Ace of Swords Question

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 11 Jun 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shoshin	11 Jun 2003
Hello, I had a question about the Ace of Swords in the Rider-Waite Tarot. What is the vegetation that hangs from the the crown? It's not even mentioned in Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot. My best guess is that the right side is palm and the left is some sort of poisonous plant due to the small red berries.

Trogon	11 Jun 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Shoshin My best guess is that the right side is palm and the left is some sort of poisonous plant due to the small red berries. According to "A Complete Guide to the Tarot" by Eden Gray; Quote: A two-edged sword is held by a hand that emerges from the clouds. Its point is encircled by a crown of victory. An olive branch (mercy) and a palm branch (severity) hang from it. Around the sword are six Hebrew Yods , recalling the six days of the Mosaic creation. Hope this has helped.

Thirteen	11 Jun 2003
This actually helps a lot, as "Mercy" and "Severity" are key Qabala words. The Tree of Life, a diagram of spiritual levels (that's a real quick and dirty synopsis there), has pairs/oppositions for most of its branches. One such level has, as its two branches, "Geburah" (severity) and "Chesed" (mercy). Exactly right for the Ace of Sword which can cut off a head, or sever the ropes that keep a prisoner bound. The blade can cut either way.

Umbrae	11 Jun 2003
Guide to edible berries: Blue and black always, Red sometimes, White never. Many red berries are edible.

The Ace of Swords Question thread was originally posted on 11 Jun 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.