Connolly: Ace of Swords

[Sophie-David]

An imposing sword penetrates a stone wall or cliff: this is the clean and dramatic Connolly Ace of Swords. Peter Connolly's trademark yods convey the sword's spiritual power, the yod being "the contraction of the Infinite into the finite point of potentiality or what we know of as the knowable universe". The sword's handle is ornamented with a golden crown as its base, and at the top is a silver coloured orb adorned by the laurel symbol of victory. In Eileen Connolly's Tarot: A New Handbook for the Apprentice, page 109, the memory verse is:

Success takes root, triumph is near; Soon your worries will disappear.

A cherubic angel is blue holds the handle and admires the laurel. I do not believe the angel is capable of drawing forth the sword, or in any event that he intends to. It is up to the seeker to draw this sword out of the stone.

 

[MoonMaiden]

Thanks for the info on the yod!

I like this card. It is bright and airy and the yods, flowing between the wall and the hilt of the sword, seem to indicate an invitation to use the divine energy of one's true being to begin the journey into the realm that the swords portray. Interesting that in traditional decks the swords depict negativity. And truly, the wandering, fitful and unruly nature of the mind can and does get us into loads of trouble. This card is the matrix of the suit, showing the potential of the divine use of the mind.

 

[Sophie-David]

I see that the RWS Ace of Swords also has yods, but the sword is raised in hand, its tip penetrating a crown with laurels, as if the quest is already accomplished. I prefer the Connolly's image in which the potential is there, but it is up to the hero to take the opportunity and draw the sword from the stone.

Yes, there is a lot of negativity in swords, but a lot to learn also. So when one reaches the courts there is real cause for celebration. I particularly admire the Page's curiosity and the Queen's balance.