"An Appeal To Wisdom And Insight..."

There is no such thing as peace in this world, not really. Peace can only exist within individuals, and even then there is still a degree of tension as one struggles to maintain it. As George Bernard Shaw said, "Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous."

The Waite-Smith version of this card illustrates this idea nicely -- the swords look heavy, the person wielding them looks uncertain, and the moon hovering in the background is a nod to this card, which hints at the deep personal significance of the matter at hand. The Alchemical deck has a similar feel ; the swords are crossed, but not clashing, and we can't tell enough about the warriors to know who the aggressor is, or who the victor might be if they come to blows. We're still essentially blind to the situation; the owl's penetrating eyes stare out at us, an appeal to wisdom and insight.

This is surely not the kind of radiant inner peace endorsed some of the Trump cards; this is peace as a long-term strategy for survival in an uncertain world. Hell, even nuclear weapons are mostly symbolic at this point -- every nation needs at least one, so they can prove how civilized they are by refraining from using it. In the pragmatic sense, peace is worth far less unless one first acquires the power to make war.

Yvonne Lee Schultz' porcelain reproductions of James Bond's Walther PPK offer the perfect symbolic balance between the heft of high-power weaponry and the art of playing it cool. "Its coolness and comfortable grip increase the qualms of the user," says Schultz, "leaving him in a quandary between the pleasure of luxury and violence." Perhaps she was inspired by Charles Krafft, whose porcelain hand grenades and assault rifles are equally delicate tools of aggression.

Hovering over a decision may seem intolerable, but taking the time to do so (rather than leaping in with guns blazing) gives you an opportunity to commune with yourself and determine your true intent. The swords may be heavy and your arms may ache to use them, but victory is ultimately the byproduct of aligning your actions with your true intent. Bare your teeth like an animal if you must, but you'd better hold off on biting anyone until your more evolved instincts give you permission. [Via]

Previously on Arcanalogue...