WolfSpirit
Since noone came up with a favourite card, and the Shaman has been calling me for the last few days, I decided to start with the Shaman.
I think it is a good card to begin the Study Group, he is calling us all to join him and learn together
Picture of the card online:
http://greenwood-tarot.com/tarot2/display-gt-cards.html
I really love his face, he looks so profound and calm. He does not have the appearance of a typical old wise man (imo) but you just have to look at his expression to know that he really is. He expresses both energy and calm, he is in balance.
I thought the Shaman would correspond with the Hierophant, but he actually corresponds with the Magician in the classical tarot deck. In this card he also has tools of the Magician, corresponding with the four elements:
Air: a rattle (the piece of skull he holds in his hand)
Earth: a stone knife
Fire: a smoking bundle
Water: a cup made of antler – I am not sure but I think he holds this in the same hand as the rattle (don’t know where else it could be).
Interesting that in this case a knife is connected with the earth suit.
The Shaman like the Magician has all the tools and qualities he needs for his craft and his magic (the Shaman was capable of both) but other than the Magician, the Shaman has the added meaning of working more for the benefit of others or the general good – whereas I often think of the Magician as working for himself.
The creators connect the Shaman with the tens and with the ten of wands, which in the Greenwood stands for Responsibility.
The Shaman has a lot of power and must use it in a responsible way.
The Shaman is dressed in a bearskin on which we see the images of two figures, the book tells us they are animal spirits as they are found in the cave of Arièges, I think they stand for the connection with the ancestors. The Shaman has his basis in the wisdom of his ancestors on which he can build further. The figure on the right is also known as the “dancing sorcerer”:
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsshaman.htm
photo of the painting in the cave in Trois Frères:
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9073471/Trois-Freres
The Shaman knows and understands the natural world around him – and he uses his wisdom both for practical purposes (determining times for sowing and harvesting and hunting, use of medicinal plants etc.) as for for magic and spiritual journeys, all from his connection with the “wild side”.
I think it is a good card to begin the Study Group, he is calling us all to join him and learn together
Picture of the card online:
http://greenwood-tarot.com/tarot2/display-gt-cards.html
I really love his face, he looks so profound and calm. He does not have the appearance of a typical old wise man (imo) but you just have to look at his expression to know that he really is. He expresses both energy and calm, he is in balance.
I thought the Shaman would correspond with the Hierophant, but he actually corresponds with the Magician in the classical tarot deck. In this card he also has tools of the Magician, corresponding with the four elements:
Air: a rattle (the piece of skull he holds in his hand)
Earth: a stone knife
Fire: a smoking bundle
Water: a cup made of antler – I am not sure but I think he holds this in the same hand as the rattle (don’t know where else it could be).
Interesting that in this case a knife is connected with the earth suit.
The Shaman like the Magician has all the tools and qualities he needs for his craft and his magic (the Shaman was capable of both) but other than the Magician, the Shaman has the added meaning of working more for the benefit of others or the general good – whereas I often think of the Magician as working for himself.
The creators connect the Shaman with the tens and with the ten of wands, which in the Greenwood stands for Responsibility.
The Shaman has a lot of power and must use it in a responsible way.
The Shaman is dressed in a bearskin on which we see the images of two figures, the book tells us they are animal spirits as they are found in the cave of Arièges, I think they stand for the connection with the ancestors. The Shaman has his basis in the wisdom of his ancestors on which he can build further. The figure on the right is also known as the “dancing sorcerer”:
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsshaman.htm
photo of the painting in the cave in Trois Frères:
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9073471/Trois-Freres
The Shaman knows and understands the natural world around him – and he uses his wisdom both for practical purposes (determining times for sowing and harvesting and hunting, use of medicinal plants etc.) as for for magic and spiritual journeys, all from his connection with the “wild side”.