Bruegel Tarot - Ace of Wands

I'm baaaaack ..... sorry for the delay. Been straight out lately and had a couple of minutes this morning. Going to start in order with the Wands suit .....

A man appears to be working the field. The first thing that struck me is that I assumed the Aces would be a more "simple" card ..... after all, we not only will have just one wand featured, but also just one person. I could not have been more wrong.

The man IS the central picture on this card. Since I am agriculturally challenged, perhaps someone could tell me what he is holding (I know it is the "wand" in the picture, but it seems to me to be some sort of "tilling" apparatus .... forgive my ignorance).

He has a smile on his face and he appears to be standing in a semi-circle of dirt. There are two mushrooms on either side of him - the first thing I thought of when I saw the dirt was that perhaps he is standing in the remains of a larger mushroom (the dirt pattern to me looks like the pattern you see when in a mushroom head. I reverted back to an old saying I remembered from my factory days - "We are all mushrooms here - we are kept in the dark and fed s*** all day". Perhaps that is why he is happy - he doesn't know anything else .... much like the Fool. Also, he has a key on his belt which to me signifies he has a way out of his present situation if he wants it.

Behind him appears to be a big bag of gold (it could be bread, however). To me, this indicates that he is rich beyond his wildest dreams, but again does not realize it. Hurtling toward him from the sky is a sack which appears to have a rip in it AND also appears to be attached to a string (that is unclear, however). Maybe this man is soon to have his "eureka" moment?

The scenery in the background seems quaint. Whereas the field he is standing in seems almost barren, the land in the back seems plush, with a quaint little house (barn?) and trees flourishing. There is also a stretching tree branch right over his head.

My initial gut reaction is to say this card means that you are on the brink of realizing that better things are about to flourish in your life, even though you think you are happy now.

Now for the proverb - Birth, victory - Mushrooms can appear at any moment (New things happen all the time).

Dan

A few ideas so far...

The man is holding a flail - used to thresh (separate) wheat, corn and other cereals from the stalks/hay.

After doing this the grains would be winnowed to 'separate the wheat from the chaff' - maybe this is the proverb that the artist was implying in a misguided way?

I also think the sack in the background is full of mushrooms - tho it is interesting to note that mushrooms are linked with enlightenment and religion

The Mushroom itself has very interesting features that resemble, and have been related to Gold, Flesh, Blood (and blood vessels), Phallus, Vulva, Fire, Saucer, Cup, as well as a disc or orb. The mushroom has been, anthropomorphically, personified as a Man, a God, something of extraterrestrial origins, and a Plant God, SOMA, who was mediator between Man and the God/Gods, in the ancient Hundu religious books known as "The Vedas". http://www.bluehoney.org/Mankind3.htm

Click to expand...

Lots more info here - http://www.bluehoney.org/Mankind1.htm

I think this card is indicating the new beginnings traditionally associated with it. The fact that out of the old/darkness can grow these mushrooms - signifying wealth and richness of a spiritual kind rather than monetary - The man has great enthusiasm and energy for the work in front of him and at the same time is finding unexpected mushrooms - enlightenment - so he has the power and ability to do what he wants, put his energy to work etc.

I don't know about the thing at the top that looks like a hanging purse to me. I am still working on it all...

I think that is a pomegranate hanging in the sky.....looks very much like the seeds of the fruit being shown.
Pomegranates are symbols of fertility, which would tie in with LBW's mention of Birth.
I think the arc arrangement on the ground represents the 'gills' of the mushroom, and those little red dots the 'spores' which are the reproductive thingies.
Again very much to do with birth and new beginnings.
G.

Ace of Wands

I'm a bit late answering this thread... I wonder, does anyone still want to carry on with the Bruegel Tarot Study? Dan has left the Forum, but maybe some other people would like to take part? I'd still like to proceed, but if there's no one else, it would be rather useless. Anyway, if you want to carry on, please reply.

Now, the card...

A farmer is the central figure in the scene pictured here. Smiling slightly, he shows someone at peace with himself and with his environment. He’s hard at work, wearing a sunhat and using a flail (thanks Tarotmyst – I had no idea!), which you can also see pictured in the attachment below. A flail was used, as Tarotmyst already stated, to separate the grain from the harvested sheaves. As in Dutch, the proverb “separating the wheat from the chaff” means, “separating the good from the bad”. There’s also the proverb: “there’s no wheat without chaff”, which means, “nothing is without flaws”. I think the latter is most suitable, as, in it’s best sense, it seems to point to a reconciliation of the Self, accepting one’s own imperfections, and thus making room for a fresh start and renewed courage. It could also be interpreted as accepting the bad sides to a situation, which would indicate the optimism found in the Wands.

The man carries a large key attached to his belt, showing that this man holds much potential, and not only has the ways to open unknown parts of himself, but also holds to key to new experiences.

A mushroom grows on either side of the farmer – apparently, as the LWB says, a reminder of the proverb “Mushrooms can appear at any moment (New things happen all the time)”. Tarotmyst already brought up the facets of the symbolism of the mushroom (thanks for giving us that link, by the way, it was very interesting!).

The bag behind the man at first sight seemed to contain golden coins, but after a closer look, I’m quite positive they are mushrooms. To me, this could show the great value that one can find in simple things, and further express the enlightenment and fertility in this card.

At the top of the card, hanging from a little cord, is a pomegranate (thanks, Gloria, I wouldn’t have known that!), emphasising the surprise that comes with the birth and beginning of new events and undertakings. It shows the fertility and abundance the Ace of Wands heralds.

Thanks for reading this,
Spoonbender

Great stuff Matt.......