Sorry about that interruption...and thanks Samantha! Now where was I oh yes, the salamander. And this is going to be long so please bear with me.
Personally I find this symbol on the card very indicative since I recently started teaching someone about Alchemy and particularly the Hermetic Principles which are all about transformation and transmutation. That person was the same person I gave a ride to and this was one of the topics of discussion...transmuting emotional states in particular.
Since the Salamander sometimes represents the Philosopher's Stone let's deal with that in brief. The Philosopher's Stone was thought to be a stone that could assist in turning base metal...lead and mercury...into gold. But in Hermetics, it is the ability to transmute the base metal of the self into the gold of the Self, the mastery of raising one's vibrations at will to achieve any emotional state desired. If one possesses mastery of vibration one can transmute and create anything..literally...very powerful principle.
The person represented by the King of wands has done just that very thing..
The King shows almost all of the salamanders on his clothing as full circles. He has become the master of the creative fire represented in the suit of wands.
Let's move on to the other heraldic and alchemical symbol, the Lion Rampant...being a Leo who is currently rampant in some respects I have a special interest in this symbol as well.
Heraldry is the science and art of designing, displaying, describing and recording coats of arms and badges, as well as the formal ceremonies and laws that regulate the use and inheritance of arms. The origins of heraldry lie in the need to distinguish participants in battles or jousts, whose faces were hidden by steel helmets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldry
The Lion Rampant is the royal standard of the Scottish kings. The Noble Lion, a symbol of courage and power was very common in heraldry and was depicted in a multitude of art styles over the centuries. The heraldic artists devised these lions to not so much reflect the lion as he exists in nature, but rather to reflect the lion ideal of the human mind. The attenuated heraldic lion was delineated in a simplified form, clearly recognizable at a distance; it’s meaning glaring. So, too, it is displayed both on the chair and robes of the King of Wands. Now bear with me, this will all make sense in a minute...but it gets deep!
The truth about the Holy Land of Scotland went to print by an author called Barry Dunsford - who amongst other things pointed out that Pontius Pilate was born in central Scotland at a place called Fortingale, near Killin. It always seemed strange that a family - the Pilate family central to the destruction of one of Gods and Histories central characters was located not very far from Edinburgh, Scotland.
Dunsford’s source was the books by W Comyns Beaumont on the riddle of prehistoric Britain, and Britain - the key to World History.
It is therein suggested that the ancient Merovingians wandered the planet but that the origins of the Jews may well be rooted in the Scottish Atlantean Mystery. After the deluge - the ruling tribe of Aryans returned. These people were known historically as the People of the Cat, the lion rampant their symbol - the popular flag of Caledonia Scotland and also of the King of Norway - also anciently a country part of Atlantean Thule. Edinburgh, having a very sphinx like hill later called Arthur’s Seat, which looks like a lion couchant was also known as the City of the Lion. The patron Saint of Edinburgh is David.
Why did I include this? Because it can give you clues about the King (the querent or the person represented by the King of Wands)of course, but also because on a personal note, as a Merovingian descendant on both sides of my family it was significant to me personally. But I digress as I am wont to do!
Kindly remember that Waite was an interpreter of the Zohar and that tarot has many correspondences which are Qabbalistic in nature. You will get to that in advanced studies.
I interpret the Lion Rampant to allude to the transmuted Sacred Fire. In Waite's interpretation he draws heavily from the alchemical principles expressed in the Qabbala.
"Four: Fire from Water..."
The Foundation of the Act of Creation is Breath, as everything came into
being when "God Said...etc." But the Substance of Formation is Water,
more specifically what is called "Philosophical Water", the purely fluid
and volatile Substance which was the only thing Created, and can be fixed
into any given form. That Fire ensues from Water indicates that the
Spiritual Principle of the Creative Will is not lost from the substance
in it's "Descent".
In terms of two substances, the possession of - or conscious
contact with - the Holy Ruach of Heaven, is that which gives the "Power"
(an abused word, as it is easily associated with abuse) to to Fix the
Volatile into any form, and/or to return a fixed form to a volatile
state, and then "re-fix" it in another form.
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/I-kabbal.html.
To me, this lion represents the ability to transmute the sacred fire internally with and into strength and courage by an act of Will. To transmute fear and weakness within ourselves. The King of Wands has mastered this within himself or suggests to the querant that they have within themselves to do likewise..perhaps they already have. If it represents another person in the reading it represents a man who has Mastered himself and who has power, strength and courage. He may well be light haired and blue eyed or even red haired and green eyed and may even be of Scottish descent but that is really reaching. The point is, this is the guy with the power, self control and courage to get just about any job done. He often shows up as a mentor or as someone wealthy who can assist one along one's path.
This relates back to the topic of discussion I had with my friend today because he was talking about his efforts to transmute anger...particularly old anger triggers that he was revisiting in his experience that was manifesting in some ways he did not like.
Having the King of Wands on my mind I suggested to him that perhaps he was merely "peeling the onion" and finding a layer of yet unreconciled issues or discovering triggers he never knew he had because the emotion itself, rather than being transmuted, had been repressed before. Mastery is all about getting to know one's self.
Now, let's turn to the other symbols in this card. The sky is the same sky blue without clouds as in the Page of Wands. This represents contact with the Heavens. The King is facing left...the side of the sacred feminine or the Goddess. He wears a green collar on which is a prominent piece of jewelry, a lions head..note the lion again. But this is a Female Lion..a lioness..again, the allusion to the Sacred Feminine principle. This person might be a Leo! The shoes are correspondingly green. Notice the salamander at his feet? The inner part of the cloak is rarely noticed. It is ermine. His cloak is the color of red earth...another thing to tell you he is well grounded, but also yet another allusion to the Sacred Feminine...this man will have balanced his Masculine and Feminine aspects. He also balances Heaven and Earth..as above so below, as below so above. His throne sits on a light blue grey dais which is on ground...he is OUTSIDE!!
It appears that he may be holding court out of doors and is perhaps speaking to others, making a pronouncement, perhaps passing judgement upon issues brought to the Crown by subjects engaged in a controversy.
He may be an outdoorsman...but in any event he is strongly connected to the earth or well grounded.
In his right hand he holds the wand, Aarons Rod! The Rod of Healing...the Green Bough which represents growth and fertility. It rests not on the dais but upon the ground!!!! It is tilted slightly toward him as he holds it. It merely rests in his hand. He holds his power gently with honor and fairness and does not abuse it.
This man holds the key to healing, growth and fertility. (Particularly in matters of business or career which the Suit of Wands indicates)
But that rod also has another significance that is Qabbalistic.. it is the central pillar of the Tree of Life!
The central column corresponds to the central Pillar of Equilibrium (sefirot 1, 6, 9 and 10).
The Kabalistic Tree is sometimes called The Sephirotic Tree of Life. The circles or spheres are called sephiroth. A single circle or sphere is called a sephira. The teachings about the Kabalistic Tree of Life are very deep and complex. The ten spheres and 22 paths of The Tree generally represent the nature of the forces behind Creation on all levels, from microscopic to macrocosmic. The Tarot Cards are also associated with The Tree.
This central pillar represents the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The "middle pillar" of the Tree of Life is closely associated with Ya'kov, the Messiah, Malkitzedek, Henok, and the mysterious Metatron. This middle pillar (the pillar of equilibrium) strikes the "balance" between the masculine and feminine sides:
Zohar, p. 227 - "The Middle Pillar [of the Godhead] is Metatron, Who has accomplished peace above, according to the glorious state there.".
As the Sefirotic "Tree of Life" is in the image of God, and the rest of Creation came through this, we can then expect to see some type of Sefirot pattern within Creation.
The Universe is based on order; its basic pattern is summed up in the Laws embodied in the Sefirotic Tree.
So we see in the King of Wands, the Masculine, Feminine and the Balance of the Middle or Central Pillar, bringing peace and equilibrium between the two...in the Zohar it states that in between these two Spirit is the Balancer.
So this man represented by the King of Wands holds the Rod of Power to bring peace, healing, equilibrium and balance to any situation.
Once finished with looking at all the symbols in a card and their meanings we put them all together and it gives us an in depth picture and description of the person it represents.
We look at the keywords and the correspondences to summarize;
Keywords for King of Wands
Entrepreneur
Inspiration
Boldness
Leadership
Mature
Honor
Strong Wisdom
Correspondences:
Paul Fenton-Smith, in his book 'The Tarot Revealed' gives each type of court card an element. I know that Crowley did this too but Paul Fenton-Smith's correspondences resonate with me much better than those used by Crowley.
These are the correspondences I've been using.
Page / Princess - air - beginnings
Knight /Prince - fire - action, change
Queen - Water - emotions, feelings
King - Earth -manifestation
This would make the King of Wands Earth of Fire: He achieves practical, material success through self discipline, enthusiasm and passion. He puts the qualities of the fire suit to real, practical use.
http://www.tarotforum.net/archive/index.php/t-40917.html
So what do we have here! We have a mature man...40+ in age, light or most likely red haired and green or blue eyed. A master of his self, of manifestation and will, strong, self disciplined, powerful, commanding in presence, in a position of authority. Probably a business owner, and probably wealthy, honorable, a bold leader who inspires through example and through the use of wisdom. The cards surrounding the King of Wands and the position he falls in ...and what type of spread is done tells the relationship to the querent and gives further information on his influence over the querent.
Sorry if I got carried away here and got a bit to complex.
This was good and I enjoyed taking a deeper look at this card.
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