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I had a rather curious dream late this morning ("late" relative to waking, so, say, 8:30 AM) which was about the Tarot card King of Swords. I was dreaming that the scene depicted on the card was very different from what it usually is. The only Tarot deck I use regularly is the Robin Wood, so picture this:
The figure was still the same person, but lying on the ground or possibly on a rock by the sea, in this kind of position:
His left arm is up as if to shield his face, not shading his eyes to look out. On his face is an expression of fear. In the dream I looked up the meaning of this card in the book and the king was described as having thrown his arm up "as if to stem the rising tide" (this was the specific phrase, I think), even though my recollection is that he was actually looking away from the water shown in the scene, and I think the word "overwhelmed" may have been in the text as well.
Now that I actually look at the card I see a kind of Aragorn thing going on, especially with that wacky winged helmet (Swords are Air-corresponded in this deck), but what I thought immediately on waking was that the King of Swords is a "dark king". I don't generally refer to the booklets that come with Tarot decks except at first or if I am really puzzled by a card, but in the booklet for this deck it says the King of Swords is "a perceptive, strong-willed, intelligent man" or, reversed, "cruel and hardhearted. Untrustworthy, crafty, pig-headed."
The figure was still the same person, but lying on the ground or possibly on a rock by the sea, in this kind of position:
His left arm is up as if to shield his face, not shading his eyes to look out. On his face is an expression of fear. In the dream I looked up the meaning of this card in the book and the king was described as having thrown his arm up "as if to stem the rising tide" (this was the specific phrase, I think), even though my recollection is that he was actually looking away from the water shown in the scene, and I think the word "overwhelmed" may have been in the text as well.
Now that I actually look at the card I see a kind of Aragorn thing going on, especially with that wacky winged helmet (Swords are Air-corresponded in this deck), but what I thought immediately on waking was that the King of Swords is a "dark king". I don't generally refer to the booklets that come with Tarot decks except at first or if I am really puzzled by a card, but in the booklet for this deck it says the King of Swords is "a perceptive, strong-willed, intelligent man" or, reversed, "cruel and hardhearted. Untrustworthy, crafty, pig-headed."