Forest Folklore - Ten of Swords

[rcb30872]

The man that is standing in between the trees and holding a sword looks to me like he can be a magician, doing a trick where he places swords through a box where someone is standing in. But really speaking, the imp offers a clue. The swords are all over the place, there seems to be no particular logic to it. However there are three swords on the right tree that are almost parallel to each other, and perpindicular to the tree. The imp is climbing those three swords as if it were a ladder. So, in some way indicating to the man how he should place the swords, all in a line up the tree to form a ladder, which would give him a way to get out of his predicament. Also, give him the chance to go upwards and onwards.

 

[Rede Seeker]

I like the Magician-and-swords-in-a-box idea

It does look like he's boxed himself in - three of the swords are behing him. Mabe he is created a protected space for himself.

I get the same vibe on the Imp - he's an advisor. If not telling the man where to place the swords, then maybe providing recon concerning whatever the man is protecting himself from.

The misty background prevents us from seeing what's behind him. Is he in the Land Beyond the Mists?

The bundle of swords doesn't seem to have a logical order. Swords being the suit of ideas and thoughts - does this jumble indicate a lack of understanding, or an understanding beyond logic? Either works for me. Perhaps we are seeing the Magician before he earned his robes.

 

[rcb30872]

Maybe it indicates that the man has got too many thoughts, thus, creating a problem for himself. If he were, perhaps, more silent, or at least his mind being more silent, and less worry, scheming, planning etc, he might be able to see himself clearly out of where he is, or more to the point being able to climb up the ladder of success, or any sort of anything that involves climbing . Perhaps it means ascension, in some sense, that if your mind is noisy, there is not much chance of ascension, because you wouldn't be able to distinguish from, hear, or at least listen to, your higher consciousness, inner wisdom, etc.

 

[scorpioleah]

I've always seen this card as the man is on a path, the past behind him, and he has gotten himself stuck in the "present", he is slowly taking the swords down as a symbol of unblocking himself or "taking the wall down"