Tarot - Ace of Swords (First Posted Sept. 14, 2010)

Emerging from the infinite abundance of all that is unseen into the World of Air (which is the world of thought, order and systems) is the first, greatest, and most fertile symbol of this world – the Ace of Swords.

Held aloft, with its tip ringed round with a golden crown it proclaims to all who would dwell in this world and make it their home, “None may settle here except they agree to abide by the power of the mind - the power to imagine, the power to organize, the power to execute, the power to use a keen, straight edge to draw distinctions and to make crisp decisions by which to govern wisely".

This great symbol stands at the very pinnacle of the World of Air and, from here, the energy it represents – the energy of the mind – fountains down, down, down to the ground level of this world shining the light of the mind on various aspects of humankind as it goes.  And, while this sword is fine enough and honed enough to separate the gristle of delusion from the bone of fact, the cutting is done for the benefit of those who dwell within the World of Air and this surgically sharp implement is wielded by a fair and a judicious hand.  One might say it is securely grasped in the hand of the very god of this world.

In spite of the intention of the sword to only sever that which is unworthy, inefficient or murky its mighty cut may cause pain, especially to those who do not yet see the benefit of relinquishing unnecessary ballast.  For those who are emotionally attached to that which the mind needs to clarify and to rule over – in order for the whole person to soar higher – then there could well exist a tendency to avoid the world ruled over by a sword.  But this world is avoided at a cost and one must count that cost before running from the blade which cuts through.

PLEASE NOTE:  This interpretation is based purely on the feelings I experience when I  focus on, and merge with, the images in the card combined with how I understand the Minor Arcana of the Rider-Waite deck dovetails with the Tree of Life in the Qabalah (as taught by Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone, co-founders of The Tarot School in New York City, NY).