Harmonious Twos

Grip Dellabonte

The twos, just as a reminder, are under the influence of the High Priestess as she is in the 2nd position of the Major Arcana.
The twos represent a duality of some sort; opposing ideas, two entities emerging from one, two choices, two differing situations.
The aces signified the beginning or spark of something new. The twos are the first steps taken, first decisions to be made once the spark ignited. Because of the influence of the High Priestess, the choices to be made will more than likely be intuitive ones.

Two of Wands:
In this card we see another young angel. Her gown is pink. Her wings are gradient colors from a darker pink (red?) to light pink to white. Still in keeping with the warm colors of the wands....
She is long and lithe and very placid looking.
This is an action card. She is walking...though not watching where she's walking! There are geese flying the opposite way from her walking, but they are going in the direction of her gaze.
Did something distract her from her task? What is her task? Are the geese headed to where she's looking or someplace totally unrelated?
There are two wands that look as though they mark a path in some way. The way her feet are placed, she is very close to missing the markers.
Because the geese are flying in an opposite direction, and she is walking opposite to where she's looking, it's pretty clear this artist's interpretation of the Two of Wands is that of opposing forces at work.
The angel has started on her path that was initiated in the first phase, but she has already diverted from it.
So in a reading, to me this card would say that the querent started off with good energy and was ready to get that creative idea or the like, launched. But either they have distracted themselves, or they have met with some sort of opposition that has slowed the momentum.
By coming close to missing the markers that tells me that the querent will be or has been given signs that they are off-track but they so far have gone unheeded.
It's not a derailment, just a diversion.

Two of Cups:
This "two" is not about division but about union. This is love epressing itself by combining two like minds, to compatible issues, chocolate and peanut butter....but much of the time it seems to be about relationships.
Depending upon where this came up, it could be telling the querent that someone new, who shared the same hopes and dreams, could be coming into their life.
The card depicts a young girl walking with a young male angel with their arms wrapped around each other's waists. It is not clear whether she has wings as well. But maybe the message is that the loved one is perceived as an "angel" or a "godsend".
There are three figures in this card, as it often happens. There is the couple, and there is a winged lion hovering over them. I am not up on my biblical symbology, so I don't know the significance of a winged lion versus a cherub, or Cupid, or any other winged hovering thingy. But often the third figure in the card is another suitor which places the suitee (is that a word?) in the enviable position of having to choose between the two. Here, the choice is made, and it appears to be mutually agreed upon, and watched over by the lion.
Two chalices hover over the courters' heads as well, but underneath the lion.
They are looking into each other's eyes and each has a flower probably intended for the other.
Quite a happy card.

Two of Swords:
In contrast, here we have opposition again - only this time it is clearly two people - who look like twins - with two different points of view. They have "crossed swords" - are at cross purposes.
They are hampered by entanglements.
Looking closely at this picture, this card can be interpreted in more than one way.
At first I would have said that the two were at odds with each other, but actually they are standing close together and their arms are linked.
One of the "twins" is actually trapping them both with the vine.
Neither of them seem particularly moved by their predicament. They seem rather jaded by the whole thing.
If this card were to come up for someone, I would definitely have to focus hard on the other cards. Does this relate to the querent having a war within their own mind concerning some issue? Are they jaded about something that requires a decision? Is there somebody who appears to be close to them in thought and action but is actually working against them? Are they building a trap around themselves that will eventually be difficult to remove themselves from? Lots of questions this card brings up.


Two of Pentacles:
This card gives me the feeling of "balance". Everything is in equal and almost exact proportion.
The pentacles above the lady's head are not at an angle like they often are, but aligned. She is holding both sides of her dress in close to perfect alignment....the folds in her gown even drape in much the same way. The flowers, stems, and leaves on each side of her dance about her as if choreographed.
It's like she has practiced this little dance and has learned how to do everything exactly the same way on both sides.
If this card were to come up I would say the issue would be about balance: that could involve balancing a workload with home, not taking on more than one could handle, even maybe something as simple as balancing accounts.

The twos in order sort of break down like this:

Two of Wands = diversion/distraction...torn between two goals
Two of Cups = union/sharing....a meeting of ideals or a new relationship
Two of Swords = opposing opinions/warring ideas...conflict
Two of Pentacles = balance/leveling the scales....equilibrium

But the twos are all in a very transitory position. The angel will have to wake up and get back on the path or go another direction. The courters will either stay a couple or eventually they will go their separate ways. A decision will soon have to be made regarding the swords. And balance can only be upheld for so long before the scale inevitably tips one way or the other.
 

Grip Dellabonte

Here are the images of the twos.
 

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Keavy McGee

Harmonious - Deuces

Grip,

Oh, yay, you posted the images. Thank You!

Well, Koko, my cat, had me up at 3 a.m. for food this morning so don't blame me if I ramble on a bit, it's Koko's fault! Plus I'm not sure how well I could see the cards at that time, but enough of the excuses, here goes...

Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Harmonious Tarot – Deuces
Aeclectic Tarot Forum w/Grip Dellabonte

Swords :
Twins! Swedish Twins!! Okay, sorry, that's an inside hockey joke but it's early and I'm mildly delirious...Two females with short, curly blonde bobs. Flower-girls!! They are either part flower or are wearing a flower costume, because five delicate pink petals frame their faces. This makes their little curly heads remind me of the golden yellow pollen in the middle of the flower. Their fashion sense is completely different from the four Aces. Their frocks are two-piece: a sleeveless tunic of some heavy or puckered material, over a short full skirt that barely covers their hips. Their legs from mid-thigh down are completely exposed, plus they have little pointed-toe red shoes on their feet! One wears a pink satin sash around her waist. Their two side by side arms are entwined. They are standing together on a curved grassy knob, with nothing in the distance. A very large vine bursts healthily from the ground at the feet of the left twin. It encircles the two girls, its big broad leaves making me think of Jack’s beanstalk, although it has two large white blossoms, one on each side of the girls. The left twin holds part of the vine in her right hand, making the circle. Overhead, two crossed swords. Also, one twin stands very upright, while the other seems a bit flirty, her head to one side, her left hand in her hair, and her body more relaxed and slinky. Wow, I have no idea where the flower people came from, or why. Since Swords are mental and air, I’m going to say that these are two ideas and in this case, one might be a bit more appealing than the other; even though on the face of it they look almost exactly the same, there are a few key and pertinent differences. The LWB says ‘doubts, lack of clarity, obscurity, suffering, nightmares.’ Hmm, don’t see that at all; just a pleasant little scene with no evidence of discord. As for the Swords themselves, they are crossed overhead, almost as if they were hanging on a wall on display. There is no current battle or conflict, as they are neither being carried nor brandished, and again, the girls’ arms are intertwined, indicating a comfortable accord. Again, two ideas, with legs, ha!, meaning that each idea or option probably has some potential for success and neither choice would be an abysmal failure.

Chalices :
Ah, wings, now I feel better! This card actually has a bit more conflict in it for me, but I’ll start with the description. Two figures cavort in a not that hospitable meadow, their arms around each other, gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes. He is an angel, with grand multi-colored wings and a short draped tunic, his legs bare, and wearing leather boots. His hair is short and curly and he wears a flower garland in it. He looks to his left. On his right is a prickly thorn bush, almost snagging his wing. He holds a rose in his right hand and one wing extends around the back of his beloved. She is wearing a long flowing sleeveless tunic and her feet are bare, in a similar style to the Aces. She also carries a rose but in her free, left hand as she gazes on him to her right. In the far distance on her right side is a solitary, leafless, windswept tree. Because their arms are bare, the weather is probably temperate but the tree looks like winter, so it’s probably another dead or dying tree. Overhead, two chalices, one over each head, and presided over by the winged head of a lion. The cups stand apart and are not held by either figure; neither do they touch. Also, the couple are in motion, as her gown is swirling around her and his weight is all on one leg as he lifts the other for the next step. This is a wedding, or a union of like hearts. They are two separate individuals, but yet they are one in feeling and emotion. Their faces carry the same expression and they each carry a rose. His right wing almost seems to make a veil for her long hair. They are very alike in their love. This seems a very balanced and harmonious card on the face of it, but I don’t like the two additional plants. One has been harshly treated and the other is downright cranky. So this Deuce seems to send a double message – in the foreground, great love and happiness and twin souls entwined, yet some icky little bits in the landscape, which are at least behind them, so that is good. The winged lion head seems to be presiding over all, so represents the Divine. Also, their meadow is quite large as compared to the other three Deuces, taking up half the card.

Wands :
A barefoot pink-winged angel carries two very long stalks of trumpet or bellflower – it would be fascinating to know which flowers were chosen for these cards, and why. I’m sure they are each significant, but for now, I know which are roses and which are lilies and that’s about it! This angel has short hair and her pink gown is different from the other styles we have seen; even though it is long, it has much less volume in the skirt and has long full sleeves. She may be wearing a locket at her neck. She is walking towards the right of the picture but glancing back over her right shoulder, to the left. A healthy flowering pair of plants are at her feet and it appears she has taken her two flower stalks from them. Overhead, upper right, are 5 white swans flying from right to left on the card. In the foreground are two wooden staves set in the ground on either side of her. This card strikes me as doubting and indecisive. The angel is walking forward but looking back, going forward into the future but her head is in the past. And that seems to be a bit of a burden, for the flower stalks, while pretty, look heavy and awkward to handle. She looks strangely grounded and the winged ones above her are flying in the opposite direction that she is heading. There seems to be some inner conflict – do I move ahead or go back and clear up what I left behind? It doesn’t seem cataclysmic, but is creating discomfort. This is certainly nothing like the RWS where the rich merchant looks out to sea and watches his ships come in!

Pentacles :
A dancing daisy lady in green. Her figure is thicker and less youthful than the previous cards, her hips and thighs very full. She is garbed from head to toe in a long green gown with a flower design down the middle and a multi-petaled underskirt. She may be wearing a necklace at her throat or her gown is ornamented there. She wears little green suede shoes with daisies on the toes. She is on the same curved mound of almost-green grass as two of the other Deuces, only her bit has two little blooming daisy plants in the foreground. Her head is surrounded by the petals of the daisy and multiple blooming strands of daisy flow from her neck and shoulder and back. She is abloom! Her two hands lift the edges of her full skirt, which is filled with large white daisies. She appears to be dancing. Overhead are two disks encased in the infinity symbol. She seems to be going with the flow of the season and the dance. She has two options but is unconcerned about either. Like the dance, she is first on this foot, then on this one. It is a balance, moving between the two options and enjoying the dance. Now she leans to the right, but in a moment she will lean to the left. This is a card of movement for me and one in which balance is achieved while moving / taking action.

Lastly, two of the Deuce cards have one figure, and two of the cards have two figures. Two of the cards have flower people, and two of the cards depict angels.

Off to work now and will check back in the evening, when I expect you'll have more homework for me <grin>. Maybe others will join us today?

Cheers,

Cairbre
 

Grip Dellabonte

Cats, eh??
The images came out pretty grainy. Oh, well. One gets the idea.
These four were a bit more challenging than I thought they would be!
What do you think?
 

madhavendra

Well, the topic seems to be dead since months now, but I just got my harmonious deck, so I am going to revive this and other threads about Harmonious cards :)

I would like to add two short observations:

2 of Chalices- obviously this is a happy card of love, but there are some disturbing elements: old dead tree and thorny plant. Old tree is far from the couple, thorny plant just few steps from them. These are two warnings- dead tree in far distance tell us that however promissing our new relationship could look now eventually it may die if we dont work on it. Love and enthusiasm in two is just a beginning and it requires lots of work.
The thorny bush is much closer then the tree; there are going to be problems and clashes very soon- every relationship needs work, and has to face conflicts even between the soulmates. So enjoy your new love or friendship, but dont take it easy- you will have to give lots of work and heart to it, to make it endure and fluorish (as you can see the loving couple is sourronded almost by a desert- they will have to create their own, friendly garden if they want their love to survive.)

2 of Pentacles- Yes- this is the card of balance, but again- it is only the beginning, our ability to balance, to harmonize things is there, but it is only temporary and needs counciouss efford to become strong. This card very strongly emphasizes temporarly nature of the balance it speaks of; why? Look what she's collecting in her dress? Flowers. They look beatiful, big and heavy, but soon they will die if she doesnt do something- if she doesnt plant them on some fertile land and water them. This card says- yes you have good potential, and you got some potential good karma- but dont get too comfortable- you need to work hard.

It was my first time to post on study group, I hope I did it properly, and I gave someone some more insight.
 

Keavy McGee

Yay, a new person in our little Study Group!! Thank you and welcome, Martin, it's so nice to have a new face around the place!!

I enjoyed your insights and the additional perspective you brought to these cards. Harmonious is a fun deck, isn't it!!

Please feel free to jump right in. You've inspired me to get out my cards and get busy working on this again!!

Cheers,

Keavy:heart: