The Ace of Swords

ACE OF SWORDS

Featured deck: DruidCraft Tarot

By Phillip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm, and Will Worthington

Original Writing by Kathryn Ravenwood

In this card we see an arm raising a sword out of the water. This is a depiction of the Arthurian legend of the Lady of the Lake delivering Excalibur to Arthur. I am not an Arthurian expert but I chose this example because it speaks to me of the essence of the card. 

The lake is the element of water.  Water is the primeval, unmanifested, and formless element from which creation began. It is the Nun of ancient Egypt, the waters of chaos, which came before the land and from which arose the god Amun when he created himself. It is the subconscious, the unseen and unknown potential of all that is possible.

In Tarot the suit of Swords represents the mind, thought, ideas. The Ace is that place where we receive a conscious thought from the unconscious realm; when an idea rises from the depths and has its first chance to become a reality. From the chaos and unseen depths of our unconscious we give birth to an idea, an inspiration, a thought. It rises up and grabs us. Many times if we don’t write it down or take action we can forget that brilliant moment; the sword sinks back into the lake. But if we grab on to the sword, as Arthur did with Excalibur, we can wield it to create or destroy. 

Swords have a hilt, two sides to the blade, and a point. The blade may be sharp or dull. When we learn to master the sword we learn to use it precisely and carefully. We can defend with it, kill or maim with it, use it to threaten or even to plunge it into the dirt and “draw a line in the sand” of marking a boundary. It is the same with our words and thoughts. There are two sides to a conversation. We try to make our point when we have a discussion.  We deliberate ideas to sort out confusion, coming to that, hopefully brilliant, conclusion. 

All the Aces of Tarot indicate a new beginning of some kind. The Ace of Swords is that great idea that leads to writing a book, making a movie, starting a new course of study, or what just precedes inserting foot into mouth!  We can take that Sword and heft it, measuring its weight and setting an intention for a good outcome or we can drop it and lose the opportunity. 

Intention is the arm that controls the Sword. 

The Ace of Swords is also pure cosmic truth. In the Tarot the figures of the Sword Court Cards all wield swords, showing the progressive mastery of and fealty to truth. The Justice figure also holds the Sword reminding us that Justice hears both sides of the story but sticks to the point of truth. 

The Ace of Swords is not in its sheath. It is out, exposed, vulnerable to attack. It can be seen as a show of strength, a challenge, or an act of defense. It is grasped in the hand, at the ready. How do you wield your Sword? Do you parry about with words? Do you miss the point; enjoy the double entrendre, like to make a show of your swordplay?  Do you use your intention and words to control others? Are you constantly jabbing your sword into people causing harm? Or are you a Sword Master, honing your mind into precise and well executed thoughts and articulate skill, speaking and defending the truth? 

The next time that Ace of Swords rises up from the lake of your subconscious, grasp onto it, hold it, wield it.  Use it wisely to start the sequence of thoughts, intentions, and actions to manifest your Camelot.

…Kathryn Ravenwood:  June 25, 2014