, 04:31
To me he looks proud,and his stance makes me think that he is asking me to play a Truth or Dare game! Do I dare run with him and find out the truth about myself or the question I asked, do I really want to delve into the unknown.
I had a "Green Man" experience with our big Pine tree.
My wife and I were out looking at the Moon, and when
we turned around, facing the darkly billowing branches
we both saw a face... I said, "This is about the people
moving in across the street ~ I'll bet they prune the
Pines something fiecrce." Sure enough, chainsaw city.
We ain't gonna do no pruning...
paradoxx
01-12-2004, 00:30
As the living force of nature, the Green Man doe what his intuition calls him to do. Surrounded by his true envirionment, he exists to counter our destructive nature of infrastrucutre, however nessacary it may be. Ancient Sentinal of primal information, the Green man can be seen as the Egyptain Tarots Magician, and considering the occasional switch of defintions this deck does sometimes (Underworld & Tower) its worth noting.
If I was given the Green Man in answer to my question asking for guidance...what would you take that to mean ?
The Green Man is the Lord of the Woods, Master of Beasts, he was getting in the great marriage on Beltane.
Sometimes he shows up as our shadow, something we have long neglected, wishes we have suppressed (this is what the Legend Arthurian deck told me). He is the wild side in our self, maybe also the side most ppl suppress or neglect.
wishes we have long supressed...the wild side of ourself.... So this means its time to go out and do all those things I've never done ? Like ask the RAF for a shot of a harrier jet ? Try sky-diving ? sell the house and all that's in it and buy an ocean-going yacht ? damn. The family won't let me. They will have me locked up!!
WalesWoman
04-05-2006, 10:45
I met the GreenMan the other day for the first time, it's hard to tell if he's coming or going. What struck me is the sort of between worlds, neither here nor there, the illusive, elusive quality about him... it's like he's emerging, coming into focus and yet could simply disappear into the woodwork.
It sort of reminds me of a chameleon, that ability to blend into his surroundings but has enough personality and individuality to stand out. He is in and of his element, at one with his world.
I"m trying just to read him as he is without thinking of the Fool or even 0, because he is un-numbered. But in a way he is full of potential, that is just beginning to be noticed and seen, given more concentration and focus he becomes more formed and distinct. That without a sense of awareness and attention to detail, he could be passed by without notice.
I would think that this is using the resources around you to either stand out or as a defense... or as an indication it is time to emerge and show yourself.
That stare... I think is seeing through the outer appearances and into you, that he sees exactly what and who you are and perhaps that is why it feels a bit squirmy and uncomfortable under his scrutiny. He sees beneath the surface of things, so it could be a message of superficial natures of some sort.
I would also see the playful side... hide and seek, Where's the GreenMan? Surprise and the element of wonder... as well as being so immersed in what you do that you become part of it. It could be feeling insignificant, as part of the landscape.
It could also be about things hidden and unknown and not being able to see the forest for the trees. That feeling that your eyes are playing tricks on you and you aren't really sure what you see... that what you are looking for is right infront of you, if you stop and really look and the differences and details.
It's a really different card for a Fool, but he does make a good case for that state of being and non being, that space where you are between worlds and yet to become one thing or another and can become anything.
northsea
05-05-2006, 15:33
magpie9 and all, great discussion. I like to hear of all the different ways of associating the greenman with the tarot. I consider the greenman as ruling, and encompassing, the spring fool, but equating with the emperor and horned one, in combination as dual light/dark aspects. I've read varying accounts of whether he's the oak or holly king so I guess he's both.
---Wales Woman ,your last paragraph just hit me between the eyes ! lolol Yes, I can take this bit. This is it for me, I think.
bluecaffeine
25-05-2008, 15:44
The GreenMan is not a fool IMO, he is just starting his own way, he is unexperienced, but brave enough to walk his way. (like Robin Hood i.e.) That is important to me. The GreenMan is not satisfied with his current situation. This card tells me: Start going/moving. Because for me it is often difficult to do the FIRST step. And the position of the card shows me the direction where to go.