Tarotgrams

I think we sometimes forget The World originally represented a supremely religious vision—the New Jerusalem—where we’ll all be (if we’re good, I guess) after the second coming. The place where good has won over evil; where all is divinity and divinity is all. In my increasingly cluttered and disorganized spirituality, I thought the NASA “Earthrise” image might convey something of the original content of that message. It might be generation specific (I was 13 when that photo was taken), but then again, I also thought about putting John, Paul, George and Ringo in the corners.

The illustration was taken from a trading card issued by the Liebig Extract of Meat Company. The cards were published beginning in the 19th century, though this one may be from the early twentieth century. It depicts the source story of Aries the ram. It represents Chrysomallus, the flying ram that rescued two children and provided the Golden Fleece. Aries can therefore embody protection, rescue and wealth. The Three of Wands, we’ve noted, is influenced by Aries. Its focus on commerce and trade (sea trade in the RWS illustration) may invoke the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, which also touches upon Mars (the fleece was kept in a grove sacred to him) the Sun (Chrysomallus was descended from the Sun God), and Binah (the “mother” symbol of the qabala—Hera figures prominently in the Golden Fleece story). All of which are influences upon the Three of Wands.