Druidcraft Study Group - Princess of Swords

Moonbow

Princess of Swords

This Princess is surrounded by wild flowers which look like Heather, English Primroses and Snow drops (or flakes), she also wears Forget-me-nots in a band around her head. She appears to be on the top of a hill or on a moor and the wind is billowing her cloak and wrap. She looks (and points) [interesting eh, TygrEyes?] to the future and also towards her sword. She is barefooted (as are all the Princesses) and interestingly her feet are in proportion with her body.

When I look at her expression, it seems to me that she is almost talking to her sword, like she is willing it to act or perhaps she is drawing energy from it. She has something on her mind and is meditating with her sword.

It would be interesting to do a study into the flowers on this card, as there are so many varieties and they are clearly depicted. I wonder what their 'old' meaning is.

note: I will edit this thread with the scan
 

Rhiannon

It seems to me that she is looking "into" her sword, perhaps at her reflection. It also looks like maybe she's staring beyond it to something she sees in the distance.
 

Fulgour

Princess of Swords

Sunrise, birds in flight
~ a journey



*

pdc
 

Keslynn

I adore the colors of her clothing and the way they're swirling in the wind. With this deck, you get a good sense of the element in all the court cards. It looks like she just got hit by a huge gust, which to me represents inspiration, a burst of clear thought. She is looking at her sword and planning exactly what she's going to do about it. A moment of clarity, catching a seed on the wind.

:) Kes
 

Sulis

The edges of her cloak are unfinished or even ragged.

The flowers are spring flowers - no trees in this card. Maybe the flowers signify new beginnings.

Her sword is wrapped in a piece of fabric or ribbon from her gown - it's pointing downwards, towards the earth. Doesn't look like she's planning to use it - she's holding it very delicately, it's not the firm grip of someone planning to use the sword in defence or as a weapon.

This card has a very fresh feeling to it.

Blue and purple are both spiritual, healing colours.

More later.

Love

Sulis xx
 

CreativeFire

I agree, Sulis, in that this card does have a very fresh feeling to it. When I first looked at the scan (as I am waiting for my deck to arrive and couldn't help popping in to check out the study threads already ;) ), that it sort of looks like she has been walking through the field and found the sword hidden in the flowers. Picking it up and unwrapping the cord around it, mesmerised by its beauty and wondering what it means, what can it be used for, thinking why is it here, was she 'meant' to find it.

Keslynn said:
It looks like she just got hit by a huge gust, which to me represents inspiration, a burst of clear thought.

I like that idea, Keslynn.

One of things that I really like about the images in this deck, like in this card is that you can almost 'feel' the wind - imagining yourself standing in the field with the wind blowing around you feeling the cold steel of the sword blade in your hand.

CreativeFire

(really looking forward to actually having the cards themselves to look at now!)
 

Keslynn

I started reading through the companion book the other day and saw the suggestion that you ask each court card to be your guide for a week. It seems like a really interesting idea to me so I think I'm going to do it. It would also enrich the experiences with each card. Is anyone else interested in doing that?

(Sorry if this is the wrong thread to bring it up.)

:) Kes
 

Sulis

Another thought on the colours used in this card.

Yellow is the colour of the intellect and is ruled by Mercury. This means that it represents communication and is often used in spells to do with study, concentration and communication. I think it's interesting that a lot of the yellow in this card almost appears to be an aura around this princesses head, emphasising that Swords represent the intellect and communication.

Love

Sulis xx
 

WolfSpirit

I agree with Moonbow* about the flowers being primroses and snowdrops.
I looked in my books of plants and herbs but did not find a special meaning for them. They are probably just the first flowers to bloom at the end of winter. Especially snowdrops - representing hope for a new spring after the dark winter. And snowdrops are around when it is still very cold, too cold for me to stand on rocks barefoot, LOL.
Of all the princesses she stands in the most challenging place, on more or less unaccessible rocks.
What strikes me most about the card is the sword - why is she wrapping a ribbon (or scarf ?) around it ? Because she is going to carry it safely ? To show us that it is not a sharp sword ? We can also see the sword is not sharp by the way she is holding it, if it was really sharp she would not hold it by the blade.
Oh - just read back what CreativeFire wrote, that she just found the sword and is unwrapping it. That's another way to look at it :)

The book gives as keywords for this card: Inquisitive - Objective - Aloof.
I am mentioning this because I think she looks in a detached way, she looks closely at the sword, she is interested but does not look worried or passionate about it.
 

Majecot

I thought I would wait to post this time ( and not be a hog..lol)

Here are my ramblings on the Princess of swords.

Of all the Princess', she is the most delicate looking one, as tho her life is spent in a more refined manner than her cousins. Noting the size of her hands and feet, and the more feminine stance. She is nicey groomed and wears a fine gown and cloak,yet her cloak is tattered. I feel this is more by design than due to wear since her dress in intact.
It appears that she has torn her cloak to wrap around the sword. Perhaps to symbolize a lack of physical action, as apposed to verbal?

The yellow around her does look like an aura surrounding her, which emphasizes the high energy of this card.
I think at first glance she appears to be admiring the sword, but when you look closer at her expression she does not seem to be quite interested. As if it is merely an object and nothing more.

I thought I read somewhere that the Princess of Swords was the renewer, perhaps that is the reason for the spring flowers.

{end of ramblings- I will think on this awhile}