Justice, 6 of Swords and 2 Pentacles - a breakthrough

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Nov 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fudugazi	25 Nov 2004
I just want to share a breakthrough in understanding I had last night regarding these three cards. I have just started a rather demanding new job, I've moved appartments, and have started a new affair (well, a possible new affair). I am also a writer, and very keen to give enough time to that activity (and to enlighten you further, the possible new affair is with a man I am writing a short film with). Of course, I feel stressed out of my brains. I wanted to know how to balance all this, demanding (and interesting) new job, practical details of new flat (I love it too, but paperwork, hanging pictures, etc etc...), erotic love life and full artistic creation. Ho-hum. I shan't go into the whole reading, rather I want to share insights I had into three of the cards, and their relation to each other. Justice - that was my question, I think (I made the spread up as I went along). 6 swords, and laid on top of it, 2 pentacles. Oh, and I used the Robin Wood deck, a deck I have mixed feelings about but it worked in this case. - Justice: how to keep things balanced, meaning equal. A rather rigid, legalistic, fair view of balance. Lawyers amongst us will recognise it. - 6 swords - a journey, a quiet passage. Coasting along, too. And also - here's a insight, the joining of two shores, or banks of river. Leaving one for the other and rather melancholy about it, too. - 2 pentacles - when I laid that card out, something went "ping!" in my head and I SAW --the connection between these three cards. Remember the Robin Wood 2 pentacles, possibly the most attractive card in the whole deck? A girl circus artist casually steps across a tighrope stretched in the sky (infinity!) holding the infinity sign and balancing her two large pentacles, which surely must be heavier than she makes them appear, while looking at us and whistling. In the background, bird-shaped ships with white sails glide past. A large sun, or moon (uncertain) presides over a half blue, half cloudy sky. I saw the circus girl in the 2 of Pentacles holding her pentacles lightly, not trying to keep them at the same level, but keeping them both in the infinity sign so they won't slip ("to hold infinity in the palm of your hand..."). And the contrast with Justice, who is trying so hard to maintain things equal at all costs, but the body language is rigid, the jaw tight (whereas the circus girl is whistling...."just whistling while we work..."). Then I looked at the boat in the 6 swords - swan-shaped - and the flying bird ships in the 2 of pentacles. The one card is calm, a little blue. It leaves something behind, something it loves, because there is no place in that little skiff for very much, and which it has no hope of regaining. The man in the boat is resigned and the shadow of Death ferries him across the waters. Strangely similar, yet much lighter and more dynamic, the bird ships of the 2 of Pentacles slide through the airs like Viking longboats and are more spacious (if narrow, all the same). They give a sense of adventure, of discovery. They don't really know where they are going (the Moon), but they are happy going there (the Sun). There is an excitement about those birdships, which could overwhelm as only newness can, but the circus girl just dances across her tightrope, not overcome by that excitement, or by the sadness of leaving one side of the rope behind (maybe she has always been treading across that rope?). She just seems to enjoy herself. The concentration and practice needed to cross a tightrope is indiscribable - yet tightope walkers always seem to shimmy. And whistle. Yes, some things will take precedence at some times in our lives (the pentacles are not held at the same level, the bird ships fly at different heights and speeds, and go from one place to another); but for things that are important to us, we can always find some kind of balance - maybe in playfulness, in being less intense about it all? (ha!). Not trying to to have it all just equal and all at once. Not giving up out of resignation. Letting go what must go, knowing that we'll get back to it later (infinity always comes back to itself - and here is yet another wink at the World dancer). Oh, and we need concentration, but not rigidity. Playful passion? Concentrated letting go? Juggling, rather than holding still? You know, just looking at that whistling circus girl makes me feel lighter and round my lips ..."whenever I feel afraid, I whistle a little tune, and then I know that I'm not afraid............"

RedMaple	25 Nov 2004
What a terrific description and reading of these cards. Thanks. I'm going to take out my Robin Wood and look at these.

Imagemaker	26 Nov 2004
Being a Libra, I've always felt this tension. It's the inner need to be fair and Just, dealing with the constant ups and downs of the scale (balance is so tenuous). Yet simultaneously aiming for that juggling skill, to toss one ball up and do something else until gravity (seriousness and the inevitable forces of nature) brings it down "to hand" again. Especially today I'm trying to whistle as I cross the tightrope. Thanks for reminding me that I have a little time before gravity kicks in again!

seawomyn	03 Dec 2004
I'm not familiar with the robin Hood deck but your descriptions gave me a vivid mental picture. I especially liked what you had to say about the two of pentacles and justice. Beautiful description of those two ways of looking at balancing, and as anyone who does yoga knows, if you're rigid you won've be able to balance.

The Justice, 6 of Swords and 2 Pentacles - a breakthrough thread was originally posted on 25 Nov 2004 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.