Left-handed courts

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 28 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

shaveling	28 Jan 2005
The court cards of some decks include figures that are apparently left-handed. Sometimes it has seemed to me that the best interpretation of such a card was that it actually represented a left-handed person. So far, I haven’t seen this interpretation suggested in any literature or on the Internet. Does anybody else ever read these cards in this way? shaveling

Fulgour	28 Jan 2005
The King of Pentacles on The Colman Smith Tarot is the only of the Court Card figures holding their symbol in the Left hand... he is also the only King wearing visible armour ~ his Left foot is encased: http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/pents14.jpg This was not done accidentally or a mistake, certainly not a "printer's error" as many such design anomalies are often excused away with. Now, as to what such a King may mean...?

tarotbear	29 Jan 2005
Sometimes I think it has to do with the placement of the figure or the action that the artist had to include in the card, so an object would be better viewed in one hand or the other. One note about the Magician - note that he has his right hand raised. In metaphyscal theory you channel through the left side across your body to your dominant side. Looking at the card - you read from left to right ( in English, anyway) and you view the wand and the eye is drawn across the card to the objects on the table. If he had his other hand raised, you would feel as though you were 'reading' backwards. My pet theory is that Pamela Smith WAS right handed and drew the image in a mirror - holding her left hand up and using her right hand to draw the reflected image! Why would someone steeped in the Golden Dawn way of doing things use the 'wrong' hand? It's only a theory ....

Fulgour	29 Jan 2005
Colman Smith "The Magician" (1909) http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/maj01.jpg Very interesting, Tarot Bear. And I've a theory here too: If you decipher the little line drawings on the table edge like a rebus you can reveal: "Miss Pamela Colman Smith" Mountains above Plains + Cat + Spirit

gargoyle_guarded	30 Jan 2005
I consider the right hand to be the hand that gives and the left hand to be the hand that receives.

tarotbear	30 Jan 2005
gargoyle_guarded wrote: I consider the right hand to be the hand that gives and the left hand to be the hand that receives. Correct, and thus the Magician has the wrong hand raised. He raises his left hand to receive or channel or whatever is being given to him, and then uses his right hand to distribute it. So, in the Rider the Magician is receiving with his right hand.

tmgrl2	30 Jan 2005
Or... The right hand is presented held high to signify its dominance...right /active/masculine? This is a card which begins the Action... terri

gargoyle_guarded	30 Jan 2005
tarotbear wrote: Correct, and thus the Magician has the wrong hand raised. He raises his left hand to receive or channel or whatever is being given to him, and then uses his right hand to distribute it. So, in the Rider the Magician is receiving with his right hand. That's another thing I like about The Witches Tarot....the Magician IS receiving with his LEFT hand. :) http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/witches/

The Left-handed courts thread was originally posted on 28 Jan 2005 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.