A New Year...

Further adventures of The Black Key... (detail) - digital - 2015, DS

"He spied a small blue flowerpot at the far edge of the garden, and, on impulse, knelt down and twisted the key into the hard soil which filled its interior.

'And so ends my involvement with this mystery', he said to no one, before returning to the warm interior of his car.

And, as he drove away, the winter landscape fading in his wake, he was already mentally erasing this futile excursion, and all the various disappointments it had entailed.

But, unbeknownst to him, a most curious thing occurred in the deep silence at the garden's edge. A sign? A portent? Who can say? For, who can estimate the many small miracles which might take place in the myriad corners of the world beyond a man's view?"

- excerpt from a Black Key vignette The Ace of Wands, December 31, 2015, DS

***

Despite the date on this post, what you are about to read is being written January 1st, 2016. A little sleight of hand there, folks, but that was my intention, and for good reason. In esoteric terms, December 31st and January 1st, are pretty much the same day, and/or the same door... an imaginary portal in an illusionary time-construct. A "year" is a relative thing; accurately determined by your placement on a map, but, in terms of actual human experience, it means nothing. It's of great use to historians, astrologers, and the like, however... in fact, you might say the entire Official World depends upon this illusionary time-construct, and, as denizens of said World, it benefits us to play along. No?

So, officially, it's a new year. And, as we humans are a superstitious species, we need signs, symbols and portents to assure us that, yes, despite all evidence to the contrary - such as dreary winter weather, for instance, or, well, just fill in the blank ______ - the future will be brighter.

But, no, I wasn't consciously thinking of portents - or, for that matter, Tarot cards - when I created the digital illustration (above) for this post. I was merely inspired to add another supplement to my ongoing Black Key saga. But, inadvertently, as things seem to go these days, creating a Tarot card is exactly what happened.

So, friends, followers and visitors to Mac's online memorial, it appears we've all drawn the Ace of Wands to herald in our new year, and, apparently (and no, I wasn't cognizant of this either), the Ace of Wands is a very fortuitous card, as we can see by the quotes below.

Ace of Wands, found here.

"The Ace of Wands is a symbol of possibility in the area of creativity, excitement, adventure, courage and personal power. In readings, it shows that a seed of bold enthusiasm has been planted in your life although you may not yet recognize it. When the seed sprouts, it could take almost any form. It might be a creative idea, surge of optimism or need to act boldly. On the outside, it could be an offer, gift, opportunity, encounter or synchronistic event.

When you see this Ace, examine your life to see how its potent, confident energy could work for you. Be daring and brave. Sometimes you have to risk to get what you want. Look for the path that will excite you and push you beyond your limits. Seize the initiative, and let your enthusiasm take you to new heights. Wands are the suit of individual power and fulfillment. This Ace tells you that a time of passion is beginning. You will be able to assert your best for all to see.

The Ace of Wands is also the card of creativity. Under its influence, you can become a conduit for inspiration and invention. Forget tired, worn-out solutions. You have the chance to be original. Trust your own creative potential, and there will be no end to what you can achieve."

- from an Ace of Wands entry found here.

Ace of Wands, found here.

"... the Ace of Wands indicates your need to take a definitive stance. Many people who are leaving an old career and beginning a new, risky venture see the Ace of Wands in this position when they receive a Tarot reading. Starting your own business or pursuing the life of a creative artist (be it singing, writing, painting or whatever) is reinforced with this card in the present position. If you are torn about working in a rigid, confining, safe career or breaking out into the unknown and making your own way in the world, the Ace of Wands in the present position guarantees that it is time to abandon all drudgery and blaze a trail of your own.

In the future position, this card indicates that a big break is ahead, but it is a blessing. The break will come on your own terms but may appear to others to be fate or circumstance. This works even more to your favor, as the Ace of Wands is a card that strives to conceal creating a new path as historically inevitable. When this card is in the future position, you may have a little time to better plan your big breakout to make it appear to be even more a response to what is going on around you rather than the self-generated drama that it is. The Ace of Wands is not a card of defiance, nor destruction; it is a card of creating new realities that benefit you and others. The old order might be discarded in the process but the Ace of Wands shows that you will build a new order of things while the old structures around you are falling apart."

- from an Ace of Wands entry found here.


Of course, you may be asking yourself, what exactly has this got to do with Mac? Well, Mac, admittedly, was a novice in the esoteric world, but, he was immeasurably curious about everything, and positively addicted to the informational. And, what is more informational than the symbol, encoded as it is with myriads of hidden meanings? Moreover, the symbolic Ace of Wands is especially beneficial in the literary fields - anything to do with codes, information and communication -  and, NEWS FLASH!: already the news is good!

Yes, I'm excited to report that Monsieur Paul Kimball of Kimball Media has just posted an announcement this very day that should make us all very happy. Posthuman Blues Part III - a follow-up to Posthuman Blues Part I and Part II - is about to be unveiled... as early as March, via Redstar Books! Talk about synchronicity! Many kudos to Paul! (BTW, Paul, great choice for the cover!)

And, kudos to another of Mac Tonnies friends, collaborators and associates, Mike Clelland, who, jumped the gun in December by publishing his highly-anticipated tome: The Messengers - Owls, Synchronicity, and the UFO Abductee. I, personally, cannot claim to be an abductee, but I have noticed a strange proliferation of owl images in the world at large these past few years, so it's highly possible Mike's message is more than a tad spot on. Excerpts from the book can be found on this Daily Grail page.

In any case, the Ace of Wands is all about messages... and if this isn't the Year of the Messenger, it surely is the year for getting your message across. Starting right about now. The stars have spoken! ;-)

Meanwhile, best wishes - from me to you - for a happy and healthy 2016!

Another interpretation of the Ace of Wands found here.
(...which illustrates why the pen (the wand) is mightier than the sword; the sword destroys...
the wand transforms.)

"The Ace of Wands is a sign to just ‘go for it’. This highly action-oriented card gives a sense of feeling incredibly inspired and enthusiastic about pursuing a new idea or project that you have in mind. It denotes that you are all revved up and raring to go. Even if you like to have everything planned out before you begin down a certain path, the Ace of Wands is encouraging you to listen to your instincts and follow your gut. If it feels like a good idea, it probably is.

So, start with a few basic actions to get things underway, and then continue to grow and develop your ideas through more complex actions later on. The important thing is that you act now, rather than spending more time planning or researching."

- brought to you by Anisha.



Note: There's a wealth of symbolism embodied in the Tarot. and countless interpretations thereof, both artistic and philosophical; none of the latter, however, are rock-solid. As for myself, although attracted to the Tarot symbols from an intellectual and artistic standpoint, I do not do "readings" of the Tarot... for myself, nor others.

That being said, for a number of other artistic interpretations of the Ace of Wands, try here, and here and here.