Monday, June 29, 2015

Writerly Tarot for the Week: Nine of Pentacles

Ah, now this is better. The Nine of Pentacles is one of my favorite cards, as it is often described as the card of the self-made woman. Just look at her, standing there on her own two feet. She is independence personified, dressed in a richly embroidered gown, gold coins literally rolling at her feet. It's a lush card, and like all the nines, a mix of both past actions and the eventual results of those actions.

But the key to this card isn't the money or the wardrobe -- it's the falcon on her arm.

Make no mistake, that's one wild bird. Fierce. A predator. And yet our lady has him lightly perched on one hand.

Writers court such wildness, but if you've come this far in your creative journey, you know that wildness does not respond to being chased. Wildness comes to stillness. We must learn to be composed and self-contained to develop a relationship with the part of us which flies clean and high. The part of us that swoops in ever-widening gyres, but which -- with trust and proper care -- will always return to our arm.

This week, take some time to make yourself a resting place for your fine feathered Muse. The creative spirit can be fierce and free, but if you cultivate some time alone, in some garden metaphorical or otherwise, it will come to you. And it will prove to be a faithful companion.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The falcon has been tamed, an extremely difficult thing to do if you know anything about training birds of prey. But I wonder if there is a warning in that hooded bird perched on a glove. Is the picture suggesting that wealth and comfort can blind us to the fierceness and wildness we have inside? Is it trading freedom for comfort?

Tina said...

That's certainly a valid take, one I haven't considered before -- most interpretations have the woman carry the narrative, as it were. But the falcon carries so much of the meaning in this card, which would otherwise be a just a victory lap for a successful female, a strut around her fabulous garden. Yes, the falcon is key to many doors -- I like the one you unlocked.