Anna K Study group - the checker-board pattern

In a few of the other study group threads the black and white checker-board pattern has been mentioned so I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to discuss this.
I've looked through the deck and found a checker-board pattern on the following cards:

The Empress III
The Emperor IV
Justice VIII
King of Swords (it's actually a chess board)
2 of Swords - the floor is patterned with a checker-board design although it's not in black and white as it is in the other 2 cards.

When I see a checker-board pattern like this the first thing I think of is the number 4. This pattern is made up of squares of alternating colours, it's regular and it makes me think of the number 4, logic, strategy (as in the game of chess), regularity, boundaries and foundations.

So I can see why this pattern is on The Emperor card because he stands for all of these things. I can also see why there is a chess board on the King of Swords card; this is a game of strategy and of logic and both of these things are traits that the King of Swords has in abundance.
He (and the Emperor) and people who do not like to be swayed by their emotions; they like logic, rules, boundaries and intellect.

The 2 of Swords is also a card of logic. In this version particularly we see the crashing ocean (representing upset emotions) that the main character is turning his back on. He's trying not to be affected by his emotions, he's trying to think logically about something.

Justice and The Empress are a bit trickier to connect to the black and white check pattern.
Justice is a card of Universal Balance and it's number is 8 - that's 4 doubled so the connection (in my eyes), is there. The check pattern on the Justice card is much bigger than it is on any of the other cards - could that be because the concept of Universal Justice and Universal balance is such a huge concept? Justice is another archetype who must not be lead by emotions - logic and fairness must be the most important factors as feelings and emotions could tip the scales into the realms of unfairness..

The Empress is the most puzzling card for me to have a check pattern in it and I think it relates to her role as ruler. She is all emotion and sensuality yet because she is a ruler, there must be rules. I also think that the pattern on the floor relates to her earthiness and to the fact that she is grounded so no matter how sensual she is she always has one foot firmly placed in the realm of reality.

I'd love to hear what others who love this deck have to say about the check pattern.

Yes, the check pattern... Since it's turned up quite a few times now I'll try to explain my own reasons for using it - but I'm so intrigued because you've found so many new interpretations which ring true as well!

For Justice, I've got another interpretation which does not contradict Sulis' at all, I think:

Sulis said:

Justice is a card of Universal Balance and it's number is 8 - that's 4 doubled so the connection (in my eyes), is there.

Click to expand...

For me, Justice' main meanig is the ability to judge, the ability to differentiate between good/bad, right/wrong etc. Without this ability we wouldn't be able to act. It is also dangerous (we might become too judgmental) but in our practical lives we HAVE to make decisions like that all the time. Else we'd never ever be able to choose one path over the other, we'd always hesitate, we'd never act.
So with Justice, to me the checked floor means the ability to differentiate between black and white.

About the Empress:

Sulis said:

I also think that the pattern on the floor relates to her earthiness and to the fact that she is grounded so no matter how sensual she is she always has one foot firmly placed in the realm of reality.

Click to expand...

Yes, I agree. But also: If you look closely you will see that the tiles are crumbling at the edges, that the earth is coming through, that plants are starting to grow out of the gaps. So while the Emperor keeps his check pattern floor (= rationality, law etc.) clean and intact, is ruled BY it because he is afraid of losing it, the Empress truly rules it: she doesn't need it. She is more powerful than it.

Anna.K said:

Yes, the check pattern... Since it's turned up quite a few times now I'll try to explain my own reasons for using it - but I'm so intrigued because you've found so many new interpretations which ring true as well!

For Justice:
So with Justice, to me the checked floor means the ability to differentiate between black and white.


About the Empress:
Yes, I agree. But also: If you look closely you will see that the tiles are crumbling at the edges, that the earth is coming through, that plants are starting to grow out of the gaps. So while the Emperor keeps his check pattern floor (= rationality, law etc.) clean and intact, is ruled BY it because he is afraid of losing it, the Empress truly rules it: she doesn't need it. She is more powerful than it.

Click to expand...

THANK YOU Anna. I see it now and it makes perfect sense and I love what you've said about Justice being able to differentiate between black and white .

I love this deck so much .

The one that stood out to me really was Justice. While the black and white theme is first and foremost, I can't help thinking of a piano or organ when I see it.

This then makes me think that different people dance to different tunes and possibly they may not agree with the justice that's been dealt.

Gives the card much more scope, I feel.

Just mho!

firefrost said:

The one that stood out to me really was Justice. While the black and white theme is first and foremost, I can't help thinking of a piano or organ when I see it.

This then makes me think that different people dance to different tunes and possibly they may not agree with the justice that's been dealt.

Gives the card much more scope, I feel.

Just mho!

Click to expand...

Ooh I like that one firefrost and yes, the steps on the Justice card do look a bit like piano keys.

When I see the black and white it is like an indication to me, a sort of flag that says....light and dark, and beware because shadow is tempted by opposites, nothing is ever always postive or negative.

So the black and white say....this may not be what you thought it would be...there is more under the layers...look for layers....look for shadows....look for the places between the light and the dark.

If you are in the light, close your eyes.
If you are in the dark, light it up, and then close your eyes.

For me, this is almost an indication to look beyond order and chaos into something else entirely.....

This makes even more sense to me in my impression of the wanton Empress. The Emperor has his orderly, perfect black and white tiles fortifying his image of "all is right and proper and well-managed" while the tiles in front of the Empress are crumbling and giving themselves over to nature, somewhat like her rumpling his perfect hair. From the look on her face, she's the sexy aspect of the Empress and I love it.