Ten of Swords ~ Pagan Cats Tarot

Hi ATers,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me out here with some of the symbolism in this card. It's bugging me that I can't identify it and the LWB in typical LoS style is just a sentence. Pic is below. Mainy I'm wondering what the stone angel (?) is carrying. It looks like a cornucopia in her left hand and a ??? in her right.

I used to own this deck, but not anymore. I see the statue as the goddess, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bowl of fruit. To me, this represents the cycle of flowering (before fruiting) and harvest (symbolizing death, cycle completed). This a personal interpretation though, and you should feel free to work with the symbols that make sense to you.

Funny, I don't think I ever noticed the swords on the curtains before.

Thanks, pink dahlia. Yes, I feel the sense of harvest in what to me looks like a cornucopia from which emits the trail of stars into the sunset that the cat presumably left behind (or followed) as it used up one of its nine lives to escape the swords. In the Goddess's other hand I see what looks like a pomegranate which would echo the theme of descent that hovers over the Ten of Swords in general. That this is in her right hand, the more active principle (?) and yet she's gazing at her left makes me think of cycles of death and rebirth.

Thanks for your interpretation which gave me permission to go ahead with my own

Cool new interpretation this 10 of Swords, Madrigal! I always saw them as peaches or apples, peaches are used in China as a symbol of longevity, same with apples symbolizing health and the Goddess in Europe. I like your take on them as pomegranates though, it makes much more sense. I always saw a basket, of whatever fruit it is (its hard to tell!) in her hand.

Thanks! I like all the cultural associations you see in this card. I'm actually using this deck combined with the Mystical cats deck this week for my daily draws. The two decks are speaking very clearly to each other which has been really interesting.

The little girl, fairy, or the stone angel (like a gravestone) is definitely holding a cornucopia on her left hand which represents abundance in all forms. Left hand (as well as the left side of our body) represents the yin, the receiving part of us. So maybe she is inviting us to be open to receive?... That's only possible if we come into the acceptance of what is for what it is; however grave or terrible it may seem, since that's the 10 of swords.

On the angel's right hand, there is an artist's pallette, the earth, an apple, or a disc, like the Ace of Pentacles. All of these represents the creation/beginning of something new, from the ashes as it goes here. The cup, Ace of Cups behind the angel adds to this symbolism. And the cup -which stands right to the angel- is old and clearly full of ashes. It may represent the past which needs to be left alone.

Cobwebs surrounding the platform and the scene represent definitely the death, and the old.

A new dawn is at hand as seen on the sky, dominating the scene, seen through wide open green curtains. Color green represents healing. Embedded *light blue* swords pertain to the new dawn, a clear blue sky. Stars represent endless possibilities.

And the swords. They are stuck on a comfy, velvet, red cushion. Red signifies the blood and what is dead is your comfort zone. You need to let your comfort zone die (however painful that may be) to welcome new experiences.

Very nice, Mystica7!! So thorough. How are you able to identify the artist's palette so well. It's sooo hard to see even in a photo on my phone which I can zoom in on. I'm impressed with your eyesight.

Madrigal said:

Very nice, Mystica7!! So thorough. How are you able to identify the artist's palette so well. It's sooo hard to see even in a photo on my phone which I can zoom in on. I'm impressed with your eyesight.

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Thanks! Actually identifying or spotting the/an artist's pallette has nothing to do with my eyesight (or a process of thought) since it's a figure drawn rather ambiguously to give the impression on a spontaneous glance. Just like a few random looking brush strokes can convey the impression of a tree, leaves or stones... I'm not sure if me painting (as well) has shaped my perception here in detecting an object.