HP Tarot - 10S Destruction

((2008) 5 1/2" x 10 1/2" Pencil on Paper. Processed and framed in Photoshop.

Finally, the last set of four. After this you'll see other stuff from me again.

Newsflash: JKR's publishers have responded very positively to my request - WB's mail is still on it's way (they prefer requests to go by snail-mail rather than email)...

In the 10s all elements are subjected to full materialization. The 10s are dominated by the planet Earth. They are the most solid and crystallized manifestation of each suite.

For the Swords this is not an easy influence to deal with. It signifies that we see things as they really are – no wishful thinking, no illusions, no hope. We have reached the end of the line, be it in a job, in a relationship or a personal matter, and now we have to make the conscious decision to face the consequences.

In this way the card is related to XIII Death and XVI The Tower. However, in the two major arcana the need to let go is more of a development forced by outward developments, be it organic or catastrophic. In contrast to that the 10 of Swords forces us to bring about the end ourselves.

In a spread this may mean that we finally realize we are in a dead-end job or in a relationship that’s going nowhere, and we take the initiative and hand in our notice or separate from our partner. We literally pick up the sword and cut ourselves off.

The card shows a dementor with ten talon-like claws bending over his next victim. The image can be interpreted as a warning. If we do not accept the harsh message of this card and continue fooling ourselves that things will somehow improve if we just wait a little longer we end up like those poor witches and wizards whose encounter with a dementor has left them as soulless and unconscious husks of their former selves.