10 of Swords : The Messenger

Fulgour

Looking at the hand gesture by the slain figure on the beach,
I think what we are being shown is part of the Kundalini yoga
exercise, where the thumb touches the tip of the ring finger,
bringing energy, stability and self-confidence. (Or a similar...)

I don't like to read the cards as if having "Don't..." messages,
so maybe here we are seeing something more like "Do..." take
care when your conscience bids you to deliver difficult news.

"Don't kill the Messenger" here could be "If you are going to be
the Messenger, be prepared for an unwelcome reception" and
remember you may need extra energy to recover from it all. :)

There's also always the question of "Timing" and preparedness!

Mudra Images, click on:
One
Two

Click on: 10 of Swords
and LARGER image.
 

Flavio

Very interesting! more questions arise...

Never before thought the character depicted in this card were making a mudra, I agree he is touching thumb and ring finger, it is called Surya Mudra.

SURYA or RAVI MUDRA: Tip of the ring finger (symbolized by Uranus or the Sun) touches the tip of the thumb, giving energy, health and intuition.

If he's dying, how can he keep his hand in the mudra position? if this mudra is used to get energy and health, is that what is keeping him from dying after all those wounds?
 

firemaiden

That is an interesting thought, Fulgour, a stunning observation. Suddenly the hand becomes the most important thing in the picture. The hand - giving a symbol - a symbol of life, when all else appears to be defeated.

It brings a couple of questions to mind -- first, I wonder whether or not Waite and Smith know about the Kundalini excercises, and secondly, this is similar to the gesture being made by the pope, I wonder if the gesture also has some other meanings in Christian culture.

But whether or not they knew anything about Kundalini, the hand symbol sticks out - almost as a metasymbol - a symbol of a symbol, message about a message.
 

Fulgour

Messianic Messenger

firemaiden said:
...I wonder if the gesture also has some other meanings
[in] Christian culture.
In the links for the Mudra signs that I gave in the first post,
even though I should've said, that's the hand of Jesus Christ
in the image on the left, from an ancient painting. When we
see Christ making this gesture, it is the "As Above So Below"
meaning. 2 fingers up to God, 2 down to Earth, with thumb
being the "link" where it is "only through me" these enjoin...

http://www.ojceimatki.republika.pl/mono/mudry/img/pran.jpg

As for Pamela Colman Smith's own knowledge of Eastern views,
surely they were just as widely popular then as they are now.
 

Tarotphelia

Very perceptive Fulgour !! Interesting too, since kundalini energy rises up the spine and there are all those swords all along the spine in that card.
 

Fulgour

The frequent use of a Caduceus to illustrate Kundalini
(Click on: image.)
brings to mind the association of the Caduceus with
the "Messenger" in ancient times. It was carried for
protection to signify that its bearer not be harmed.
 

mac22

firemaiden said:
That is an interesting thought, Fulgour, a stunning observation. Suddenly the hand becomes the most important thing in the picture. The hand - giving a symbol - a symbol of life, when all else appears to be defeated.

It brings a couple of questions to mind -- first, I wonder whether or not Waite and Smith know about the Kundalini excercises, and secondly, this is similar to the gesture being made by the pope, I wonder if the gesture also has some other meanings in Christian culture.

But whether or not they knew anything about Kundalini, the hand symbol sticks out - almost as a metasymbol - a symbol of a symbol, message about a message.


Did they [Waite & Smith] know. Sure they knew general Yoga was very popular among GD folks at the time.
 

Ukkonen

Hierophant - 10 of Swords - 6 of Pentacles

Those are the three cards in the Waite/Smith deck (as far as I know) that have that similar "hand" symbolism. I first noticed it on the 10 of Swords, which reminded me of the Hierophant, and then I found the 6 of Pentacles. And if you compare the Pope and the 6ofP you'll be bound to see certain similarities immediately (both cards have one person dominating, two persons below on either side; the dress of the dominating person is red in both cards).

I have come to consider the 10 of Swords as a "transmutating" card, since it is placed between the Pope and the 6ofP (that is, if you follow the order of Trumps-Wands-Cups-Swords-Pentacles...).

One way to look at this combination is to see the "bad Pope" (who only thinks for himself) becoming transformed into a "priest of the common folk" who is truly interested in the wellbeing of his flock...or then: the "good Pope" (is there any?) becomes a greedy, materialistic person who really doesn't give a s*** about the wellbeing of his fellow men. In both cases the 10 of Swords acts as a "transmuting" force. That's my thought anyway.

I noticed that David Allen Hulse mentions the combination of 10 of Swords and the 6 of Pentacles in his breath-taking "Western Mysteries" (Llewellyn) but if I remember right he doesn't connect the Hierophant into this...
 

Fulgour

Ukkonen said:
I have come to consider the 10 of Swords
as a "transmutating" card...
Maybe another look at the Ace of Swords is in order,
with an eye to how TEN "transmutes" into the ONE.

(click on: Ace of Swords)

How did the figure on the 10 of Swords receive those
ten weapons in his back? Who was responsible for it?

If we look at the other Tens there is the 10 of Cups,
with its singular rainbow arch of brilliant golden cups.
The 10 of Wands depicts one bundle with ten wands.
On the 10 of Pentacles a 'hint' is made at unification.

Perhaps it is that Ten must die and be reborn as One?
Numerology, in all fairness, only concerns 1 through 9.
 

la-luna

firemaiden said:
It brings a couple of questions to mind -- first, I wonder whether or not Waite and Smith know about the Kundalini excercises, and secondly, this is similar to the gesture being made by the pope, I wonder if the gesture also has some other meanings in Christian culture.
QUOTE]

In christan tradition this is the sign made with the hand made by priest up to the pope when blessing something or someone bringing the power of God over on the object or person he is blessing