The left-handed king

Morgan Greer

Nice that the King of Rods should turn up. The full moon is this Friday, and it will be in Leo, and the cards associated with Leo are Strength and King of Rods (or Wands).

This card does not show the King of Rods in action, even though he is definitely an action man. He's seen in profile from more or less the waist up, facing to the left side of the card, which I always associate with the past. I would usually expect the King of Rods to face the right side, which to me is the future. Like several men in the Morgan Greer Tarot, he has a full beard and mustache. His robes and helmet are orange,deep red and gold, the colours of fire. The landscape around him is sear desert sand and the sky is bright yellow. It's a glowing image, but looks rather hot and dry. I am not sure what to make of the shapes in the lower left corner of the card, I assume he is seated on a throne and that is the left arm of it. In his left hand he holds a rod, which appears to be from an oak tree. It has three oak leaves and three acorns attached to it. Of course, the oak is a symbol of endurance and longevity, was a sacred tree to many cultures, held sacred to Zeus and Jupiter, to the thunder god Thor, and revered by the Druids.

I have to admit I've never thought much about the strength of the King of Wands. He's my Captain Kirk card, so I have always thought of him as clever, impulsive, confident, bold, charismatic, forceful, and creative in finding ways that lead to the shortest route to his preferred outcome. I suppose I've seen him as strong in small bursts. He's never struck me as 'strong' -- that's the King of Pentacles, steadfast and true. But I suppose there is a strength in the qualities of the King of Wands.

It occurs to me that facing left and holding the rod in the left hand might point to the nature of his strength. The left hand is associated with intuition, etc, and the King of Rods' strength, I believe, is certainly based on esoteric qualities such as instinct, intuition, that nebulous quality charisma, or X factor, and not on logic or anything systematic, such as we might associate with the right hand.

I hope I am not called upon to come up with clever schemes or show a lot of fiery passion or endurance today. It's just a Tuesday, and my objective is to have as quiet a day as possible.