Parting the Mists

Sometimes it’s hard to think straight when you have a lot of pressure on you. Moving forward even when you don’t want to and having faith in yourself are often the keys.

Bendithion Affalon

Ten of Spears – The Green Knight

Meaning: Feeling tremendous pressure. Encountering an awesome task which tests courage and diplomacy. Feeling out of one’s depth. Living under the restrictions of a specific code of conduct. Temporarily suppressing personal desires in order to complete a task. Playing by the rules of the game. Striving to please others. Success through perseverance.

This card also could indicate self-defeat. Learning the hard way that there are no short cuts to success. Being distracted by and succumbing to temptation. Walking into a trap.

The Story of the Green Knight

As Arthur’s court celebrated the Christmas season, an unexpected visitor burst into the hall. The horse and rider were larger than life, and both were of a green hue. The knight was richly clad and carried a bough of holly in one hand, and an axe in the other. He issued a challenge to the assembly for one to join him in a game of the season – the Beheading Game. Being that the stranger and his steed gave off a green light, the knights feared him to be of the Faery. Naturally, they were reluctant to meet his challenge.

Gawain was the one to step forward and take up the dare. The Green Knight dismounted, knelt, and explained to Gawain that he would be given one chance to behead him; if he survived, a year later the Green Knight would return the blow.

Gawain struck off the head of the Green Knight, but to his dismay the body stood up, retrieved the head, and placed it back on his shoulders. The knight reminded Gawain that they would meet again in one year. Then in high humor, he left the court.

During the following year, Gawain’s honor and fortitude were tested by the Faery cohorts of the Green Knight.

Gawain fared reasonably well, but only just resisted the seductive powers of a beautiful woman (whom he later learned was the wife of the Green Knight). The charming Fay offered Gawain her green garter as a talisman. Gawain accepted her garter, but far from protecting him, the gesture put his life in peril.

When the fateful day came, the Green Knight made his judgement. Being that Gawain’s only weakness was enlisting the help of the lady, the knight only nicked Gawain’s neck with his axe. Gawain was now free to return to court, but the Green Knight declared from that day forward he must wear the garter as a token of his fault.

Afterward, as a demonstration of their solidarity, all Knights of the Round Table wore a green garter.

Legend: The Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson