Welcome to the third cycle of cards on Arcanalogue! To keep myself from repeating... myself, I'm mixing things up a bit on the site. For starters, I'm going to let my readers appoint the Court cards. When you see blanks to be filled in, that's your signal to start pondering and let me know which card you think the featured subject deserves to become. Are they a Princess (or Page, or whatever), a Prince (Knight, etc.), a Queen, or a King? Do they embody Wands, Cups, Swords, or Coins? Click those labels if you want to look at examples from Arcanalogue for comparison.
Make a case for your decision in the comments, based on whatever you think is relevant. Eventually I'll give the card an official title based on the responses. There are no real right answers, of course -- just really convincing ones!
How's this for a trial run: Last night Lady Gaga turned the already ridiculous MTV Video Music Awards inside out with her costumes. (You can see them all in this gallery...) If you want some additional food for thought, here's a bit of her performance from the show below, and a link to her latest video, for which embedding is (somewhat ironically) disabled.
UPDATE: Looks like I'm coronating her as the Prince of Wands. Lots of interesting arguments contributed to this call, you can read them below in the comments. Thanks, everyone!
Lady Gaga MTV VMA Music Awards 2009 Performance
9.19.2009
And the VMA Goes To: The Prince of Wands!
8.10.2009
"Conquered And Converted All The Same..."
Whereas other Princes are conscripted to either ride off into battle or stay home and guard the homeland, the Prince of Cups is a seeker and explorer, and also something of a bard. He may brandish a loving cup instead of a weapon, but the strangers he encounters are conquered and converted all the same, won over by his unique and charismatic vision and the sincerity of his crusade.
I was similarly ensnared by this song by performance artist Taylor Mac, "The Palace of the End." It depicts an unlikely epic romance between real-life unlikely romance novelists Lynne Cheney and Saddam Hussein -- by virtue of Mac's incredible talent for storytelling, nothing about this song seems even the faintest bit unlikely by the end:
Art allows us to do, say, and feel things that seem to have no place in people's everyday lives, to channel the emotional truths that slumber beneath the surface of our culture. In this way, the Prince of Cups (as well as Taylor Mac) is something of a diviner, unearthing thoughts and feelings from the unconscious and turning them loose on the world, presenting them as a challenge to the way we're used to seeing and thinking about things. We think we're being entertained, but we're also being transformed.
On a more practical level, consider this card an appeal to your creative side. Whereas the Princess of Cups nakedly broadcasts her feelings to the world as she discovers them, the Prince's approach is more calculated, more strategic. He crafts and fine-tunes every aspect of his message so that it will have maximum impact. This could mean that it's time to take a creative project (or any project you feel passionately about) more seriously and start looking for ways to bring it to the next level -- think about how you could emulate the Prince's approach as described above. When it comes to love and relationships, this card encourages you to cultivate an air of receptivity, suggesting that your boldly romantic overtures will be hard to defend against as long as they are genuinely meant and thoughtfully planned.
7.10.2009
"A Product Of Time And Violence..."
Everything I know about praying mantises comes from either firsthand encounters, Wikipedia, or Isabella Rosselini. This week I'm adding Geoffrey Haberman to that list, because his mantis-heavy collection of insect sculptures has forever changed the way I'll appreciate these creatures. They're fiercely naturalistic -- if anything, the bolts that give the joints motion add to this effect rather than take away from it, reminding you how strangely robotic real insects are in their appearance and behavior. Each of his strangely kinetic creations seems too bizarre for our world, but like most of nature's perfect specimens, the mantis is simply a product of time and violence, an evolutionary rebuttal against the demands of its own ever-changing environment.
From one of my other reliable sources, I learned today that "Mantis" is Greek for "prophet" or "fortuneteller". I also learned that young mantises avoid being eaten by mimicking the appearance and walk of ants, which are by all accounts tough and nasty eating.
These details are just the icing on the cake that is the Prince of Swords, whom Hajo Banzhaf and Brigitte Theler describe as "...The intellectual, the eloquent individual, the technocrat, the position-changer." The Prince executes dazzling maneuvers in mid-air, steered by the twin principles of flexibility and accuracy, adapting rapidly so as to constantly gain (and keep) the upper hand. (Did I mention that mantises are able to detect bats' echolocation signals and change their own flight patterns to baffle the signal and avoid detection?)
This sort of speed and focus often come at the expense of more subtle instincts and emotions, and this is a compromise we often see (and usually accept) in our leaders, I'm sorry to say. As Rambo said in First Blood Part II, "In order to survive a war, you have to become war." This pretty much winds up eclipsing peace as an option, and this hole in the Prince's logic is his Achilles heel. Unless he evolves beyond the limitations of his insectile perspective (and he will, if he graduates to the King of Swords), then he will always be an expert warrior or craftsman but never a complete person.
Drawing this card may mean that the time is right for kicking into high gear, expecially in the short term. Keep alert and begin cultivating the discipline that you're bound to need when the action happens -- when everyone else is scrambling for cover, you'll be lopping off heads and effortlessly dodging attacks. As long as you keep reminding yourself that there's more to life than winning and being right all the time, then there's nothing wrong with sharpening your swords (or fore-limbs) and preparing for your moment of truth. [Via]
4.09.2009
"Rules and Restrictions Suddenly Seem Like Opportunities"
Congratulations to Justin Nickels, the new mayor of Manitowoc, Wisconsin! The 22-year-old managed to juggle college courses, a day-job as a grocery store cashier, and an effective mayoral campaign against the 39-year-old alderman Dave Soeldner, whom Nickels beat by a mere 16 votes.
This young up-and-comer has arrived thanks to a fundamental awareness of the modern political playing field and how it's navigated. Like the Prince of Coins, he's both an idealist and a pragmatist, in whose hands rules and restrictions suddenly seem more like opportunities. While it's easy to put on the show of a good campaign with a slick website, in these days of low voter turnout it's really still all about making contact with actual people in the real world, cultivating a presence that will motivate people to act in their own best interest (which coincidentally happens to be his as well).
The Prince of Coins is chock full of ideas, but they are only valuable to him to the extent that he can channel them directly into concrete results. He's almost single-minded in his approach, which makes him thoroughly dependable, but his youthful spirit and quick wits give him ambitions beyond the materialism of his suit, making him more approachable than, say, the King. If you (like myself) are not much like this in your everyday life, then this card is most likely meant to steer you toward a duty that could use more attention; for those of you who can already relate, then hopefully Nickel's story will be an affirmation, an incentive to keep up the good work.
3.12.2009
"In The Navy, They Call That Dazzle Camouflage..."
For a school-aged child, there are no greater risks than the ones taken with one's own appearance -- which makes Arlo Weiner's outfits almost Evel Knievel-esque. The eight-year-old puts together snappy original outfits every day that I never would have had the guts to wear into grade-school; looking back, I wish I had been braver and tried harder, but different people have different instincts, and at the time mine was merely "survival."
Arlo is the son of Mad Men creator Matt Weiner, and admits that his father's show has been a huge inspiration to him when it comes to fashion. He's already working like a designer, pulling certain garments apart and putting them together in new ways, chasing the visions that burn in his little eight-year-old brain. "The tie on my neck—that used to be the belt for my bathrobe, but I shortened it and turned it into that," he says in one of the captions. "I put the tie with the jacket because I liked the patterns together."
As a Prince of Wands, Arlo points out that we oughtn't let our fears guide our progress or determine which risks are worth taking. Confidence in one's own perspective, an adventurous spirit and a little bit of optimism can put you so far beyond the range of everyday expectation, the bullies will never even see you coming. In the Navy, they call that Dazzle Camouflage. [Via]
12.07.2008
The Four Princes
Wow, this certainly is a gang of formidable gentlemen. The Princes present an interesting counterpoint to the four Princesses (or Pages, or Knaves) that we met a while back. They both share all the blessings and curses of youth: vitality, immaturity, simplicity, audacity, curiosity, solipsism, etc. Unlike the King and Queen, the younger set needn't worry about governing or protecting an entire world or worldview; they're still training and conditioning, usually taking on just one battle or idea at a time.
Where the Princesses draw their unique characteristics from the classical element of Earth, however, the Princes are emissaries of Air, the suit of logic, reason, focus, and discernment -- this means they're less interested in their exploring the boundaries of their awesome potential, preferring channeling that energy into specific courses of action with specific (intended) results. If they fail at one attempt, they consider it a learning experience and simply leap back into the fray. Some people only feel truly alive, truly purposeful, and truly themselves when they're embattled, even when at rest. Just look at all the games our civilization plays, and the sports it enjoys!
Don't get the wrong idea -- these figures aren't heartless (though the jury's out on the Tin-Man-esque Prince of Swords). I consider all of the Court cards to be the gallery of faces that we show the world, the way we characterize ourselves -- consciously or otherwise -- depending on the circumstances we find ourselves in. We're like psychological lava-lamps, in that there are always qualities within us that are rising to the surface as others cool and descend back to the depths. None of it ever goes away, it just divides and conglomerates into new configurations. Think of the Princely tendency I've described as just that -- a tendency, often quite an important one.
Of course, you may run up against a countenance that stonewalls you or criticizes you or runs right over you in its attempts to get somewhere else. The Princes often become absorbed in learning and conquering and defending that they lose all concept of how their crusade looks to an outsider. If you don't mind wearing the countenance of a Prince yourself, then these blind-spots are exactly what you want to seek out and take advantage of in dealing with them. Let the games begin!
12.06.2008
Prince of Swords
Say what you will about Tilted Twister's humble origins as a LEGO Mindstorms kit, this robot can still probably solve a Rubik's cube puzzle faster than you can:
"An ultrasonic sensor detects its presence and starts to read the colors of the cube faces using a light sensor. The robot turns and tilts the cube in order to read all the faces. It then calculates a solution and executes the moves by turning, tilting and twisting the cube."
All this in about 6 minutes (video here). This is the only one of our Princes who happens to be animatronic, though they all tend to be rather vigilant and achievement-obsessed. The Prince of Swords in particular is a logical, critical, analytical force to be reckoned with -- he won't stop until he sees results, and as soon as he's seen them, he launches straight into the next mission. His efficiency may be beyond question, but his priorities are unfortunately quite unreliable, as he's way more into answering questions than asking them, and his pragmatism will eclipse his idealism every time.
In the right place at the right time, the Prince is certain to save the day; in the wrong place or at the wrong time, he may wind up fighting harder or more often than the situation really requires. Whether you find him to be honorable, capable, and agile or cold, cynical, and hard-headed really depends on your own style of problem-solving. And if you are him, then it might be wise to make sure that you're always teamed up with someone who's able to illuminate the sorts of things that just aren't that important to you. Those who are prone to flights of fancy or confusing emotional states, however, may find that this card urges them to snap to attention, focus on the facts of the matter, and confront their issues as coolly and steadily as possible. [Via]
11.11.2008
Prince of Wands
When inspiration strikes, it takes a brave person to follow where it goes. Slovenian Holocaust-survivor Boris Kobe channeled his memories of a Dachau sub-camp into a full Tarot deck, depicting the scenes in a style that's feather-light on the surface and hellishly deep upon meditation. Having completed this artistic record, he apparently did his best to put the matter behind him; the gallery info linked above says: "After the war, Kobe did no more work as far as is known about his camp experiences. He was, however, a major Slovenian architect."
Today, his Prince of Wands shall be ours too. The Princess seemed to be a veritable forest fire of activity, blazing unstoppably in all directions at once, and the Prince is certainly her mate; here we have a champion whose heroism lies not necessarily in huge accomplishments but in his unsinkable spirit and burning passion. A lot of the recklessness we saw in the Princess has been trained out of his system, though he still has an eye for risks and long-shots. He is more than just a warrior or a crown prince -- he is a courier of inspiration, rallying others and setting a standard that's guaranteed to keep the humbler, simpler troops' spirits up as challenges mount.
This card really crackles when applied to creative or career endeavors, especially those that require extra bravery or optimism. It's much harder to give in to your fears of the darkness when you shine with your own light -- and those nearby will be grateful for the illumination as well.
10.15.2008
Prince of Cups
At first glance, you'd think this Prince had gotten the short end of the stick. All the other Princes are shown riding into battle well armed or protected; what is our emotional champion supposed to do with this chalice, rust his foe's armor?
Recently, after I'd been expounding on this cup-bearer's sensitivity and heady idealism, a friend asked me why the Book of Thoth describes him so unfavorably, listing his moral characteristics as "subtlety, secret violence, and craft." I decided to resist the urge to see these as sinister traits, and instead note that without sword or staff or shield, these instincts are simply all he has to work with. If he is to succeed in his quest (and he really wants to!) then he's got to develop a way of dealing with opposition that makes the most of his natural skills.
Of course I instantly thought of martial arts. I've been a student of Ving Tsun kung fu for almost two years -- a pretty short period of time in the scheme of things, but long enough to become fascinated by the system's reliance upon sensitivity instead of strength. If you are keenly aware of the space your enemy inhabits and can intuit the mistakes he's likely to make, then the moment you make contact with him, your hands know exactly where to go. Rather than waste energy with complicated movements, Ving Tsung encourages you to flow toward your opponent as flexibly and relentlessly as water. Beginners practice a basic punch that cycles repeatedly at chest-level -- straight from the heart.
In following up to write this post, I checked out the Book of Thoth myself to see what else was written there; to my surprise, I found that it attributes the Prince of Cups to the 61st hexagram of the I Ching, which happens to be "Kung Fû." You could have knocked me over with a feather! (Which would be a perfectly appropriate thing to do, considering the matter at hand.)
6.23.2008
Prince of Coins
Breakdancing may seem like it requires superhuman fluidity or lighter-than-air alacrity, but really it's all about your relationship to the earth, and a keen sense of exactly where your body is in three dimensional space. These photos by Denis Darzacq (more here) may intrigue us because the subjects appear to caught floating in midair, but it's the raw, kinetic movement that's implied by the pictures that really thrills the eye.
Perhaps you imagined that this Prince would be stodgier; after all, the suit of Coins refers to material concerns, which we often misinterpret as heavier and duller than the realms of intellect and emotion. The Prince's natural abilities, however, grant him an edge that makes him a formidable enemy, lover, or breakdancer. He is keenly sensual, meeting both pleasure and labor with equal relish and readiness. He'll work hard to attain material security and physical well-being, and once he has them, he uses them to unlock even greater accomplishments. He has an unshakable grasp of reality, which means he's less likely to be side-tracked in the middle of executing complicated maneuvers (and therefore less likely to land on his face).
Many peoples' identities spiral outward from their minds or hearts, and the idea of building from the ground up seems difficult and slow to them. The Prince, however, is a shining example of how others can produce jaw-dropping results doing just that. They may be blind to the big picture, but in the hardworking hands of a person who experiences life foremost as an intensely physical being, nearly anything is possible-- like foiling your logic and even stealing your heart, for example. There's nothing so powerful and resourceful as a self-made man, whether he's plowing a field or fine-tuning his body to appear weightless over the concrete. [Via]
