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]
7.10.2009
"A Product Of Time And Violence..."
5.24.2009
The Prince of Swords
1. Being single-minded, having one purpose in life
2. Person who is clever, subtle, skillful, and domineering
3. Person who is incapable of making a decision
-- David Allen Hulse, The Western Mysteries
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]
