Sacred Circle Study (reactivated): 8-The Warrior

Red Emma

Sacred Circle...study?

I think I'd like to work with such a group. I do have some problems with the deck -- to begin with I seriously DO NOT LIKE the graphics. The models lack the body language to suggest the concepts of whatever concept they're demonstarting. For instance, the lady in the black leather (can't find the book just now to look her up) holding a sword -- strength?-- just stands there in quite a peaceful pose. Shouldn't she be brandishing it, or flourishing it in some way to suggest the concept?

I find most of the other illustrations just as lack-luster. To me the models lack sparkle and oomph.

On the other hand, as I'm not an intuitive reader -- haven't a psychic gene anywhere -- I use all the LWB's I can find to help me interpret what the cards are saying to me.

I find the Sacred Circle to be a complex deck, giving off unusual energies. I've been kind of experimenting with it of late to see if there is some specific area of my life they deal with....i.e. psychological, behavioural, etc. Haven't come to any conclusions but it's an interesting trip. One that might be illuminated by the insights of others, especially the intuitives.

So Okay. Count me in.
 

MeeWah

Red Emma: The odd mix of attire that resemble the modern apparel in combination with the pastoral surroundings do tend to create a jarring note in the card referred to, that of 8-The Warrior. Usually known as 8-Strength. (I tend to confuse it with the traditional 7-The Chariot as I know it as The Warrior Card.)

The graphics (I think a blend of photo montage & computer generated images) what they are for ye, perhaps picking out a detail that catches the eye &/or attempting a dialogue with the figure on the card could be a beginning.

I do not see the pose of the figure here to be necessarily peaceful. Her stance, countenance & position of sword arm respectively suggest watchfulness, alertness & a readiness to spring into action if need be. Also an attempt to sense what may be present whilst surveying the environment.

Btw: I do not see ye as non-psychic as much as influenced more by the logic. That ye perceive the deck to be of "unusual energies" is an indication of intuition.
 

magpie9

The current card is #8 The WARRIOR, usually called STRENGTH.
Great Pix, Fulgour, per usual. :) Thank you.

Sorry about the abrupt transition, we had been on another thread, (Sacred Circle - Judgement) when we decided to keep going, so the conversation shift to here isn't real smooth.
:D I'm sure no one here has ever had a rough transition before:D












*Edited in the middle of the night while half-asleep to try and make transition smoother.*
 

paradoxx

The badger speaks volumes, as does teh plant. The figure in my humble opinion looks too modern for the thrust of the deck. In fact all of the figures in the deck are too well dressed, too modeled, too modern. While this is probably accessable to a number of people, It seems to be a problem for many. I find it usually gets in the way of my readings and drives me to other tangents.

This cards warrior looks more like a 'biker chick' which may not be that far from the truth anyway.
 

MeeWah

Paradoxx: The image also struck me as a "biker chick". Based on the deck theme & the essence of the particular card, it does reiterate as a certain empowerment, authority & independence; all that naturally conferred by the personage of Warrior.
 

magpie9

As to the Warriors "Biker Chick" outfit, historicaly, breeches were worn in the British Isles, usually by men. But if I was going to be training warriors, doing any exercise, etc, I wouldn’t be wearing a dress, either. Perhaps this is meant as “work-out clothes”?
 

magpie9

Being a Celtic mytho-historical nut, I think I can clarify some stuff about this card. I would like to say, up-front, that this information is given here in hopes of deepening our understanding of the culture this deck is representing. It’s not my personal take on the cards, just (hopefully) useful contextual information. Do feel free to tell me to shut-up and stop being pedantic!!

The woman warrior pictured is Scathach, who is most well known for her training of Cuchulain and other Irish Heroes. She had an Island where her training camp was, off the cost of Britain and believed to be Skye. She as the Top Trainer of her day, and it was terrifically hard to get into her camp to be trained, it having a “perilous bridge” that “no man can cross till he has proved himself a champion.”

What Warrior Women Did:
Usually they did not kill
Usually but not always they were present at battles
They fought in battles using magical/psychological /Strategic means as much or more than physical weapons
They trained warriors, male and female
They were fierce strong and formidable
And, most importantly, to my mind--They did not accept the status quo, they made things happen.

Of Scathach herself it was said that "she had faced death so many times that she had forgotten how to be frightened”. Fear of death was not encouraged anyway, in Celtic society because of the belief that the Celtic people lived many lives; so leaving the current physical body wasn’t as final as we modern western people think of it.
The Romans, Caesar and Co., certainly found the Celtic warriors -male and female-fierce, formidable and without fear.

The Celtic understanding of the word “Battle” was broader than ours.It Included the process of settling disagreement in other ways than fighting. Stuff we would call diplomacy was a type of battle to them, engaged in mainly by Bards. Board games could be used in lieu of physical battle. Single combat instead of full-tilt wars were most often used to settle disagreements.

The plant is Borage, used seeped in wine as a drink for courage, it significantly raises the blood-adrenaline level !

Miranda Gray in her Oracle deck “Beasts of Albion” says of the Badger, “The Brock is an extremely powerful creature who will use its massive strength to remove any obstacles from its established paths. It can also fight ferociously when cornered,” “possessed of enormous courage and power when angered or driven to extreme measures.”
She also says in the list of characteristics: “home-loving, reliable, determined, tenacious, predictable, powerful when threatened, single-minded.” She also speaks of the badgers living in extended family groups, like clans, and as a creature of “almost unbreakable habit”.

I hope you all found this interesting and usefull, not tedious and boring. :)

* Quotes, unless otherwise credited, are from Maya Sutton, who teaches this stuff at U of New Mexico, and has written several books on it.
 

floracove

magpie9 said:
I hope you all found this interesting and usefull, not tedious and boring. :)
Most definately!
And don't you dare 'shut up'!
Keep on talking, I'm learning lots from you...

As far as the clothing on the card.
I think they proably worked with what they had, maybe trying for a Zena look, but falling short, a few snips with the scissors may have solved a problem, but then she wouldn't have been able to use the costume for to very much more. LOL!
 

floracove

questions are good!

There are a lot of questions about this card that we havent hardly touched on at all.

What does she say to you, what do you think her life is like, how does she express strength to you, since she is so different from the traditional strength?

Come to that, does she express strength to you, at all?

Why does she have her sword up?

Do you think she relates to todays women warriors, or the ongoing multi-cultural tradition of Spiritual warriors?
She looks a bit worn, yet ready for more action.

the landscape behind her.
The hill, perhaps of trials already overcome.
The green pastures, perhaps and enjoyment of trails won, and a bit of rest...
The land on which she stands, seems to be almost the same as the land below the mountain, before the green pastures.
She stands ready to fight again.
As though, she's done alot of fighting, and is ready to take on what stands ahead of her. Going the extra mile...

Yes, she does express strenght to me, a strenght of battles overcome, and the strength to keep going.

As far as the badger.
From the film I've seen of them, their pretty ferious & bold.
They are pretty courageous for such a small animal, and will fight to the death if cornered to do so.

They are excellent digger's being able to get beneth the surface.
And they keep their den's very tidy. Changing their bedding often, and they back into their den's while doing this so not to make a mess.

So, here we have a creature who's bold, courageous, and tidy.
A ferocious fighter, and protector.

The going beneath the suface could relate to the underworld and it's mysteries.

Borage, besides courage, it promotes happiness and joy.
And is an expectorant, (a getting rid of something nasty)