The Wild Unknown Tarot - IV Swords

slfrank67

good to learn that the book clarifies what kind of animal this is... at first i thought it was little goat, and thought it must be an infantile Devil, due to them both having a circular mark on their foreheads/third eyes. i do agree with celticnoodle's interpretation. this image speaks to me of naivety, idealism, persecution. if that baby stands up where he is now he will be pierced.
 

crystalwings

when I look at the lamb I see weakness, shyness, innocents with the need to survive by standing on his own feet… The horizontal lines are resting or sleeping and suggest calm and quiet… the blurred horizontal thin lines this little lamb rests on shows his fragile confused state of mind. It is not until he has worked through all his different problems at the hilt of the swords when the lines become clearer and more defined and orderly suggesting strength of mind and clarity returning… The warming colours of orange and yellow exposed in the head of the lamb shows creativity, determination, stimulation, and strength returning…
 

theboomz

The thing with celtic's interpretation is that the reading of the Three of Swords can vary depending on context. Swords are knowledge and ideas, the card depicts the inculcation of knowledge into one's heart. When points or lessons sink deep in to your heart. It's the context that determines what feelings may accompany this. Something touching your figurative heart deeply, penetrating your soul is moving, but not necessarily awful and painful. Hence the innocent lamb contemplating a new understanding for the first time.
 

Pixna

I love how Kim Krans has given each of the swords in this card a different size and different hilt. Brilliant!

The lamb looks so fluffy and soft, so fresh (new, young, and delicate), so peaceful, and so innocent. But there is trouble hanging over her. Perhaps she doesn't see the swords or is oblivious to them, or maybe she has chosen to ignore them.

The radiating third eye looks like the sun of wisdom. Her eyes are open, and she appears to be looking at whatever is in front of her (the reader, perhaps?), and yet I get the sense her mind is elsewhere -- that she is meditating with her eyes open. Maybe she is gathering her ideas for how to proceed, or gathering up strength for the struggles of life, or concentrating her mental powers to ward off (or protect her from) the threatening swords.

This card certainly appears to be stressing a period of rest and contemplation, with an emphasis on separating from struggle to gain perspective and objectivity. It's quite a beautiful and inspired IV Swords!
 

Kissa

I don't see the swords as being a threat to the lamb. Like Pixna, I also noticed and smiled at how beautiful and unique the swords are :)

I see 4 as stability, temporary rest after being shaken by the novelty, movement and creation happening in the previous cards. Temporary rest before moving on to new changes.

Today I go back to school (as a student). I was panicking about it (mostly the social situation scares me, meeting new people, talking in public, the fear they judge me because I am a foreigner). I drew this card and understood the following message: "today is not about you, it is about your brains, what you have in your head. How strong or weak you look is not relevant, the real treasure is your thoughts. So stop panicking, stay focused, gather your energy, rest while you still can."

Of course there is the strong biblical taste to the lamb (Agnus Dei). Once again I had to smile at my beloved Wild Unknown Tarot's trick. I always check the card at the bottom of the deck before putting it back into the box. So at the top, I had the lamb, at the bottom the lion of XI Strength.
From wikipedia (Agnus Dei article): "The Book of Revelation includes over twenty-nine references to a lion-like lamb ("slain but standing") which delivers victory in a manner reminiscent of the resurrected Christ. (..) The theme of a sacrificial lamb which rises in victory as the Resurrected Christ was employed in early Christology, e.g. in 375 Saint Augustine wrote: "Why a lamb in his passion? Because he underwent death without being guilty of any iniquity. Why a lion in his passion? Because in being slain, he slew death. Why a lamb in his resurrection? Because his innocence is everlasting. Why a lion in his resurrection? Because everlasting also is his might." "
Btw, I am not a christian, I am curious about animal symbolism in any culture/religion.
In my cards, what was the sun/gold on the lamb's forehead is now a lemniscate on the lion's forehead. Just bloody love it. This deck is pure joy.
 

Pixna

I see 4 as stability, temporary rest after being shaken by the novelty, movement and creation happening in the previous cards. Temporary rest before moving on to new changes.

Today I go back to school (as a student). I was panicking about it (mostly the social situation scares me, meeting new people, talking in public, the fear they judge me because I am a foreigner). I drew this card and understood the following message: "today is not about you, it is about your brains, what you have in your head. How strong or weak you look is not relevant, the real treasure is your thoughts. So stop panicking, stay focused, gather your energy, rest while you still can."

Love this interpretation, Kissa! I agree that this deck is always a surprise and a pure joy. Best wishes to you at school!
 

Maveriker

I also see this card as being about perceptions. The threat of the swords is a mental one, one of perception The lamb can either be tortured by her thoughts, her past, her mental ruminations, or she can rest calmly (the horizontal lines that continue beyond the swords, and arguably beyond the card) and see through the thoughts that hang directly above her. It's in seeing through her mind-stuff that she can have clarity and wisdom.

There's also the possibility that the swords represent stuff going on "behind her back" gossip, that people may perceive her as being a weak follower, but she has the inner calm and clear-seeing to be smart enough to not get involved in back-stabbing.

There's also, like someone mentioned earlier, a feeling that the swords are hanging on a wall, like a collection, as though they are either only decorative or are tools and not weapons. For me, it could represent truce. The lamb is alert—likely not ready to go on the offensive, but certainly ready for defence if necessary. She's watching for what the next move is. So there's an idea of laying arms aside in neither defence nor offence. Peace and clarity only occurs in the pause between attack and defence… not only in action, but in thought and communication. How often do we write or speak out of reaction, out of either attack or defence, without seeing clearly? Is that radiant sun in her forehead active when she is on the attack or on the defence? It only shines brightly in the pause… and from that clarity she can move forward, clearly, calmly, determinedly, toward the viewer.
 

Pixna

Beautiful insights, Maveriker, and unique perspectives, especially about the period of calm between offense and defense that allows for clarity. I hadn't thought about the gossip and back-stabbing possibility, but with the swords hanging directly over the lamb's back, that seems like a very viable interpretation. Thanks for your wise input!
 

Sulis

I pulled this card yesterday when I wanted to do a bit of meditating with a card (appropriate ;)).

Anyway, the thing that popped into my head was the phrase 'like a lamb to the slaughter'... I got a very foreboding feeling from this image, as if the lamb is pure innocence, maybe a little too innocent and is completely unaware of danger that awaits him or that is literally hanging over his head... The calm before the storm, as if something unpleasant is about to happen.
It also made me think of sacrifice, of letting something go...

All of this is very different to my usual perception of this card, which is one of peace, of preparation for what comes next, of resting after something hurtful and of letting new ideas develop from a place of mental restfulness (the glowing disk between his eyes being the new ideas)..
 

Pixna

I pulled this card yesterday when I wanted to do a bit of meditating with a card (appropriate ;)).

Anyway, the thing that popped into my head was the phrase 'like a lamb to the slaughter'... I got a very foreboding feeling from this image, as if the lamb is pure innocence, maybe a little too innocent and is completely unaware of danger that awaits him or that is literally hanging over his head... The calm before the storm, as if something unpleasant is about to happen.
It also made me think of sacrifice, of letting something go...

All of this is very different to my usual perception of this card, which is one of peace, of preparation for what comes next, of resting after something hurtful and of letting new ideas develop from a place of mental restfulness (the glowing disk between his eyes being the new ideas)..

Heavy insights, Sulis. But, yes, indeed -- those swords are foreboding, and the "lamb to slaughter" is a fascinating way to view this, especially because to me the lamb looks quite young and incredibly innocent and unaware. Rather than resting after something hurtful, I could see this as resting before something hurtful (especially since the V follows it).