thorhammer
What a powerful image! Here is a man standing tall against a wave of hopelessness and loss, maintaining his dignity because he has an image to uphold. Going on the richness of his dress and surroundings, and the symbolism of his being up high, I surmise that he's royal or noble of some description, and so he cannot afford to allow his emotions to rule him . . . but he's struggling right now.
And then you see why. The parade on the bridge below him - is it coming or going? I tended first to see it as going. Perhaps it takes with it the love of his life, or perhaps it's a funeral procession taking the body of a loved one away. He's grieving for someone, whether they've died or are passing out of his life some other way. I tend towards the romantic, and I think his lover rides in one of those carriages and he's up here on his lonely balcony, wondering how he'll ever go on without her in his life. It's a momentary feeling, though, because he's just got to turn to his right and find the two full cups, one for him and one for the lover, and all will be well. They can share them again. It makes me think of the 2 of Chalices, with that mirror which could be taken as a magical tool of communication, two lovers sharing a cup from far, far away, missing each other terribly, but fortunate enough to be able to speak and see one another.
But today I looked at that procession and wondered - what if it's on its way in? Maybe he's had free rein in his domain for a while in the absence of a draconian family member who's returning.
The image strongly resembles that of the 3 of Wands in the RWS, and with it, the theme of being trapped in a castle of your own making. I think this guy (if the procession is on its way toward his home) is downtrodden by someone, who makes him feel powerless and incapable of decisive action. But he's only trapped in his mind. He has to make the decision not to allow this person to dominate him any more. He has to use the two cups at his side to come to a more equal relationship with this person.
\m/ Kat
And then you see why. The parade on the bridge below him - is it coming or going? I tended first to see it as going. Perhaps it takes with it the love of his life, or perhaps it's a funeral procession taking the body of a loved one away. He's grieving for someone, whether they've died or are passing out of his life some other way. I tend towards the romantic, and I think his lover rides in one of those carriages and he's up here on his lonely balcony, wondering how he'll ever go on without her in his life. It's a momentary feeling, though, because he's just got to turn to his right and find the two full cups, one for him and one for the lover, and all will be well. They can share them again. It makes me think of the 2 of Chalices, with that mirror which could be taken as a magical tool of communication, two lovers sharing a cup from far, far away, missing each other terribly, but fortunate enough to be able to speak and see one another.
But today I looked at that procession and wondered - what if it's on its way in? Maybe he's had free rein in his domain for a while in the absence of a draconian family member who's returning.
The image strongly resembles that of the 3 of Wands in the RWS, and with it, the theme of being trapped in a castle of your own making. I think this guy (if the procession is on its way toward his home) is downtrodden by someone, who makes him feel powerless and incapable of decisive action. But he's only trapped in his mind. He has to make the decision not to allow this person to dominate him any more. He has to use the two cups at his side to come to a more equal relationship with this person.
\m/ Kat