Master craftsman

Today's card from the Sol Invictus Tarot by Kim Huggens and Nic Phillips is 3 of Coins, represented by Wayland the Smith.

You don't need to know anything about Wayland the Smith in order to understand this card. I can't see how any aspect of his back story would have much of a bearing on how it is interpreted in a reading. Clearly from the image, Wayland is a blacksmith and master craftsman who makes everything from the humble horseshoe, to decorative shields, to fine jewelry, and perhaps even coins. (The coins in the curiously skewed perspective of the foreground may be his work, or his payment. It's not clear.) You don't really need to notice that the sun on the shield is the symbol on the backs of the Sol Invictus Tarot cards, or recognise the White Horse of Uffington, or notice that the rock formation seen out his window is Wayland Smithy in Berkshire, although it might make you feel a bit smug that you know all these thing without looking at the companion book. ;) The most important thing is that he is doing the work of master craftsman, and doing it very well. It's hard work, demanding, something he must pour sweat and labour into. But this card isn't just about the work being hard (that would be more the 8 of Coins, which also signifies somewhat boring, repetitive, sometimes 'soul destroying' types of rote work--though sometimes not!). The 3 of Coins also celebrates the skill of an artist who can take one thing and shape it into another. It's the joy of the process of creating, the satisfaction of doing good work, the pride of seeing what you've made and knowing it's the best there is.

One of my favourite cards that captures this feeling really well is the 3 of Coins card from the Vanessa Tarot (Lynyrd Jym Narciso, US Games). Here you have a seamstress in her shop, having just completed a lovely gown, knowing the Vanessa Tarot, it's most likely for some celebrity!  The seamstress looks extremely pleased with herself, and the sun glinting through the window sprays off the gown in rays like the spangles of a star. Why, there's practically choirs singing in the background. Sol Invictus, being the beefy Divine Masculine deck that it is, has chosen a sweaty smith to convey the same idea of hard work done proudly and well.

What this card might have to do with my day today I am not sure, because my main objective is to get 5.00 and be done with it! Alas, I have to work tomorrow as well. Never mind! Whatever I do today, may I do it in the spirit of 3 of Coins, and do my best at it.