Tarot of the Old Path - Query

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Nov 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

huredriel	26 Nov 2004
Having finally got my cards, I had a brief look through each card, and there are a couple of things I noticed straight away: (1) On the Lone Man, having read Den Elder's description of the card, there's no mention of the sign at the very top of the card, in the middle of some leaves. Its a cross with a circle at the bottom and a semicircle at the top. First thing I noticed. Can anyone tell me what it means please. (2) Would anyone agree that the Queen of Rods has bindweed running through her hair? I hate bindweed, it's a nightmare to get rid of. and (3) The Knight of Swords - his helmet looks like the top of a lemon. I did put this in my very first thread but think it would be more appropriate here. So if anyone is familiar with this deck, can you please help. Thanks so much x

huredriel	27 Nov 2004
Can anyone help with this one?

Moongold	27 Nov 2004
huradriel, The sign in the The Lone Man loks like an Ankh with a forked handle rather than the usual straight handle, Ankhs symbolies new life, The fork could also present Neptune or another Greek god I cannot remember.

Osher	27 Nov 2004
huredriel wrote: (2) Would anyone agree that the Queen of Rods has bindweed running through her hair? I hate bindweed, it's a nightmare to get rid of. You can buy a book on the TotOP, it states that the plant is convulvulus. I just did a Google search, and yes, it is 'Field Bindweed'. The book says that the flowers of this plant signify patience and devotion.

huredriel	27 Nov 2004
Thanks Moongold and Osher for your help. The book is on my list of things to get!! Hmm, patience and devotion. Not the impression I get, but then I guess these things are personal to the individual when they look at them and in the readings I've been given, they've never indicated anything good, so I guess I am biased. Strangely enough, I am already developing favourites in this deck, quite contrary to the ones I would have thought. I think The Close (Death) card is lovely and I adore the High Priestess even more.

MeeWah	27 Nov 2004
Huredriel: The sign at the top of The Lone Man looks like the glyph for Neptune, the planet associated with Water. The bindweed entwined around the crown of Queen of Rods appears to be a variety of Morning Glory called Moonflower, which is white & blooms at night like other morning glory flowers. I love that species & planted a variety called Heavenly Blue, the only seeds I could find. The drawback to these plants is that they tend to take over other plants by entwining around them.

Moongold	27 Nov 2004
MeeWah is right, huredriel. It would have to be Neptune more than the ankh The Hanged Man (conventional term) is associated with the Hebrew letter mem , meaning water, and Neptune is the God of the Oceans. In a funny way the Hanged man shape almost looks like the Neptune glyph reversed in conventional RWS but also in this Lone Man. He is hanging above water. Y'know - in all the time I've been using this deck, I have never noticed this glyph on this card. :). Thank you for this.

huredriel	28 Nov 2004
Thanks Moongold and MeeWah. I'm really enjoying learning all these new things. I think it's amazing that no two people look at the cards in the same way. One of my friends saw the Queen of Rods and thought of diamonds in her hair. So it just goes to show. Obviously on picking on things like that, I'm hoping that this means that the cards ARE speaking to me. I've just been practising with one or 3 cards this weekend and its really strange because it's like I can almost make up a story for most of them, then suddenly, it's like a complete blank, and I'm just looking at a picture that means nothing. I also have my little guinea pigs all lined up to help me too, and my tarot reader has offered to help when she can, so that's all really encouraging x

huredriel	04 Feb 2005
huredriel wrote: (1) On the Lone Man, having read Den Elder's description of the card, there's no mention of the sign at the very top of the card, in the middle of some leaves. Its a cross with a circle at the bottom and a semicircle at the top. First thing I noticed. Can anyone tell me what it means please. Well after attending the TABI workshop where we had a section on astrology, I have now found out that this glyph is indeed the astrological sign of Neptune (trident) as this is the planet that rules The Hanged Man, the card for Pisces.

Thirteen	04 Feb 2005
huredriel wrote: Well after attending the TABI workshop where we had a section on astrology, I have now found out that this glyph is indeed the astrological sign of Neptune (trident) as this is the planet that rules The Hanged Man, the card for Pisces. Most decks have him as just Neptune or Water rather than Pisces. The confusion comes from the fact that those outer planets weren't discovered till the 20th century, but when they were discovered, they were incorporated. So, in some cases, there's a mix of planets, signs and elements. Thus, the Chariot is "Cancer," (astrological sign ruled by the Moon) the High Priestess is the "Moon" (a planet that rules all water signs), and the Hanged Man is "Water" (an element that rules all water signs). Elemental cards in this case are The Fool (air), The Hanged Man (water) and Judgement (fire). There is no "earth." In decks with a more modern bent, the element has been removed and replaced with one of the newer planets. Hence, Pluto for Judgement (instead of Fire) and Neptune for the Hanged Man (instead of water) and Uranus for The Fool (instead of air). Interesting, no?

huredriel	04 Feb 2005
Thirteen wrote: In decks with a more modern bent, the element has been removed and replaced with one of the newer planets. Hence, Pluto for Judgement (instead of Fire) and Neptune for the Hanged Man (instead of water) and Uranus for The Fool (instead of air). Interesting, no? Yeah I'm finding it all very interesting, albeit confusing at times too. So much information coming to me, in such a short space of time LOL. In fact, I was surprised by how information I had already picked up when I went to the meeting :)

The Tarot of the Old Path - Query thread was originally posted on 26 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.