From the
RochesTarot, the Seven of Swords; from the
Animal Shaman Vision Cards, the Mallard:
The creator of the RochesTarot has painted a well-known picture of
Aleister Crowley with himself on top. Thoth-based decks use the keyword "futility" to describe this card. Astrologically, it is connected with the Moon in Aquarius; this is a strange combination of intellect with passivity. Crowley describes this card as similar to "a rheumatic boxer trying to 'come back' after being out of the ring for years." The brain is trying to out-think a situation but ends up with nothing solid and useful. It does however produce a bedazzling slight of hand trick. This of course impresses no one, except the magician who considers himself a genius. In him there is a strong desire for achievement, yet he's unable to keep a firm footing in reality.
The mallard is one of the most abundant and wide-ranging ducks on earth, even though it is also one of the most widely hunted. Among water birds, these ducks are known as a dabblers; typically they skim food from the surface or feed in the shallows by tipping forward to submerge their heads. Other waterfowl are divers, who propel themselves underwater to feed. These two ways of eating remind me of how easy it is to try to think something into happening without actually doing much. We don't want to go "all in" by following what we envision with action. But without any physical effort, we might as well be doing card tricks.
