HP Tarot - 4 S Truce

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

The 4s of all the suits carry a measure of crystallization, of hardening and consolidation of the creative flux of the previous cards. The planetary ruler of the 4s is Jupiter, the old Roman ruler of the gods, but power is only one aspect of this dominance, the term "jovial" also derives from it, and so the cards tend to show also a certain mental relaxation and ease of mind that comes with stability and quiet. The number 4 gives you the four points of a square, one of the most stable geometric shapes of all.

A quieting of impulse for the ever-active ratio means that not much is moving at all. We are in a position of stalemate where nothing is really able to tilt the scales, this may not be a bad thing as we withdraw into the self, use our powers of inner healing while we shut out the outside world and work on inner development. A good image for this card is the crysalis: completely quiet on the outside it still manages the transformation into a beautiful butterfly.

For an image I chose the moment in PS where the trio confronts the chessboard that blocks their access to the philosopher's stone and they have to huddle to make decisions on how they will confront this next challenge. The pawns stand there with drawn swords blocking the access, but nothing is moving and the friends have to retreat inwards on their own resources to find a solution.