Discussion Group - Fours

How does everyone understand the Fours in the RWS deck? What imagery and colours do you focus on? What do you hardly ever notice? How do you generally interpret them? What questions do you ask yourself when a four appears?

What about the number four? What about the Emperor and other majors?

How do you see the fours?

Poledra

In Chinese the four rep's death,perhaps its end of self,as in singular??13 is death, (Major) 1+3=4.
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SQUIRTING WET

I have been, slowly, working through the minor arcana doing my own totally pathetic illustrations. Just for myself and this is one number that I have done.

Of course my illustrations were like the RWS, but some thoughts:

4 of wands: I thought of this like a cube with a warm fire burning in the centre. Your ideas are stabilized so you can feel creative without constantly losing balance. It is like the fire of life but contained so it doesn't extinguish or blaze out of control: a steady heat, a warm centre.

4 of swords: I thought of this also as being contained, but more as being forcibly contained. Not like the 8 which has a hint of desperation, but more a voluntary submission to restraint. The idea of giving in to illness or a retreat from trouble would also work in this scenario.

4 of cups: I drew a picture of me at my PC with one cup beside me and turning my head to look at 3 more cups floating behind me. Over-stable emotions, or even forcibly stilled emotions cause confusion and kill the will to act. It is being bemused by choice but not in the somewhat happy way of the 7 of cups, but rather an effect leading to sullenness, or discontent being frustration turned inward.

4 of coins: I drew myself as standing on a giant coin and yet still reaching for 3 coins floating overhead. In this sense it is having lots but insisting on having it all. The need for security overwhelms the sense of proportion, the sense of moderation. Yes, it is 'the miser card', which I think is reflected in what I said, but I think that in general it shows a closure of mental space wherein the person sees nothing but the need for material security.

Other thoughts?

Marion

Wanting ...more,,,,,,,complete ,,,,,,,incomplete
reaching ......computer ......fire.......swords..........these are the feelings we receive reading your post.Is this the feed back you require?EG.what do these symbals invoke in others?
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You porn

First of all I am going to go through each one individually, and if I remember, and I haven't fried my brain at that stage (it is already fried... and I am physically fried, too) I will do a more overall what I think type thing. This is going to not make sense, I can just feel it right now, but here goes.

Four of Cups - not noticing things around you. You are withdrawn, self-absorbed, possibly a little bored and depressed. It just reminds me when you get yourself in such a state of boredom, you just can't be bothered, nothing will get your interest! Depressed is like when you really do have a hard time noticing the good stuff around you, and sometimes you have to physically force yourself to do something that you would normally enjoy, but you have no enthusiasm for it that stage, I have depression, and I know how that feels. I have been told that you really need to do stuff that you would normally enjoy, although you won't enjoy it at the time, and you really do not have the enthusiasm for it. Sometimes it could be as simple as not noticing a good thing even though it is right in front of your face!

Four of Wands - a time of rest after some completion, but not final completion. You have done a lot, and now it is time to put your feet up, be comfortable, get together with your family and friends. It is sort of like a welcoming party, as such, after being out in the world doing your own thing, and you come back home. Important not to take this too far of course.

Four of Pentacles - keeping things to yourself, whether that is your money, other possessions, your feelings and your thoughts. By doing so, you are not going to lose anything, but at the same time you are not going to gain anything either. Not wanting to share with others.

Four of Swords - a time to rest after a difficult and stressful time. A time when you can get to look within yourself, and do some meditation, as such, so you can be more attune with the Higher Power, maybe, I thought that this is relevant since it is in a church! Well, obviously, since he is lying on a coffin, it is about letting go of something, and having a "re-birth" of some sort. A time to just be, be by yourself, be introspective, retrospective, gain greater self-awareness, self-worth, and all of that.

Overall, I tend to think that Fours seems to indicate a time when there is a lull, not really inertia, but just being, I guess. I tend to view this as a time to be by yourself, type card, not really sure if that is right or not. Mind you the only card that is not like this is Four of Wands! But it can be, I guess.

This relates to The Emperor, so that indicates that you are the one that makes the rules, you stick to your rules, and expect others to be around you to do the same. It can be about having a lot of experience, so that you can impart your knowledge gained through experiences as advice. Also, to a certain degree, Death, which is 13, reduced to 4, so that is ending of something that in turn can bring about a brand new beginning, that can be brighter. Possibly.

Fours could be decision time,which road to go down,uncertainty,the need to expand or leave as is ..personalizing ones life,youth to adult process.
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VIDEO REVIEW

re-pete-a said:

Fours could be decision time,which road to go down,uncertainty,the need to expand or leave as is ..personalizing ones life,youth to adult process.

Click to expand...

Thanks, now that makes much more sense than my garbled ramblings!

rcb30872,Your garbled ramblings helped US to sort ,gave us insights.
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The cigar boss

The number four in my tarot system has come to mean for me security, structure, stability and material completion. I like to look at them and think what has gone on before in the previous cards now manifests in the four - so very often the no.4 card is where we can reflect on this.

I like to think that the 4's act like markers to the next phase of the journey and they seem to relate to logic and one's ability to reason things out, so when you reach a four it is what you have learnt at this stage that helps you continue on the journey.

Very briefly listing how this can be associated with each suit:

Wands ~ celebrate where you are

Cups ~ reassess your position

Swords ~ rest and reflect

Pentacles ~ reflection of loss or creating wealth

The Major Arcana card that relates to the 4's is of course The Emperor who stands for Structure/Order

We don't know much about the Masons,but we do know they use the square for the foundation or corner stone of a construction,thats why for us "on the square" implies the buildings foundation,without this squaring ,the whole structure could be out.Also the square,no matter where you start,you end up completing a lap, and perhaps each side of the square could represent each branch of the tarot,?? Its whats known as running true,straight and square..
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Fix Ps3