Wheel of Change - Twos

There must be more than 3 of us who are interested in plumbing the depths of this colourful yet enigmatic beauty of a deck?

We are doing the Two cards from the four suits. We are finding the inter-relatedness of doing the four cards at once somewhat challenging but on the whole more meaningful.

I've always like the Two cards. The Two of Cups is one of my favourite cards in any deck, and here it's superb, one of the reasons I bought the deck actually.

Will continue after I subdue my prismatic colours.....Hahaha

2 Cups and 2 Swords

More sacred spirals, water, and universe. Hey, I never noticed the dolphins in the right corner. Her cards have so much detail it's not surprising. Don't dolphins mate for life or am I thinking of swans?

Strawberries, champagne, crystal glasses, lush bouquets of flowers, ribbons, and a lace overlay on the wedding table. I never made the connection between crocheted lace and knots, the knots of marriage and community. Fluidity of time, water, flowing, go with the flow, compromise and flowing around your partner and community.

I sometimes like to think the supposedly "cold, uncaring" husband put this spread out to surprise his wife after thay had a big fight. The dolphins egged him on: "Come on Joe, do it up really nice and surprise her." And her heart melts and they reconnect to all the good feelings of their wedding day as they laugh and giggle and get a bit tipsy. They kiss the champagne lips of the other and...cut to flowers blooming while the dolphins do flips in the water and say "I knew they still loved each other."

(I pause momentarily to wipe a tear from my eye and toast the happy couple.)

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Scherenschnitte! That's all paper snowflakes are, a simplified version of the more elaborat scherenschnitte techniques created in Germany. I have cut paper into such flakes as a child, and also fabric snowflakes to use in appliqued blocks as an adult. This card just seemed so right.

Balance, symmetry, that suggestion of guardedness of protection, but also an image of superfluous bits falling away to leave the symmetry of a design. Backlit by the sun and universe, it is the universal plan completed. Scissors cut and wound but they can also shape something, cut away what is getting in the way of something better.

This is really a clever card -- a snowflake is crystallized water--cutting through and cooling emotions, to order them through active thinking. I've never understand why people cringe so at the sword cards, they seem to strike at such universal truths.

2 Wands and 2 Disks

Help me I'm lost.

Flame-coloured leaves, autumn and salamanders, salamanders the classic R-W symbolism for the suit from the famous myth about salamanders born of fire. It reminds me of the end of season and moldering leaves on grass and forest floor. Also a starry ground, again the universal tie-in. One salamander smaller than the other, male and female.

I don't get it, and I've always had trouble with the R-W version too. I read the book and I still don't get it, there seems to be no "Aha!" moment where my understanding of this clicks and assimilates. Insights would be appreciated.

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There is planet Earth and the sun again, projecting a beam into an infinity symbol on the earth. Earth, energy, life-giving force, back and forth. Interestingly, this looks a bit sexual, only it's reversed because the sun (the egg) projects a phallic beam into the opening of the Earth. Yes, she refers to this as the sun fertilizing the Earth, but I like the way she has skewed it so the roles don't seem quite right--how can the egg-like image be the fertilizer? This image of two people trying to fill the same role, the difference between active and passive, the constant shift between masculine and feminine was well done.

Any thoughts on the grey whispy stuff? Solar radiation? Why is it shooting out of the Earth symmetrically? It reminded me of the circuitous route of a water fountain, mysterious ether injected and bursting from the Earth but she doesn't mention it specifically.

Whoa!!! Freesiaskye, you're on fire! Well, your inspiration is contagious. Let's see...

The 2 of Cups: Whenever I see this card I am reminded not so much of the wedding day as I am of the first date. The first magnetic attraction. When that love and joy and faith and hopes and dreams and wishes you experience when your heart opens up finds that one person to focus it on and there is a polarization of energy. These people are drawn to one another to celebrate that they've found each other. And I do believe dolphins mate for life!

The 2 of Swords: I really liked your insight on this card, Freesiaskye. It reminds me of what Moongold wrote in a "The 8 of Swords Revisited" in Using Tarot Cards, where I was comparing the 2 of Swords to the 8. She spoke of the 2 as representing receptivity, changeability and adaptability.

Grrr. I'm being rushed off the computer by husband and son. Afraid I'll be away for most of the day. Carry on! I'll catch up. Can't wait to share with you my take on the Salamanders!

O.K. I think Freesiaskye hit the nail on the head when she spoke of the salamanders (of the 2 of Wands) being BORN of fire.
The Ace represented the raw force of passion, will, movement, energy, transformation- the beginning of the journey. Well, the 2 is what is BORN of that power. The VISION that comes next. The GOAL that we aspire to. We haven't left yet, we haven't even set our plans in motion, but our energy has polarized, it has found an object to focus it on. Just like with the cups, our love has found another person to focus on. With the wands, it is a creative vision, or perhaps even a travel destination.

I think traditionally there has been hesitation associated with this card because we are still "here", but "there" has suddenly come into focus. There is a weighing back and forth before the decision to go is finally made, but I see this as a natural part of the process.
Domain is another idea represented by the 2 of wands because we are suddenly more aware of our own domain and interested in expanding, moving outwards, moving towards, making "that" part of our domain.

I think the grey wisps shooting out of either side of the earth show the orbit that the earth is on around the sun.

It's funny because I don't see the reversed roles thing. I see the phalic, fertilizing, life giving energy of the sun penetrating the eternity symbol, which looks like an opening, of the earth who I always saw as female- like Mother Earth. To me this is about how opposites attract, and how opposites can complement each other. There is always the dance between them, they can never merge and become one. Just the right amount of tension, or separation, or distance and of difference allows for the creation and maintenance of life.

It reminds me that although we are whole unto ourselves and that another cannot complete us we are also a part of a greater whole. That our role or individuality is an essential part of the diversity of life. It is our differences and ability to work with them and others that allows for healthy promotion and expansion of life.

Belladonna said:

The Ace represented the raw force of passion, will, movement, energy, transformation- the beginning of the journey. Well, the 2 is what is BORN of that power. The VISION that comes next. The GOAL that we aspire to. We haven't left yet, we haven't even set our plans in motion, but our energy has polarized, it has found an object to focus it on.

Click to expand...

I like this idea, but then it takes us into the subtle differences between the 2 and 3 of Wands. I think of the 3 as the vision of what comes next as well.

Oh dear, eventually it will sort out in my mind.

Well, we probably should leave this for the next thread, but just a quick response concerning the 3 of wands.

I think the difference is that the 2 of wands represents the vision being born, but it is still in the realm of the mind, while the 3 of wands is more about getting the ball rolling, making plans and setting them into action.

I think the similarity between the 2 and 3 is the idea of hesitation or waiting, but I think the 2 corresponds more to the hesitation before coming to a decision, while the waiting corresponds more to the 3. The 3 shows the initial action or movement of setting your plans in motion, but then there is the waiting to see how it pans out, if it took hold. It's like the Ace is getting all fired up about something, the 2 is realizing you can make a difference somehow, perhaps by writing a letter, and the 3 is writing the letter and mailing it. Then you have to wait for a response, or a sign...

Are you ready to go on to the 3's, Freesiaskye? I can't tell you how much I've been enjoying and appreciating your insight and feedback!

Sure, let's have a go at the threes!

I'm almost finished my tax return, so then I can play.