Get movin!

It's the Ace of Shields from Legend: Arthurian, in other decks known as the Ace of Pentacles, and I think I know why it has turned up today. Some very basic body maintenance will be going on today as I go to the dentist again to see to this blasted tooth. It's not going to be cheap, I'm guessing. And I'm working from my 'original' work base today, so it will be good to see everyone at the library. Haven't seen them since the end of Feb!

This particular Ace of Shields is the Shield of Evalach, a character from the Arthurian legends. Evalach was an eastern king from Sarras, and was befriended and converted to Christianity by Joseph of Arimathea, the rich man who donated his own prepared tomb for the body of Jesus, and who according to Grail lore came into possession of the Holy Grail. Someone called John of Glastonbury wrote that Joseph of Arimathea travelled to England, arriving in Avalon (Glastonbury) and bringing with him a container of the sweat and blood of Jesus. This later became mixed in with Grail lore, and thus Joseph of Arimathea became linked to to the Grail. This Evalach, the converted Christian king, brought his magical shield with him to Avalon. On his death bed Joseph of Arimathea smears some of his own blood on the white shield, in the sign of the cross. (John of Glastonbury also claimed that King Arthur was directly descended from Joseph of Arimathea.) In other versions of the story, Joseph's son, Josephus, gives Evalach a white shield with a cross of red silk tacked to it, as a sign of protection against a foreign invader to Evalach's homeland.

I'm really not sure that any of this has any real bearing on how to read this card. I would just read it with the meanings of the Ace of Pentacles in mind, and forget the details of Evalach unless the suddenly and spontaneously leapt to mind. I certainly wouldn't try to force the reading to fit with elements of the Arthurian legend. They'd have to be 100% clear and the connection would need to leap spontaneously to mind before I'd try to fit a client's (or my) situation with the story.


Accompanying the Ace of Shields card is the Lancelot card from Camelot Oracle. There's Lancelot under the Ace of Pentacle-y moon -- holding a shield. He looks like he's wearing tartan thigh-highs, a kind of Celtic 'Pretty Woman', but tougher. Alas, though, I think that's really a chain mail tunic over a pair of Will Worthington's beloved loose-fitting tartan trousers worn by most of his 'Celtic' characters.

Now Lancelot was troubled, we know this. Extremely good and pure, but also quite narcissistic and arrogant, his affair with Queen Guinevere leads directly to the downfall of Camelot. His first appearance in Arthurian legend is in Chretian de Troye's 'Knight of the Cart' in the 12th century, where the themes of his extraordinary perfection and his adulterous relationship with Guinevere are first seen. He is not connected to the Grail until the 13th century, when he appears in the Vulgate Cycle. After the downfall and death of Arthur, he retires to a hermitage, becomes a priest, and many years later presides over the funeral of Guinevere, who has become a nun and subsequently an abbess. Six weeks after her death, Lancelot dies.

But in his youth and before all the chick trouble, he was one formidable dude. And so the card represent heroism, strength, faith, devotion, and all that good stuff, tempered with caution not to get too cocky.

And is that a hedgehog sitting on his head?  ;)

In the Camelot Oracle, one method of reading the cards is to use them in relation to the path drawn. Yesterday I drew The Doubtful Path, and so I will read all subsequent cards in relation to that, until I draw another path card. The question of Lancelot for me on the path to the Hermitage (The Doubtful Path) is 'How can you best answer this challenge?' My challenges for the day are to get my work done, get some parcels in the mail, and go to the dreaded dentist. And the best way to answer these challenges is just to DO them and not put them off. So...off I go! Get

Hermity Monday

How interesting that today's card is The Hermit, because it is associated with Virgo, and the full moon was in Virgo yesterday. This week's decks are Legend: Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson, and Camelot Oracle by John Matthews, art by Will Worthington.

The Hermit card means a need for solitude, for withdrawing into oneself for quiet contemplation. It can also mean a meeting with a wise teacher. Today at work, I hope to meet with my manager to discuss my work programme for the week, and then I will be working from home tomorrow, and possibly the next day, I don't know yet. That filling I got in my tooth last Tuesday popped out on Friday night, can you believe that? Of course it didn't pop out until after 6 pm, so I had no way of calling the dentist to make an appointment to get it fixed. So I have to go in to work today and call from there. Fingers crossed I can get an appointment tomorrow, when I had already planned to work from home anyway, but I'm pretty sure my managers will be understanding and also allow me to work from home another day if I'm unable to get an appointment for tomorrow.

All of the cards in Legend: Arthurian take their content from the stories of King Arthur. For Hermit, Ferguson has chosen the period of time when Lancelot flees from court life after he and Guinevere have been caught committing adultery. He goes to the forest where he lives in penance and prayer as a hermit until he returns to Arthur's side in the final battle against Mordred. At least that's how some versions go.

St Ambrusca's Well 

I've got the companion book that is available separately from the deck called 'A Keeper of Words', also by Anna-Marie Ferguson. In the book, she explains that Lancelot is nude amid the roots of trees to symbolise his closeness to his own foundations; the torch in his left hand symbolises the subconscious, a reminder to watch for insights in dreams. The spring is meant to be St Ambrew's Well, which symbolises a 'long forgotten source of inspiration and fulfillment.'

Accompanying this card, I've drawn a card from the Camelot Oracle, the Doubtful Path. Interestingly, this path leads the Hermitage! 'This is a difficult path for many of us because it is hard to find. It is a road of choices, not always easy to see, yet it brings you to the Hermitage, a place of contemplation and reassessment where you may stay for a while, away from the noise and stresses of your everyday life,' reads the companion book by John Matthews.

I believe today will be day of making appointments and plans for my working from home days, which will be like days in the 'hermitage'.

Gimli? Is that you?

The Camelot Oracle by John Matthews and Will Worthington, 2012

Our week with The Camelot Oracle ends today, with Bercilak, the Green Knight. I read 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' in Middle English back when I was in university, but alas, my Middle English ain't what it used to be, so I was glad to find a lovely Modern English translation online here:

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 

translated by WA Neilson

I hope you do click through on the link and read the full story. As you read, imagine yourself in a medieval hall in candlelight, and read it slowly, hearing the clear, loud voice of an eloquent and expressive storyteller reciting it in measured cadences, and be sure to include the appreciative noises made by the audience around you.

Forgive him if he doesn't shake hands

The Camelot Oracle by John Matthews and Will Worthington, Connections 2012

Does this guy look like the sort of man who's in charge of the servants or what? From his squinty eyes to his scraggly mullet to his hand on hip posture, this man somehow has middle manager written all over him.

Sir Kay is Arthur's 'seneschal'-- a fancy word meaning he's in charge of the king's domestic arrangements and overseer of the servants. His character is well-suited to the role, as he is known to be boorish, mocking and cruel, all traits stereotypical of the job. Kay is rude and insulting to nearly everyone. For all that, he is a brave and fearsome knight in battle, and for this he is admired and honoured at the Round Table.

The Camelot Oracle companion book suggests that Kay has particular knowledge of court that only a domestic servant might be privy to, the dark secrets of the lords and ladies at court. When you're in charge of the washing and the cleaning, you can't help but see the dirt, I suppose. And it's this exposure to the seamy underside that lends Kay his cynicism and disinclination to hold back on his observations of the failing of others. Having seen it all, he has expected no better of anyone. Not even the Queen. You can't fool Sir Kay, so you might as well not even put on a pretense for him. Doing so is only going to make you a target of his vicious tongue.

What can he offer? Street smarts. He can anticipate the worst possible behaviour in a person, so his is a good energy to turn to in business negotiations. He is also useful for arbitrations between factions, because he won't be fooled into taking sides with either of them. He can also form a more complete, realistic picture of situations because he must both micromanage (being in charge of even the chambermaids) as well as understand and move within the more rarified spheres of courtliness and statesmanship. Not to mention military strategy.

So even if at first he seems like a cynical arse, he's actually quite skilled and a nice string to your bow.

Over at the Lancelot place (There's a light)

The Camelot Oracle (Matthews & Worthington, 2012) companion book calls The Hero's Path 'the most direct path to your goal.' Maybe this is why the symbol of the Hero's Path is a heart pierced by a sword. The straightest route can be the one that requires the most sacrifice, sometimes. It is often not the easiest way. Sometimes the straightest way to your goal is completely off a path, leaving you to cut your way through the wilderness on your own.

Still, eventually you come out onto the road seen in this card, that leads up to Lancelot's castle, Joyous Gard. Encyclopedia Mythica says this of the castle:

The castle of Lancelot, formerly called Dolorous Gard because of a sinister enchantment, is acquired when he captures it and breaks the spell. When he explores the castle, he comes upon a tomb with his own name upon it,and he knows that it is destined to be his home and eventual resting place. The name is changed to Joyous Gard after Arthur and Guinevere visit there as guests. When Guinevere is brought to Carlisle for execution, she is rescued by Lancelot and taken by him to his castle. However, the tragic strife that ensues causes it to revert to its former name, Dolorous Gard. After Lancelot's death, his body is taken there for burial. 

Because this castle has been a place of both joy and sorrow, it has become a place of balance, where both sides of an issue can be considered, and 'deep life enhancing choices' can be made (Matthews p. 86).

Knowing the history of the castle, the symbol of the heart pierced by the sword takes on more resonance. The joys and sorrows of Lancelot's doomed love for Guinevere and the bitter end that meets their affair are represented here. Still, it was a path taken without regrets. One can't help but think, given the choice, they'd have done the same thing again. The Hero's Path is not an easy one, but at least at the end of it, you know you've lived, you've tasted both the bitter and the sweet.

Perhaps the Hero's Path I'm on today involves diving straight into the Faeries' Oracle. And also some meditation/pathworking I've made a recent commitment to. Certainly the faeries would help balance out the rather serious energies I'm working with in meditation.

Into the mystic

The Camelot Oracle, Jonathan Matthews and Will Worthington, 2012

There are several characters in Arthurian legends known as 'Lady of the Lake'. It is nigh impossible to untangle these stories and give a clear identity to these various characters. The Lady of the Lake, as depicted in this card, is the one who gives Arthur his sword, Excalibur. Other Ladies of the Lake (or possibly the same one going by different names?) serve as foster mother to Lancelot, heal Lancelot of his madness when the fellowship of the Round Table breaks up, enchant and imprison Merlin, and take Arthur away to Avalon to heal him after the Battle of Camlan. There are many names given to these figures: Argante, Vivianne, Nimue, Niniane, even Morgan le Fay, all of them called 'Lady of the Lake.' You can get bogged down trying to sort out the details so just know this:

The Fisher King

Matthews & Worthington, 2012

The Camelot Oracle by John Matthews and Will Worthington, Connections, 2012

There are so many versions of Pelles in various Arthurian source texts that it can all get rather confusing. The main thing to know about him is that in all versions, he is wounded and completely helpless, waiting for someone to come to his aid and alleviate his suffering. He is a king, and as a king he is tied to his land, so that when he physically suffers, his land also falls into ruin and decay. In the versions where he is known as The Fisher King, he is so-called because his injuries make him unable to do much beyond  spending his time fishing near his castle, Carbonek. It's a fitting occupation for him. Fishing requires patience and in a way is a rather helpless pastime--one is dependent on the right fish coming along, just as Pelles is dependent on the right man coming along to help him. In his case, the 'fish' he needs to catch is the man who can achieve the Holy Grail, and use the Lance of Longinus to heal him.

In this card from John Matthews' Camelot Oracle (illustrations by Will Worthington), Pelles sits in a coracle, a small, lightweight boat of a type traditionally used in Wales and parts of western England (but now seldom seen except in tourist areas). The boat is known to be unstable because of its tendency to sit on the water rather than in it, thus making it tend to be carried easily off by currents and winds. So that even the Fisher King's means of transport renders him in some ways helpless, and certainly vulnerable.

Reading live: The Camelot Oracle

Matthews & Worthington, 2012

This draw is about my life as a card reader, particularly in reading for others in live venues. My reading service here caters to readings by email, which is actually a great way to receive a reading, because it allows the person receiving the reading to have it in writing to keep always, so that they can go back and examine it in detail and think about it very carefully, and look at it even years later. Live readings also have their advantages, and I feel led to consider doing more of those.

Path card: The Honoured Path
The Honoured Path is for those who have achieved the Grail, and leads to the Place where only they can go, the earthly home of the Grail, Sarras. This path is for people who 'have striven throughout their lives, doing their best to help others and to share their view of the world with everyone they meet' (Camelot Oracle, Matthews, p. 84).