by Brian Clark
Constellation
Decan
Ruler of Decan
Ace
Crucis
1st Libra
Venus
2
Lupus
2nd Libra
Uranus
3
Corona
3rd Libra
Mercury
4
Pisces Australis
1st Aquarius
Uranus
5
Pegasus
2nd Aquarius
Mercury
6
Cygnus
3rd Aquarius
Venus
7
Lepus
1st Gemini
Mercury
8
Canis Major
2nd Gemini
Venus
9
Canis Minor
3rd Gemini
Uranus
10
Air
The air trinity comprises Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, a triumvirate of signs compatible with the sphere of relationships, its astrological domain. Air is constantly seeking its other half through the process of relating. Air may not be the element we would first ascribe to relationship, as it is can seem separate, detached, and distant. However, through each air sign, we encounter the motif of searching for a soul mate, an equal, an other. Gemini searches for its lost twin, Libra quests for the soul partner and Aquarius seeks a friend and companion. Air identifies with what is refined and balanced, abhorring what is primitive and instinctual. When Swords are emphasized in a spread, we need to pay attention to the tension between the instinct and the intellect, and be cognizant that this dilemma may be reflected in an individual in the environment or through relationships.
GEMINI is the air of the intellect, the changeable breezes of late spring, constantly in motion, changing its mind and direction. It is the endless search for its missing twin, the love of ideas, airwaves, books, magazines and gadgets. A guide, a sibling, a friend, a classmate, a cousin, a neighbor.
LIBRA is the air of balanced wisdom; the high winds that precede the calm or the calm just before the storm. It is the love of classical beauty, harmony, music, art, poetry, and museums, spaces where we meet the muse of beauty. A partner, a close friend, a cooperative effort, an open enemy.
AQUARIUS is fixed air, the air of opinion and inspiration, the cold electric air of winter or the still suffocating humidity of summer air. It is bright, intellectual, non-traditional, platonic in ideals, a lover of humanity and ideas. A friend, a colleague, a political ally, a peer, a compatriot.
Air seeks a multiplicity of experiences and may share its ideas and experiences in many differing relationships, sometimes being indiscriminate about privacy and containment. Relationships may be an arena of curiosity and often air’s inquiring and interactive manner is mistaken for a deeper emotional or more intimate interest. Detachment and separateness may be used as a barrier against relationship. Air also is apt to defend through projection, seeing others as the impediment. These projections find their best available ‘hooks’ to be siblings, partners, and friends. Therefore, when an overabundance of Swords appears, it may signal either an individual who is aloof or unavailable, or a relationship dilemma that needs airing.
Air is about duality and consciousness. Air signs involve the process of linking, connecting, and bridging, as well as separation, duality, and polarity. The symbol for Gemini is the twins, for Libra the scales and for Aquarius, the Water Bearer or divine messenger. All airy symbols include the sense of relatedness, other-ness, two-ness, the need for judgment and balance in ideas, as well as the delivering and receiving of messages. Air is concerned with communication, the fostering of ideas and the development of language as a means of relating to others. Air learns quickly and is able to think abstractly. It is rational in its approach to life, and sometimes fears the irrationality and mystery of the unconscious. The suit of Swords describes the rational faculty, which can both connect and sever. Therefore, this suit not only portrays the clarity and logic of the mind but also the cruelty and ambivalence which stems from disconnection and disengagement.
The element of air values the intellect. Individuals with a highly developed thinking function orient themselves to the world in an ordered, systematic way. Their decisions are measured and gauged objectively, trying as much as possible to be detached from the affect of feelings. They tend to be more independent and self-reliant and their emphasis on logic and rationale can often lead to an unintentional wounding of others. Swords are instruments that are able to cut through the complexity of any entanglement to clarify and resolve. However, they are also instruments that wound with their sharp edges. Throughout the suit of Swords, we engage in their abstraction and duality, born out of Sword’s quest to both understand and to conceive life.
The Ace of Swords: Crucis
Initiating the journey into Swords is Crucis or Crux, the smallest of all the constellations. Commonly known as the Southern Cross, Crucis contains four stars in the shape of a cross that burn like a bright torch in southern skies. For nations such as Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand, the stars of the Southern Cross are emblematic of their place in the Southern Hemisphere, as the constellation is not visible at most northern latitudes. In antiquity, these four stars were part of the constellation of Centaurus, and at that time were visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the shifting of the heavens has meant that this constellation has disappeared from northern skies, having been last seen at the latitude of Jerusalem during the time of Christ. The image of his crucifixion has remained the most powerful icon in Europe, making the cross one of the most commonly recognized symbols in western theology.
In the last quarter of the 17th century, the Southern Cross became recognized as a separate constellation. Ptolemy and his predecessors had catalogued the four stars as belonging to the Southern Centaurus, a constellation which tranverses the South Pole. In Celestial Tarot, the Ace of Cups represents the constellation of the Lesser Bear, a northern circumpolar constellation. As the circumpolar constellations, these Aces represent the polar processes of heart and mind. The Ace of Cups begins the journey into feelings, while the Ace of Swords initiates the individual into the mental realm with the discovery of new ways of thinking. Seminal ideas, the application of discrimination and will, and fresh insights reshape how we define the truth. Both Aces, in representing circumpolar constellations, symbolize the human poles of instinct versus reason and the cosmic axis of the Earth Goddess and the Heavenly Father.
The Ace of Swords depicts the sword emerging out of the heavenly cross, a contemporary religious symbol, yet also the ancient symbol of the Earth. The cutting edge of the sword symbolizes consciousness beginning to separate from Gaia, or from the body and its instinctive life. With this card the initiation into objectivity, logic, rationality and consciousness of the other is beginning; consciousness is beginning to dawn. However, with consciousness the pain of being separate is awakened. Therefore, this card implies the ambivalence of becoming conscious. On one hand, we are enlightened in discovering the truth. On the other hand, this discovery may bring conflict and pain.
The Ace of Swords represents the duality embedded in becoming consciously awakened.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the cross is easily identifiable and therefore has become animated with the projections of southern folklore. To the Venezuelan Wairao tribe, the star pattern represents a celestial bird with bright feathers that protects their children from dark spirits and evil forces. Symbolically, the bird is a link between heaven and earth and is a messenger of the gods. As a creature of the air, it is a totem for the suit of Swords. This folk tale reminds us of the mystical and protective power of the mind embodied by this celestial bird. When the Ace of Swords appears, it suggests using the healing aspects of the mind to protect oneself from negative patterns of thought. The card signifies that the emergence of new patterns of thought, different viewpoints and ideas are threatening the old way of being. The intellect is being sharpened, discrimination is heightened, and perceptions are clearer. Conflict is natural during the transition, and the card reminds the individual to utilize the affirming power of the intellect to resolve the schism.
Astrologically, the cross is a potent image of both conflict and resolution. The aspect pattern of the “grand cross” involves the conflicted angular arrangement of four or more planets. Embedded in the zodiac are the four cardinal points that represent the beginning of a new season of being. One of these cardinal points is Libra, the sign that oversees the Ace of Swords. Libra and its ruler Venus, goddess of this first decan, both suggest that resolution comes through clarity and balance of perceptions, the ability to weigh and judge situations, the facility to see both sides of a situation, and the gift of being able to negotiate and compromise in order to reach the truth. Libra also represents strategy and the ability to detach from emotional responses and reactions long enough to be able to see them in perspective. It is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac, and one of the guardians of the equinox when the night and day forces are evenly balanced. It instinctually balances, weighs, and judges situations to arrive at the most enlightened perspective. Venus, the brightest planet, also rules over this card and symbolizes the brightening of the mental faculties and the commitment to a more enlightened way of knowing. On an oracular level, the Ace of Swords card suggests that clarity and discrimination become necessary, as a new pattern is constellating and the old order is questioned. When this card appears, it suggests that new strategies are emerging to allow a progressive way of understanding the current situation.
The Two of Swords: Lupus
The theme of “the big bad wolf” has appeared in folklore and myth since antiquity. In the popular folktale “Little Red Riding-Hood,” the dangerous wolf disguises himself as the vulnerable grandmother to devour the innocent girl. The motif of the wolf’s deception, treachery, and barbarianism underlies the cliché “a sheep in wolf’s clothing,” a warning to be aware of the masquerading of evil intent. Another popular theme in folklore tradition is the metamorphosis into a werewolf. In myth, the wild wolf could also be divine and was often associated with the light, particularly the sun god Apollo with his epithet Lycaeus, “wolfish Apollo”. The wolf was also a mythic totem associated with the founding of great empires, as well as the nurturing surrogate mother to Romulus, the greater founder of Rome. In the 20th century, the modern founder of Turkey, Ataturk, was known as the Gray Wolf, linking his heroic leadership to the mythic tradition. In Celestial Tarot, the Two of Swords reveals both sides of Lupus, the celestial wolf, and reflects the tension when two opposing ways of being render the individual immobile. When the Two of Swords appears, the mythic pattern of the wolf is revealed, and the individual is drawn into a conflict between two perspectives, and needs assistance to know how to resolve the situation. Inherent in the card is duality and the need to either compromise or choose one way of being.
Transformation into a wolf was a thematic pattern ritualized in religious festivals, or emblemized a token of respect for the ancestors, and is at the heart of a Greek myth. King Lycaon had fifty sons and one daughter who was beloved by Zeus. Her name was Callisto, the spirited devotee of Artemis, and the daimon underlying the Two of Cups, the mirror card to the Two of Swords. When Zeus appeared to Lycaon, he refused to believe that his visitor was divine, so tested him by cooking human flesh, which he served to Zeus. For this transgression, Zeus turned Lycaon into a wolf, as the eternal reminder of this act of impiety. Like Apollo, an epithet of Zeus is Lycaeus, a primitive vestige of a prehistoric cult, which may have utilized a cannibalistic ritual. The dark image of the wolf is connected to the devouring of human values and virtues, and represents a hunger that destroys the capacity to be human. The mythic theme suggests that when the Two of Swords appears, it is imperative to differentiate between the divine and the demonic, which may both be disguised beneath the situation.
Traditionally, the stars of Lupus have been named a beast or wild animal. Because of its proximity to Centaurus, it has represented the wolf Chiron offered as a sacrifice at the altar. Offering the wolf suggests the mythic pattern of sacrificing a wild beast to the gods. In a contemporary context, this would mean recognizing human values above greed, placing communal concerns above personal needs, and honoring ethical and moral behavior. With the Two of Swords, it is imperative to be reflective and mindful of the situation.
The astrological symbols of Libra and Uranus are placed above Lupus, suggesting that the human temperament is able to rise above the bestial and primitive aspects of the wolf. In the Two of Swords, these symbols represent the wolf light. Libra represents the capacity to weigh, judge, balance, compromise, and employ the skills of negotiation and fairness to arrive at the best solution. Uranus is the archetype that engenders insight, detachment, egalitarianism, and values that serve the greater good of the group. Together, both suggest the ability to approach conflict in an enlightened and fair way to reach a compromise that serves everyone involved. The mythic pattern underlying the Two of Swords cautions us against being devoured by our own primitive urges or hunger. Chiron, the ideal balance of the primitive and the cultured, offers Lupus, the wolf of aggression and primitive desires, to the gods as a sacrifice. When the card appears it is necessary for the individual to sacrifice individual desires for the sake of the community.
On an oracular level, the Two of Swords suggests cross-purposes or a situation in need of reconciliation. A conflict or stalemate may be at a breaking point and the tension needs to be released through facing what is difficult. Using an ethical approach, fairness, human values, and insight will encourage a more enlightened view of the situation and will aid in unblocking what appears to be irreconcilable. When the Two of Swords appears, it suggests there may be crossed swords or differing points of view, which are polluting the atmosphere with an uncomfortable tension. The situation calls for action, not fence-sitting. The wolf in the situation can be tamed through a nonpartisan approach, diplomacy, fairness, and consideration. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not the human spirit of cooperation and concern, nor the Apollonian qualities of insight and reflection needed at this stage of the process.
The Three of Swords: Corona
Ptolemy’s catalogue of the 48 original constellations included two that were crowns or wreaths. The southerly constellation of Corona Australis represented the Southern Crown, and was often paired with her northern twin Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown. In the Greek tradition, these constellations were both linked to Dionysus, the god of ecstasy. The southern wreath was the hairpiece that crowned his mother, Semele, after Dionysus had rescued her soul from the underworld. The Northern Crown was given to Ariadne on their betrothal and represents her sacred marriage to Dionysus. Celestial Tarot recognizes both crowns but it is the myth underpinning the Corona Borealis that informs the Three of Swords. Other cultures interpreted the arrangement of the seven stars of the Northern Crown as a bowl, shield, even a broken platter. However, the Greeks saw the diadem of stars as belonging to Ariadne, who was left abandoned and heartbroken on the island of
Naxos by her lover Theseus.
Ariadne was the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, therefore the granddaughter of two great sky Gods, Zeus and Helios. When Theseus arrived with the youths sent from Athens to participate in the bull games and be sacrificed to the Minotaur, Ariadne fell in love with him at first sight. Ariadne devised a plan for Theseus to kill the Minotaur and find his way out of the labyrinth, rescuing him from being sacrificed in the dungeons of her family’s underworld cavern. In doing this, Ariadne knew she was betraying the family, as the Minotaur was Ariadne’s half brother. Wrapped around Theseus’ wrist was a ball of yarn, tied to the pillar at the labyrinth’s entrance, that unraveled as he made his way through the dangerous passageways. This was Ariadne’s gift of thread, the umbilical cord that connected him back to the outer world and the filament that would secure his return.
That night, when Theseus returned from the heart of the labyrinth, Ariadne fled with her hero. In the dark of the Mediterranean night, they silently rowed out of the harbor of Knossos and set sail for the victorious return to Athens. The next night Ariadne and her lover reached the island Naxos. Exhausted by travel and turmoil, they collapsed into a deep sleep. As the rays of the morning sun lit her face, Ariadne awoke to find her lover gone. At the edge of the shore she saw the sails of his ship in the distance. Athena had woken Theseus before the dawn and instructed him to continue on his journey without Ariadne. Abandoned and betrayed, Ariadne faced the labyrinth of her own despair, guilt, and shame.
A regal headdress symbolizes the crowning of the Queen. With the Three of Swords her dominion includes love relationships and the painful experiences they bring. Traditionally, the Three of Swords card suggests sorrow and heartbreak. Ariadne has been abandoned and left to experience the deathlike feelings, which emanate from her broken heart. On an oracular level, the Three of Swords may reveal a painful separation, hurt feelings, loss of intimacy, a misunderstanding, a conflict of interests, or even incompatibility. When the card reveals itself, the individual may be fighting back jealousy and tears. However, the image of the crown symbolizes consciousness and thus provides hope. In the depths of her despair, Dionysus appeared to Ariadne as her true soul mate. Ariadne’s abandonment and betrayal awoke her to a greater understanding of herself and her relationship patterns. Betrayal brings pain, but greater consciousness, and is ultimately the vehicle that allows us to leave unhealthy relationships.