Universal Fantasy - 8 of Pentacles

One day, a few weeks after I started working with this deck, I looked at this card, which up to that point I'd thought was cute and conveyed the traditional meaning quite well but other than that was unremarkable, and suddenly it hit me! Yeah, so I'm slow. But those windows just hit me that particular day, and I suddenly was filled with awe for the vision and patience and skill of that little dwarf-guy.

I suppose it inspires in me a sense of the greatness of the ancient solar temples, like Stonehenge, and the threshold between science and religion that somewhere along the line humanity seems to have lost sight of. That little guy (but is he little? another question of scale and perspective) has gone to a huge amount of trouble, and obviously has an understanding of the bigger picture and his place in it, as there's no one else in sight and no plans in evidence. It's come out of his head. It's the point of difference between this and the 3 of Pents, which in so many decks seem (to me) almost interchangeable.

On a personal note, he reminds me a lot of Thor, too, with the beard and the hammer, but seems to be channeling Odin more with the whole cosmic wisdom thing. I love this card. It inspires me, it makes me feel joyous.

\m/ Kat

I know what you mean, I got a similar impression when I got it in a daily draw
http://quirkeries.blogspot.com/2007/11/daily-draw-universal-fantasy-tarot-8-of.html

The artist did an amazing job with this deck!

Ha! It's so funny you posted this! It took me a year to realise the shining things were stars seen through holes! Talk about slow... I thought they were gems, up until a couple of weeks ago when I pulled it in a reading for myself and just saw it. It also made perfect sense in the context. I love how this deck keeps surprising me like that, just waiting for the right moment to throw another significant detail my way.

So yes, the guy has made... what exactly? It's a spiral, tons of symbolism there, time, the galaxy, the golden ratio, eternity, vortex, portal, harmony, symmetry... So working in tune with the world around you, finding your time and place in the big scheme of things?

The ladder: stairway to heaven anyone? Patience is the first step on the ladder of wisdom?

More later

Also it looks like he is 'taking a step back' to 'see the big picture' of his work. I like the thoughts of both you, the sense of wonder about one's own achievement, the awe and inspiration. What makes me wonder is, if the night sky changes throughout the year, what particular time or astronomical event is the spiral tree marking? Or it shows meaningful patterns throughout the year, like an evolving sky mandala?

I think it's more that it is built for that one moment a year, right then, to work in the framework of that spiral, bending one's will to the context of the great cycles of the universe. Of course, I'm working with the cycles of the world we live in, when this one is quite obviously another world

Yes, taking a step back is right. But also, more than that, it shows an alignment of purposes, that he could have been working in so close, to achieve something whose implications cannot be seen until you're further away. Know what I mean? I can't think how to say it better . . . it reminds me of the Nazca lines. How did those ppl know what they were doing? What vision guided them?

Every time I think of those stars winking through the little guy's windows, I get a wave of joy and awe. I don't even need the card in front of me.

\m/ Kat

With the RWS Eight of Pentacles, I always got the feeling of meaningless work from the guy sitting there and making pentacles. The question was, why? What's the point of mass-producing pentacles? He's just making the same thing over and over again.

The UF Eight of Pentacles is different because it's about artistry and creating something different and worthwhile. This man is an artist, who has created an amazing unique work of art that others (including us) will marvel over for a long time afterwards. That's worth it. That's worth the time, energy and resources. What does it mean? That's for us to wonder about.

This card hits me with the same sense of awe that the others
of you have expressed.

You can tell how long he has toiled away on this project...
all the energy, effort and emotion that he has poured into
making it what it is.

I wonder if the stars are a particular constellation
(fantasy world or ours) that lines up into some sort of
figure or significant shape?

I love the expression on his face, when you look at him close up...
He seems to be in silent prayer or contemplation of his work.

Very sublime.