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10 of Fire, Oppression

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(2016), pencil on paper, 5.5"x10.5" backed with digital frame.

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.

In the realm of Fire and the will it means that all of our wishes, desires, impulses and drives crash-land right into reality. Sometimes that can feel like a bucket of cold water hitting you straight in the face. At age 2 you would have thrown a temper-tantrum at this point.

As a grown-up you are asked to curb your frustration, take a reality check and work out a compromise between what you want and what is realistically possible. Quite often this means that we have to follow rules and repress our wishes. The challenge of this card is to keep a balance between total suppression of all of our impulses and desires or the impulses and desires of others and giving in to every whim and instinct even if it’s counterproductive or harmful to ourselves and others.

In the Rider Waite deck we see a man bent forwards as he desperately tries to control a bundle of 10 thick wooden wands that are taller than him and are trying to get away from him. It’s a precarious moment of trying to keep things in balance, but gravity will most likely win out and he’ll drop some or part of his burden. With this image the card addresses more of the illusion of control, that if we keep everything rigidly suppressed, we will somehow be able to make the situation work the way we want, but that’s quite often a mistake. The more we keep the lid on something, the more it’s likely to explode in our faces. The Thoth deck sends a similar message: an array of 8 slender blue wands are forming a delicate lattice grid with two heavier, black metallic spears laid across them, but the whole thing is catching on fire and it’s not clear how long this orderly arrangement will survive.

For my card I wanted to find an image that showed the fierce power of will contained in the illusion that it can be pinned down and governed. A leopard is crouched on a branch in his cage with 10 steel bars containing his prison at the back. Predatory cats are often associated with the element of fire and a wild and fierce untamed spirit.

In a spread the card indicates that we see the need to suppress or restrict someone or something within ourselves. It could also mean that we took on more than we should have, telling ourselves that with a little self-discipline we can do it all, that our environment and those around us are fully controllable if only we exert enough force. Sadly this is an illusion and the more we press down and try to contain it all the more likely it is that we will lose control altogether as the pressure mounts.

For a relationship-related question the card may indicate that we are trying to keep things contained and under wraps. It could refer to a secret passion or crush that you or someone close to you has but does not want to reveal or get out in the open. It could also mean that you are stuck with someone in a battle for control of your relationship.

If the card comes up for a business-related question you have to examine carefully if you have bitten off more than you can chew. You may be in the process of working yourself into the ground, because you are too stubborn to share the load and give some of the control to others as you delegate. You may also try and get something accomplished through sheer, mulish discipline, but your passion and your will are not really on board with what you’re trying to do.

If the card is uncovered in an adverse or blockage position it could mean that you are unable to focus and discipline yourself and that you are helplessly following every instinct and impulse. Your inner wild cat is running free and may be able to bite off some heads and cause some real damage to those around you. There is a tendency to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation and to lash out without concern for others. On the other hand you may exaggerate your need to exert control to the point where you are causing trouble not because of a lack of impulse control, but because you cannot allow any manifestations of will that could run contrary to your rigid concept of how you believe things ought to play out.


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sevenwillow's avatar
Beautiful work Elly! I need to catch up on your beautiful artwork!!