March 28, 2021: XX Judgement and the King of Swords

Now that is a powerful pair of cards.

My Inner Focus card is XX Judgement.  The image on this card shows what appears to be an orgy, with two naked women, one on her back and one on her belly, and two men, one of whom is naked with an erect penis.  We only see the head of the other man as he appears to be mostly covered with a sheet and surrounded by the thighs of the woman on her belly, as if he was performing oral sex before their interruption.  Limbs are twisted together and faces are shocked, because there at the far side of the bed, lifting the sheet that was hiding their sex play, is what appears to be a priest of some kind.  He is wearing a purple robe and hood, a very dark red (almost black) cassock, and a stern look on his face.  On his chest is a large gold cross.  Behind him is darkness laced with fiery orange, is if the flames of Hell were burning behind him.  The key phrases for this card are: the day of reckoning has arrived, and criticism and reconciliation create conditions that lead to renewal.

My Outer Focus card is the King of Swords.  The image on this card shows a broadly smiling King of middle age wearing nothing but his crown, with a dark beard, dark hair, and dark body hair on his chest and well-rounded belly, having sex with a naked woman on a rumpled bed.  The woman is laying on her back cross-wise on the bed, with her knees wide and her head hanging off the near side of the bed, so the viewer is seeing her face upside-down.  One of her hands rests on the King's belly.  The King appears to be standing or kneeling on the floor at the far side of the bed and his upper body is mostly upright.  He has one hand on one of her knees for support; the other hand is firmly grasping hs very large royal Sword, point grounded into the wood floor in front of the mattress.  His royal robe is tossed on the pillows off to the side.  The key phrases for this card are: don't refuse twilight-of-life intimacy, and spiritual values do not decline over the years, they increase.

The King of Swords in this image seems confident and happy, maybe at the prime of his life when he is old enough to be sure of himself but not so old that he is becoming infirm of body.  He is pleasuring a woman who appears younger than he is, leaning over her and using her for support but not necessarily holding her in place.  Her position hanging half-off the bed could indicate that their passion was robust and athletic; his big smile and her half-closed eyes and look of bliss could also indicate this.  

I tend to see the Judgement card as indicating that times have been interesting but the bill has arrived and it needs to be paid now.  We are given the impression that this orgy has occurred under cover of a sheet and of darkness, and all the parties appear very startled that they have been found out, especially because the person imposing Judgement on them is a spiritual leader.  I guess the question here is who is the Judgement of this card focused upon?  Is it the members of the orgy who in their nakedness and acceptance of each other without a concern for rank or gender?  Or is it the priest who has sworn to be celibate and is judging others for fulfilling their desire for pleasure?  No matter who is being judged, if the bill is paid in full, there is a real chance to face up to what needs to be resolved and then move forward with a lighter load.  This requires honesty and fairness, but it is not impossible.

My message today is pretty clear.  I need to pay that invoice and move on with life.  I need to believe that despite the fact that my life is probably more than halfway over, I am not done with the good things and on the contrary, I am still very able to grab them all and enjoy them, without guilt or shame.

March 27, 2021: 10 of Wands and 2 of Wands

 

My Inner Focus card today is the 10 of Wands, and interestingly enough, it appears that we have the same man and woman from yesterday's 5 of Chalices card!  The image on the Decameron 10 of Wands shows a fully-dressed man tossing a naked woman onto a bed, viewed from the front.  The bed is not rumpled and it seems to be daylight; it appears that whatever is happening in this room is in the early stages of completion.  He is looking toward his right hand, which is on her right calf, and his lips are parted as if he was speaking to her.  The woman does not appear to be actively fighting back; her left hip and left elbow are on the mattress and she appears to be allowing her body to tumble onto the bed.  The key phrases for this card are: indiscretion, uncertainty, and tiredness.  

My Outer Focus card is another Wands card, the 2 of Wands.  Once again we have a man and a woman, both viewed from the front, with a bit of shadow in the background as if it was dawn or twilight (a time of transition).  The woman has her gaze downward; she is in the process of taking off her top and her shoulders, breasts and torso are bare.  Behind her stands a fully dressed man, and he is either holding a dog or wolf mask or restraining a dog or wolf, and his lips are parted as if he was speaking to her.  He looks familiar; one of the people in the image on the 6 of Swords is of a man in a full dog or wolf costume, but seen from the back so we are not 100% certain it is the same man.  However, these are the only two images in the whole deck of a man in a canine costume, so I can't help wondering if there is a connection.  We will need to address these kinds of possible connections in the future.  The key phrases for this card are: first experience, shyness, and reserve.  

Here we seem to have two versions of uncertainty: the first because someone is tired of fighting off the inevitable and the second because of inexperience.  The situation presented in the 10 of Wands could very well be happening because she no longer desires to fight it, particularly if we remember the image of yesterday's 5 of Chalices.  In yesterday's card, the man was smiling and trying to act charming, but today he is not smiling at all, as if he had used up his charm.    The situation illustrated in the 2 of Wands presents a couple who are still trying to find their way to a connection. Like the 2's of the Tarot Minors, this card shows a first potential for manifestation through a connection between two points (or in this case, two people).  Neither knows whether the experience to come will be good or bad; neither is fighting to prevent the experience, but neither is rushing into it either.  We haven't yet discussed the 6 of Swords, but I will share the key phrase associated with it: the enemy suddenly becomes harmless.  Now, that actually might be a good key phrase for this card as well.  

March 26, 2021: 5 of Chalices and 5 of Pentacles

As I shuffled to prepare for today's card throw, I had two "jumpers" come flying out of the deck.  Okay then, I guess they are my cards for today.  Both cards are numbered 5, so we will be able to do some comparison.

My Inner Focus card is the 5 of Chalices.  The image on this card shows a woman sitting on a chair with a man kneeling at her feet.  The woman's clothes are in disarray, with her breasts showing; the man is fully dressed..  One of her knees is up and the man kneeling before her has one hand cupping her bare heel and the other on her shoe; he looks like he is trying to convince her to allow him to remove the shoe.  She has her head turned away from him and her hand up with the palm facing him, the universal symbol that says "stop!"  Her other hand is pulling the hem of her dress down between her thighs to hide her pubis.  The key phrases for this card are: try new ways of loving, seduction, awakening, and fetishism.

My Outer Focus card is the 5 of Pentacles.  The image on this card shows a closeup view of the man from the image of the 6 of Chalices (in that card image we see him from far away and viewed from the back).   We see him from the waist up in the 5 of Pentacles, and we can see that he is wearing simple but well-kept clothes.   He is sitting in a meadow of green grass and reading a book while being shaded by the branches of a tree which is mostly out of the image. His fingers are holding places in that book and we can see at least one bookmark also marking a place, and he seems very intent on what he is reading, not seeing the world around him at all.  The key phrases for this card are: muddled decisions due to inexperience and intellectualization, and resignation and abandonment.  

I see the number 5 in the Minor Arcana cards as bringing motion into a situation in order to upset the stability of the 4 of the suit, with that motion preventing stability from becoming stagnation.  With my cards today, this motion is happening within Chalices (the element of Water, and the soul ) and Pentacles (the element of Earth, the body, and material goods).  We can clearly see the motion that is being introduced into the 5 of Chalices; the woman is not actively fighting the man, but she is hesitant and unsure of herself.  In the 5 of Pentacles image we only see one person, but he is paired with a book that is very interesting to him.  Here the motion seems to be trying to distract the man's attention from that book so that he can experience things himself rather than reading a book about the experiences of others.  He is alone in his meadow, though, and there is no one to nudge him away from that book.  

Perhaps I am to open myself to new ideas today; that does not mean an automatic "yes" but it does not hurt to think about something new.  I should not allow myself to be distracted by a good book (a difficult task, because I love to read), but rather I should interact with others. 

 

March 25, 2021: 1/Ace of Wands and 5 of Swords

 

My Inner Focus card today is the 1/Ace of Wands.  The image on this card shows a naked woman with beautiful curves and red hair embracing the symbol of the suit of Wands in the Decameron Tarot: a tree trunk with rough bark that on this card is growing from thick green grass.  There are branches near the bottom that have leaves growing from them, but about halfway up the living trunk the bark has been removed and the wood is carved into an erect circumcised penis.  The woman's arms are around the penis and she is resting her cheek against the head, with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face.  Her right leg is wrapped around the base of the carved penis and her left foot rests on one of the branches growing from the bottom of the tree trunk.  The key phrases for this card are: sexuality is a part of nature and its processes, and beginnings that should be pursued enthusiastically.

My Outward Focus card is the 5 of Swords.  The image shows a man and a woman outside in what appears to be uncleared land, viewed from their feet.  He is wearing only a shirt and shoes and is laying on his back.  We cannot see much of his face, which is aimed upward and slightly back away from us, but his eyes appear closed and his lips are parted.  The woman is astride him and leaning forward a bit, so we can see the root of his penis (the rest is inside of her).  Her dress is around her waist, and one of his hands is lifting the hem, with his other hand resting on her thigh.  We can only see her from the back, but it appears that one of her hands is caressing the place they are joined.  The key phrase for this card is: confront risks in order to overturn a situation.  

The suit of Wands in the Decameron Tarot represents the traits of the element of Fire, strong passions, and extreme experiences.  The number 1 card or Ace of the suit traditionally presents potential or possibility, not actual manifestation.  This 1/Ace of Wands is reminding us that sexual pleasure, connections, and the bonds that happen through experiencing passion are a natural part of our existence.  Sexual joining happens throughout nature, and humans are lucky enough to be able to experience physical pleasure within that kind of joining, which makes sexual pleasure a part of being human.  But this image does not only present sexual pleasure, it also shows sensual pleasure.  The woman's cheek is resting against the erect penis, and her palms are cradling it.  One of her legs is wrapped around its base while the other foot rests on a branch of the living tree, symbolizing the naturalness of the sensuality she is experiencing.

The 5 of Swords asks us to delve into the thought processes within this image.  Our couple is outside and in a natural area rather than a manicured garden.  They are surrounded by bushes, and the shadows of a leafy tree above them and out of sight of the viewer are on both of their bodies.  We don't know who they are or why they are together, but it appears the woman is in control of the situation.  He is the grounded one: he still is wearing his shoes and a shirt, while her clothes are bunched up around her waist and her feet are bare.  She is astride his body, in the more dominant position and appears very focused on what she is doing, as far as we can tell as we are viewing her from the back.  The traditional meaning of the 5 of Swords is self interest in order to force change, and that is a possible interpretation of the image of this card.  

The woman in the 1/Ace of Wands is out in the open, surrounded only by grass and flowers, and clouds in the sky.  The couple in the 5 of Wands are hidden, hinting that they should not be together, or that circumstances in their lives prevent them from being together in any other way.  They are forced to find their way into the woods in order to be able to focus on each other. 

These two cards could be telling me today that I may need to steal away in order to indulge my passions, but I will not feel any guilt for desiring those pleasures.  

March 22, 2021: Knight of Chalices and Queen of Pentacles

Well, I guess it is a Court Card kind of day.

My Inner Focus card is the Knight of Chalices.  The image on this card is of a fully armored knight with his visor down and gaze forward, riding a brown steed with white socks, holding a spear.  He does not appear to be in a hurry but he is moving steadily forward along a path strewn with a few stones, but nothing too dangerous.  Riding behind him with her hands on the Knight's waist is a naked woman.  Her body is facing forward but her head is turning back to look at the viewer, and she has a smile on her face.  In the distance are green hills; on top of one of the hills is a large castle surrounded by a strong wall and corner towers.  In the foreground on a large flat stone in an area that the horse and riders have already passed is a silver Chalice; around the Chalice is coiled a green snake.  The key phrases for this card are: your lover is defenseless and must cross hostile lands to be with you, and watch for betrayal for the future is risky.

My Outer Focus card is the Queen of Pentacles.  The image on this card shows what appears to be a small crowd of peasants, both men and women, standing in the background and watching as a finely dressed woman and her guard walk by.  The guard walking behind the woman wears a leather vest and a helmet on his head, and he is carrying a large and fearsome pike.  The woman is wearing a crown, a fine dress trimmed with ermine, and a gold necklace; she carries a bag filled with coins.  Her guard, who has his hand over his mouth and is obviously thinking "uh oh, I'm in trouble," has stepped on the train of her dress, causing the dress to rip so much that we can see one of her breasts and her belly, the tops of her thighs, and her pubic hair.  The woman is trying to hold onto her bag of coins with one hand while using the other hand to frantically try to cover her body with her torn dress.  She is not succeeding in either effort, for coins are spilling from her bag and her dress can't be pulled over her body because her guard is still standing on it.  The key phrases for this card are: denial in the name of greed and vanity creates absurdity and the loss of identity.

The image on the Knight of Chalices is deceptively calm, considering its key phrases.  While the Knight is performing his task diligently, we are given a hint, through that snake coiled around the silver Chalice in the foreground, that something may be amiss.  One of the things a snake can represent within Tarot symbolism is having authority over energy, and since the snake and the Chalice are in the foreground, I'm seeing them as being important today.  The Knight has already passed the Chalice and snake without seeing it, which could be reminding me that rather than focusing on the completion of a task, I would be better served by being aware of the "now."

The poor Queen of Pentacles is in trouble, and it might be of her own making.  If she was less concerned with hanging onto that bag of coins as she walks proudly past the peasants in her fine attire, and if her guard was not following behind her in a subservient position but rather, walking beside her, this embarrassing situation may not have happened.  Pride before the fall and all that, but this is an uncomfortable situation to contemplate for everyone.  

Awareness of my surroundings is important today.  Also, it looks like there are those around me who have helpful intentions, but they might get distracted and cause more harm than good.  

March 21, 2021: 6 of Pentacles and 4 of Swords

My Inner Focus card for today is the 6 of Pentacles.  The Decameron 6 of Pentacles image shows a naked man and naked woman sitting on a rumpled bed, with a red curtain pulled back into the corner behind them.  She is leaning back against the pillows and he is sitting by her hip with one knee bent on the bed, with her legs behind him and one of his hands resting on her knee, as if he were calming and protecting her but also indicating a bit of possessiveness.  In the foreground of the card image is a man wearing a robe the same color as the curtain behind the couple, who has just stepped around a screen at the foot of the bed and is gesturing with one hand as if he was speaking to them.  We are viewing him from the back, so we have no idea of his emotions.  The key phrases for this card are: an unpleasant arrival could cause jealousy or possessiveness, and stability is needed.

My Outer Focus card is the 4 of Swords.  The image on this one is of a naked woman sitting straight and tall with her fists on her waist, her jaw strong and uncompromising, and her gaze slightly to the left of the viewer.  Her hips and legs are completely covered with what looks like bedding, a sheet and a blanket.  The rest of the background is an unremarkable grayish-green color.  The key phrases for this card are: pause for reflection while awaiting judgment, and some regrets.

These two cards have a similar meaning: being judged by another, or judging either another or ourselves.  In the image on the 6 of Pentacles, the intruder seems to be judging the couple, but the naked man also appears to be judging the situation and deciding whether he needs to protect the woman or tell the red-robed man to mind his own business.  The naked woman is in a situation where she needs to make a choice as to who to listen to, and that choice requires that she judge the present situation and the future she would create for herself by her choice.  Since the suit of Pentacles is about the element of Earth, the body, and material goods, it appears that she might need to choose wealth and ease (the man in the red robe) or love and passion (the naked man at her side).  At some point, someone in this image will feel hurt and jealous; who will it be?

The woman in the 4 of Swords looks kind of angry.  She has her fists on her waist, not her open hands.  Her back is straight and strong and her face is calm but firm, as if she were getting reading to make a stand.  Her eyes are looking slightly to the left of the viewer, as if she was pondering some situation.  Her legs and feet are covered by a blanket and sheet, adding further grounding to her position.  She is preparing for a challenge through her stillness.  Since this is a Swords card, both her preparation and the challenge to come will be connected to the element of Air and to her mind and thought process.  

Inner and outer versions of the sane issue, methinks.

March 18, 2021: 1/Ace of Swords and XX Judgement

 

My Inner Focus card is the 1/Ace of Swords.  The image on this card shows a naked woman laying on her back on a slightly rumpled and very large bed that disappears into the shadows.  We are looking at her from the direction of her feet; she has one knee drawn up a bit so her thighs are open, a vulnerable position.  Between her thighs, with its point plunged into the bed, is a large double-edged sword.  The hilt consists of a man and a woman facing each other, bound at the waist and also hugging and kissing.  The woman looks startled, with her eyes wide and her mouth open, as if the huge sword suddenly plunged into the bed between her thighs without warning.  The key phrase for this card is: immediate decisions regarding profound emotions which carry some kind of risk.  

My Outer Focus card is XX Judgement.  The image on this card shows what appears to be an orgy, with two naked women, one on her back and one on her belly, and two men, one of whom is obviously naked.  We only see the head of the other man as he is peeking out from under a sheet and surrounded by the thighs of the woman on her belly, as if he was just pleasing her.  Limbs are twisted and faces are shocked, because there at the far side of the bed, lifting the sheet that was hiding their play, is what appears to be a priest of some kind.  He is wearing a purple robe and hood, a very dark red cassock, and a stern look on his face.  On his chest is a large gold cross.  Behind him is darkness laced with fiery orange, as if the flames of Hell were burning behind him.  The key phrases for this card are: the day of reckoning has arrived, and criticism and reconciliation create conditions that lead to renewal.

Interesting that we have a card that tells of the beginning of the influence of Air and the mind and thought processes, and the penultimate card of the Major Arcana, the element of Fire that transforms, and the archetype of evaluation, reward and completion.  These cards together just might be greater than the sum of their parts.  

The 1/Ace of Swords tells of beginnings or possibilities within the mind and its thought processes and perceptions.  It foretells a sudden event or insertion of some kind of energy that will need to be dealt with, and that could entail a risk of some kind.  This card could be telling of an idea or a burst of transformative mental force that will come without warning, and that could be life-changing.

In any Tarot deck, the Judgement card tells of a reckoning of some kind involving possible discomfort, but that discomfort is part of the process of moving on, so we just need to own it.  Our fun group in the image of this card has been hiding their play under a sheet, hoping that they could enjoy their pleasures without being judged or having to pay the consequences.  Perhaps hiding themselves has made things worse, but then again perhaps the judgement of the priest is unfair.  He has foresworn the pleasures of the flesh when taking vows to his God, but these four have no such vows.  It is interesting to me that the priest may look angry, but he does not look surprised to find an orgy taking place here.  

Both of these cards are warning of some sudden and startling event or force.  All of the faces on these two cards look shocked and startled, except for the priest, who looks stern and angry.  Whatever is coming, it may be uncomfortable but it will have potential.  Perhaps I should take care to not judge too quickly when this catalyst happens, as things may not be as they seem on the surface.

March 14, 2021: 10 of Swords and 8 of Wands

Beautiful day! Spent some time walking the nature trails in my area, enjoying the sunshine.

My Inner Focus card today is the 10 of Swords.  The image on this one shows a woman and what appears to be a man, having sex amid some bushes, with a tree trunk and leaves in the background.  We can't see much of the man besides his clothed torso; he is laying on his back with the woman straddling him.  Her dress is down around her waist and hiked up around her hips; she is bracing herself on her arms, with eyes closed and mouth open as if panting or moaning.  The man has one arm around her waist and the other hand is squeezing one of her breasts.  The background is a light blue-green, giving the appearance of daytime. The key phrases for this card are: unseemliness, a rash act, and dangerous friendships.  

My Outer Focus card is the 8 of Wands.  The image on this one shows a naked woman sitting on the edge of a table seen from the back, leaning on her hands with her spine arched.  Kneeling in front of her and between her legs is what appears to be a man who is wearing a hat and a shirt.  Both of his hands are gripping her buttocks and his face is pressed between her legs.  We can't see the man's face and we can only see the woman's chin and lips, which are parted as if she is panting or moaning. The background is light blue, giving the appearance of daytime. The key phrases for this card are: vigorous activity and progress, and commitment regarding final objective.  

Hmmm . . . two cards whose images focus mainly on the females, both of whom are being pleasured by their partners.  Both of these assignations are taking place during the day, but one couple, shown on the 10 of Swords, appear to be hiding in the underbrush.  It is interesting that the 8 of Wands card, of the number 8, which represents action and the suit of Wands, which represents passion, appears to be the safer of the two cards.  We don't know much about the couple in the image on the 8 of Wands, but they are in an eating area and she is completely naked, yet they feel comfortable enough to be together.

Swords are about the mind and the intellect and the number 10 in the Tarot represents completion of a cycle, which means that despite the passion that the couple are experiencing, their coupling represents an ending of some kind.  If they are sneaking around in order to be together, this couple could feel that they have no other choice.  Or, perhaps that is an illusion and things at home are not as bad as the couple believe them to be.  This sex of desperation, which kind of hints at adultery, could end up causing harm.

I guess there is a warning here.  My Inner Focus card is warning me about deciding to do something for the wrong reason.  My Outer Focus card is showing me that there are legitimate ways to get fulfillment, without having to sneak around.

March 13, 2021: 7 of Wands and 8 of Chalices.

 

In the interest of comparing two cards with similar images, I am changing things a bit today.  When I threw my Inner Focus card and got the 7 of Wands, I realized the image was in many ways similar to that of the 8 of Chalices, which we have already examined.  I know that I can understand a card much better through comparing it with another, so rather than throwing an Outer Focus card as usual, I dug out the 8 of Chalices.  Let's compare.

The image on the 7 of Wands is of a woman laying on a bed with a dark background, with a man leaning over her.  We only see their heads, shoulders and arms.  The woman is laying on a pillow, with her nightgown untied and pulled open so we can see her breasts.  The man is leaning over her with one hand over her mouth and the other index finger near his lips, as if he is telling her to "ssshhhhh."  Her eyes are wide and her arms spread, one with palm open and fingers spread and the other in a fist, as if she has been startled awake.  The key phrases for this card are: surprise and daring, and a part of the undertaking is complete.

The image on the 8 of Chalices also shows a man and a woman, but in the broad light of day.  The man has a knife (a single-edge blade, as opposed to a dagger or sword, which usually has two edges) in one hand, held up threateningly, with his other arm around her neck from the back, gripping her jaw and chin.  His eyes are open, his brows are furrowed, and his mouth is open as if he is angry and shouting.  The woman has her eyes half closed and her mouth open and she looks like she is startled and crying for help.  Her blouse is pulled off one shoulder and her breast is visible.  The key phrases for this card are: deceit, threats, shame, and change of plans.

The suit of wands represents the element of Fire, strong passions, and extreme experiences.  Fire can be cleansing, but it can also be destructive. Burning something changes the chemistry of whatever is being burned.  While we can easily see who is dominant in the image on this card, we don't know the circumstances.  Is he saving her, or punishing her?  Wands cards usually encourage us to take action, but the number 7 is about pausing and considering whether or not more action would be advantageous to the situation.  This decision to pause, although presented in a startling image, could very well be saving them both from harm.  We just don't know.

The suit of Chalices corresponds with the element of Water and with the soul.  Water is about feelings, emotions, visions and dreams.  The soul is constructed of energy, and it can be damaged without injuring the physical body.  The knife wielded by the man looks like it could be a kitchen tool; knives represent liberation, sacrifice, division or severance, and betrayal.  A knife can also represent either survival or death.  The number 8 is most definitely a card of action, action that is needed in order to balance out approaching degeneration. Because this suit can represent being grounded in our emotions rather than our intellect, and the number can represent taking action to manifest a desire or dream, the 8 of Chalices feels far more threatening in the end than the 7 of Wands.  Neither is fun, but one is more a warning while the other is an "I might be in trouble" situation for the woman, or an "I can't lose this" situation for the man.

That was illuminating!

March 9, 2021: 3 of Chalices and VIII Justice

My Inner Focus card for today is the 3 of Chalices.  The image on this cards shows a well-dressed man and woman who appear to be standing in the middle of some leafy bushes and plants, with the leafy branches of a tree seen behind them.  The sky appears clear and blue and well-lit.  The woman is facing away from the viewer and the man is facing the viewer.  He is leaning forward so he can lift the back of the woman's dress and he is pinching her bottom, with a big grin on his face.  Her head is turned toward him so we can't see the expression on her face, but she does not appear frightened.  The key phrases for this card are: naïveté, play, and innocent fun.

My Outer Focus card is VIII Justice.  The image on this card shows a woman with her back to the viewer, naked except for shoes on her feet and a belt around her waist, kneeling on two rose-colored pillows with her knees spread wide.  Beneath the pillows are piles of skulls.  The woman is blindfolded with her head turned toward the right, showing us her profile, and her lips are parted.  In her left hand is the center pole of scales of justice; she is holding the pole so the scales are at her shoulders. There is a statue of a naked woman with her arms around her stomach in the left bowl of the scales, and a statue of a naked man gripping his erect penis in the right bowl.  We can't see where Lady Justice's right hand is, but it appears to be near or on her pubis.  The key phrases for this card are: commitment and trust are the qualities necessary for a successful solution, and loving justice.  

We've worked with the Justice card before.  She offers us several messages.  Her scales remind us that the power interactions between male and female need to be balanced in order for a relationship to prosper.  She wears only a belt, which binds her to her intent to impose fairness, and shoes, which ground her (even though they are not on the ground).  Those pretty pink pillows may protect her knees from those skulls, but they are there and they remind her of her own mortality, as well as the foundation created by our ancestors and their culture that is her foundation.  She appears to be pleasuring herself, andI wonder if that pleasure is a distraction, or if it is Justice itself that turns her on. This is a serious card, and it is paired with a fun card.  

The traditional meaning of the 3 of Cups is friendship, a group bond, and joyful collaborations.  Our Decameron 3 of Chalices appears to be showing perhaps a fun game of hide and go seek with a bit of bawdy fun added in.  It looks like today will be a day of responsibilities, but perhaps I am being reminded that taking a momentary break will make me better able to focus on what needs to be done.

March 8, 2021: 1/Ace Chalices and I The Magician

My Inner Focus card for today is 1/Ace of Chalices. The image on this card shows a naked man wearing only a turban-like headdress struggling mightily to carry a huge silver Chalice. His eyes are scrunched closed and his mouth is wide open, as if he is crying out, and both of his knees are bent as he tries to keep control of the Chalice. In that Chalice is a naked woman, with her hands cradling her head as if relaxing and her eyes closed.  Despite the fact that in his efforts, the man appears to be rocking and rolling that Chalice (so much that her legs appear to be swinging wildly), she is still relaxed to the point of being asleep.  The key phrase associated with this card is: masculine force is not enough to control desire.

My Outer Focus card is I The Magician.  The image on this card shows a somewhat scruffy and stocky man in a white alb or cassock and a brown vest, with turquoise shoes (one of which has a patch), a lavender hat, and messy red hair; he is slouched down on a chair and wearing a smirky smile while looking at the viewer.  His right ankle is resting on his left knee, somewhat similar to the pose taken by The Emperor in many decks, of course without the slouching. There is a red curtain or drape behind him that is covering the back of the chair; the background appears somewhat shadowy.  In the foreground and next to his chair is a table containing a wooden mallet and several different-sized cuffs and rings that appear to be made from gold or brass, some studded with stones.  His left elbow rests on this table, and in his left hand he holds an awl.  On the other side of him is a naked woman.  She is facing the opposite direction from The Magician and is bent forward with her back arched, presenting him with her naked bottom.  His right arm is draped casually over her hips, with his right hand resting on her buttock.  Her head is turned to face him, and she also appears to be smiling or smirking.  We are left to wonder exactly what our Magician plans to do with the woman at his side.  The key phrases for this card are: keep both feet planted on the ground and set aside illusion, and work and love are the secrets of life.

It is interesting that these two cards are paired today.  The image on the 1/Ace of Chalices certainly portrays the key phrase associated with it.  The man is getting no pleasure at all from his efforts to lift and carry this Chalice, despite his efforts.  He appears to be perspiring and he is crying out.  His uncircumcised penis is not only soft, but the stem of the Chalice appears to be resting or pressing against it.  Despite the fact that it appears he just might lose complete control of the Chalice and the sleepy woman within it, he still hangs on to the potential she presents, but who knows whether he will be able to avail himself of that potential.  Indeed, masculine strength alone is not enough in this case.

The Magician is a card to which I have a personal connection.  In most decks, The Magician gives the appearance of skill and mastery; he handles the tools of his art with seriousness and stands straight and tall in order to be a conduit between the Above and the Below.  This Magician, however, is not about appearances.  Yes, he is confident; that crossed leg, echoing the posture of The Emperor, hints at the number 4 and thus, the four classic elements (and the power and authority to be had from wielding them), but his rounded belly, scruffy unshaved jaw and relaxed posture make us wonder if he might not be too confident.  Within some Tarot decks, The Magician is seen as The Juggler or The Trickster, the mountebank or sleight of hand artist that fools us into believing that he wields true magick.  In the game of Tarocchini, this card is the lowest-ranking trump, but it can serve as a wild card.  Perhaps that is the meaning to take away from the Decameron Magician!

In either case, male energy (not gender, but rather outer and active energy) is not helping the situation.  Confidence can cause us to bite off more than we can chew, and when that happens we have a choice: admit defeat and start over, or bluff our way out.  Wild card, anyone?

March 6, 2021: 5 of Pentacles and the King of Pentacles

We have already examined the King of Pentacles, but not with the 5 of Pentacles.  Let's see what we have here.

My Inner Focus card is the 5 of Pentacles.  The image on this card reminds me of the image of the Decameron 6 of Chalices, only instead of looking at the man in the image from the rear and far away, we are seeing him from the front and close up.  He even appears to be wearing the same clothes, so there might be some comparison between the two cards.  This image shows a closeup of a man wearing simple but well-kept clothes, sitting outside and reading a book.  Nearby is green grass, and we see the leaves on a tree in the corner of the image.  His focus is completely on his book.  The key phrases for this card are: muddled decisions due to inexperience and intellectualization, and resignation and abandonment.

My Outer Focus is the King of Pentacles.  The image on this card shows a King and a Queen having sex standing up, in a royal-looking room before a large fireplace containing the cold remnants of a fire.  The King is waring royal garb and a crown, but is naked from the waist down except for his shoes.  The Queen, who is also dressed royally and wearing a crown, has her arms around the King's shoulders, her dress up around her waist, and her legs wrapped around the King's waist.  He has one arm outside her dress and around her waist and the other hand under her dress, grasping her buttock.  Both the King and the Queen have their eyes closed and their lips parted, as if crying out with pleasure.  There is a table in the foreground on which is resting some kind of document.  On top of the document and blocking our view of the writing thereon is a small colorful chest filled with gold and silver coins, some of which have spilled onto the document and the table.  The key phrases for this card are: power does not waste time with courtship, and each side benefits with little risk but one party could lack scruples.

Let's take a quick review of the 6 of Chalices.  In that card image, we are very aware of the fact that the man sitting in the meadow reading a book is alone.  No indication of other people being nearby can be seen in the image.  The man is sitting with his back straight and tall, but his focus is totally on his book, not on the beauty of the meadow or his solitude.  The keywords are: melancholy, the need for serenity, and sad memories, and the image does feel serene.  The image on the 5 of Pentacles intensifies things because it is a closeup.  We really don't know if he is alone in a meadow, all we know is that he is focused on this book, and now we can focus on it too.  He has one of his fingers holding a place on another page, and there appears to be a bookmark in another place.  He could very well feel that he is close to some Aha! Moment, and in going back and forth to different places in the book to validate his thoughts, he is not taking into consideration the world around him.  After all, the image is a closeup, which indicates that he could be intellectualizing his project and thus, narrowing his understanding.

As for our King of Pentacles, I feel even more now that the union between these two is not built on passion, but rather on agreements and money.  I do understand that these kinds of unions happen all the time, particularly between people of power or people who are responsible for the caring of kingdoms.  I hesitate to judge these unions, because I don't have the right to judge them.  I married for love, even though I did have an opportunity years ago to marry for money, and I am happy with my choice.  However, I am not the ruler of a kingdom, who needs to consider the people he rules as well as his own needs.  

As the Wheel turns and Spring approaches, I am feeling the need to reconnect and to learn new things, and these two cards are encouraging me to do that, but only for the right reasons.  Also, I need to remember that gaining knowledge for knowledge's sake alone is a waste of brainpower. 

March 5, 2021: 8 of Swords and the Knight of Pentacles

My Inner Focus card for today is the 8 of Swords.  The image on this card shows a head shot of a man wearing rough clothes and a straw hat that has seen better days.  His jaw is grizzled and sweat is dripping from his temples and splattering his face.  He is just stepping through a doorway into the shade, escaping the blazing sun as he wipes his brow with his wrist.  He looks spent and exhausted.  The key phrase for this card is: even though you are tired, react to adversity with self-confidence.  

My Outer Focus card is the Knight of Pentacles.  The image on this card shows a knight in full armor riding his war horse (also in full armor) riding toward us.  Before him sits a young woman.  She has her dress hiked up to her waist and her breasts are bare.  Her legs are hooked around the Knight's hips, so her feet are behind him.  She is turning her head back toward him, and she has a smile on her face.  The Knight is also smiling; he grips her breast with one hand and he tosses coins up into the air with the other hand.  The key phrases for this card are: abandon war and focus on pleasure, and could be a waste of earthly goods happening because of this focus.  

Let's look at some traditional keywords for these cards.  The 8 of Swords usually represents restriction or powerlessness that appears to be overwhelming but might not be.  The image shows a blindfolded and bound woman surrounded by eight Swords with a threatening sky behind her.  The Knight of Pentacles is the most grounded of the four Knights.  To me the image on the Thoth Tarot Knight of Disks sums up the more traditional meaning of this card: he is standing beside his horse, with the golden sky of late afternoon behind him.  His horse has its head lowered as if exhausted, and the Knight looks unwavering yet a bit cautious, as compared to the other Knights of the deck.  

The Decameron 8 of Swords offers a different perspective of powerlessness.  The man in the image works hard, toiling in the heat of the day.  He is gasping for breath, yet he is still standing.  We don't know if he is working on his own property or within his own business, or whether he is an employee of another's but his responsibilities are great.  He does not appear afraid of hard work, however, and he is not allowing the prospect of working hard to restrict him.  Simple message here.

The Knight of Pentacles is certainly obeying his key phrases.  He is enjoying his time with the woman, tossing away the burdens of the physical world as he tosses the coins into the air.  And yet, his visor is down and his sword is by his side, and his destrier looks healthy and alert.  Knights are good at focusing, and our Knight of Pentacles is focusing on the moment, but not completely forgetting his responsibilities.

I am being told today not to fear hard work, but also not to forget to take a moment of pleasure as long as I keep at least one small part of my awareness on the job.  

March 4, 2021: 2 of Chalices and XIII Death.

My Inner Focus card for today is the 2 of Chalices.  The image on this card shows a naked couple on a rumpled bed in a well-lit room, with an orange curtain pulled back in the foreground and what looks like either a screen or a prie-dieu embossed with an image of the Mother and Child in the background.  The man is laying on his back with his knees bent and his feet on the bed, lifting his hips to thrust deeper into the woman, who is astride his hips with her head tilted back and her hands on her head, back arched, as she experiences pleasure.  Both have their eyes closed and their mouths open as they cry out with pleasure.  He is gripping the covers, and she is moving enthusiastically.  The key phrase for this card is: a couple experiencing ecstasy and passion during an idyllic moment.

My Outer Focus card is XIII Death.  The image on this card shows a woman on her hands and knees and facing away from the viewer, looking down at a skull that is partially buried in the ground in a field of golden grain.  She has her dress around her waist, with her breasts and hips and buttocks bare, but she is still wearing her thigh-high stockings.  Just past her shoulder is a scythe; we cannot see if it is impaled in the ground (with blade up), or if she is holding it.  In the background is the hooded figure of Death, approaching her through the golden grain.  In the foreground of the image are dead branches with a bit of new growth and tiny white and yellow flowers.  The key phrases for this card are: it is best to not turn down joy because of shyness or a fear of something new, for time passes, and let go of the past.

The image on the Decameron 2 of Chalices is erotic, elemental and earthy.  These two feel comfortable around each other, comfortable enough to release inhibitions and enjoy each other.  These idyllic moments are a gift, whether they end up just being a moment of pleasure that allows us to forget for a bit the things that worry us, or whether they are the initial moments in a deeper and more lasting relationship.  They don't have to have a deeper meaning in order to please us, but after all, the 2 cards of the Minor Arcana are about the possibility of building on the potential presented by the Ace, so the possibility of a more lasting relationship is there.

I've never been afraid of the Death card.  Well, let me clarify that: I don't usually see this card as meaning actual physical death, although actual physical death is a good metaphor for the meaning of this card.  After all, death is a one-way trip through a gateway into a different reality.  Once you pass through that gateway, you can't go back to the way things were before.  You are changed, permanently.  You also do not know what is beyond that gateway, or whether it will be better or worse once you pass through.  It is definitely a "risk everything" kind of a situation, even if we are willingly passing through the gateway.  

Perhaps the message here is to enjoy those idyllic moments and even allow them to nudge us to a happier place.  Even of the moment is only temporary, we can remember it with pleasure and allow that little mental vacation to make us happier or more at peace now.  Perhaps another message is that if we allow the possibility of that idyllic moment to pass us by because we are too busy to indulge right now, we won't ever have that opportunity again.

March 3, 2021: Month of March: 9 of Wands and The High Priestess

I've been busy and away from home, getting my second Covid vaccination.  Yay, Spring is approaching and so far, I am healthy.

My Energy of the Year card is the 9 of Wands.  The image on this card shows a naked man and a naked woman on a rumpled bed in the shadows, viewed from the front.  The woman is on her hands and knees, and the man is behind her.  They both appear to be in the throes of pleasure, with eyes closed and mouths open as they both cry out.  He has one hand on her shoulder, holding her in place, and the other had is caressing her breast.  She has her head turned toward him as he penetrates her from behind, with one of her hands on her pubis, pleasuring herself.  The key phrases for this card are: good stimulation but watch your back, and defense and vigilance are important.

My March card is The High Priestess.  This has always been an attractive yet mysterious card to me, and I am drawn to it in every deck I experience.  How nice that I have the whole month of March to immerse myself in it.  The Decameron High Priestess card image shows a naked woman wearing a crown or mitre and a veil, and a gold necklace with a gold penis pendent that hangs between her breasts, with the penis facing upward as if erect.  She is seated on a book, with her knees drawn up close to her body and her hands and the heels of her feet pressing down on the book, as if holding the book in place.  She is holding a large key between her feet with her left thumb hooked into the loop at the top of the key.  While her body is angled toward the viewer, her gaze is looking toward someone or something to the viewer's right and outside of the image.  She has a very serious look on her face.  In the shadows behind her are two men.  The man over her left shoulder has dark skin; he is facing the viewer but because of the shadows we cannot see his eyes.  He is wearing a crown or mitre and an ornate stole.  The man over her right shoulder has lighter skin and is dressed in a dark brown hood and cloak.  He too is facing the viewer and looking at the viewer; he is holding his erect penis.  The message of this card is: unhoped for goals can be achieved through study and work but remember that every success has its price, so act prudently.

In January, I saw the 9 of Wands as predicting good events, but also warning me to pay attention lest I trip and fall.  In February, the emphasis was on the element of Fire and the sharing of power.  This month and in combination with The High Priestess, I am focused on the woman in the card image.  In looking at her, I see that her pleasure is driving this pairing.  She knows how to best pleasure herself and she is doing so; when she reaches orgasm, he will benefit from the muscle contractions that occur.  While the power is being shared (after all, he has her by the shoulder so he can get the desired leverage to please himself) the pleasure they both experience, pleasure that spirals upward toward mutual completion, is guided in large part by her knowledge of her own body.

The High Priestess is about the guardianship of hidden knowledge so only those prepared to use that knowledge effectively have access to it.  The Decameron High Priestess is literally guarding the knowledge and the key to unlocking that knowledge with her body.  Behind her are distractions: a possible Hierophant figure who represents the sharing of tradition and culture to the people, and a possible Devil figure, representing the pleasures of the flesh.  Both figures offer the potential for either good or evil.  So far, our Decameron High Priestess is holding firm.

The only distraction the woman in the image of the 9 of Wands is dealing with is the man, and he is not turning her away from their mutual goal.  The High Priestess has a goal too, and she is making certain that she won't fail, even though her task is a solitary one.  Unlike the woman in the image of the 9 of Wands, she is the guardian of that knowledge.  Until the figures behind her prove their readiness, she cannot pair with them, even if they have the ability to make her job easier.  She remembers that they also have the ability to pervert her focus.