The Archetype and The Tarot: The Student and Ace of Swords
Through the Student archetype and the Ace of Swords, this week we’re being called to examine our patterns of seeking knowledge and truth. Can we become the objective observers of our own minds?
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The Student Archetype
The Student is all about the love of learning. They are driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. A master of inquiry, the Student possesses a tremendous gift for listening and taking in information.
When the Student comes up in a reading, I think we’re being called to examine the ways we relate with curiosity and pursue knowledge in our lives.
In the light, the Student is gently guided by their love of learning, flowing on the current of their own curiosity, rather than learning for the sake of a particular outcome. They build an intimate relationship with questioning and, through this, can become masters of living in uncertainty. Because they approach experiences with a healthy curiosity instead of preconceived judgments, the Student in the light is a beacon of open-mindedness, inclusivity and relating well.
In the shadow, the Student might keep their natural curiosity hidden away, believing that they lack the necessary ingredients (like time or intelligence) to wonder about the world around them. The shadow student might also be overly fixated on results (getting the grade, passing the test, getting the promotion, etc.) and thereby miss out on the joy of learning. This one might also have a practice of simply regurgitating what they are taught without applying their own experience and critical thinking to the knowledge. Most commonly, however, the Student in the shadow is similar to the shadow Dilettante. Unable to focus or commit to one area of study for any length of time, they risk overstimulation, overwhelm and burnout as their imbalanced need to know has them flitting from one topic to the next. Learning, for this one, can become a way to procrastinate or escape from real-life challenges..
Some questions to consider this week:
How do you create space for learning in your life?
Are there areas where you use learning as an excuse to avoid taking action?
Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available, and how does this affect your ability to focus?
What fears or insecurities might be driving your need to continually acquire new knowledge?
Ace of Swords
Here we see we see a hand emerging from a cloud, holding a sword upright. At the top of the sword is a crown and some hanging plant material. Around the base of the sword are six yods, indicating the presence of divinity.
The aces of the tarot show the moment when the Universe gives us the gift of the suit. In the case of swords, it is the gift of the tool of mental energy. It is our thoughts and the way we think. And it is the way we share these thoughts through communication. This mental energy also encompasses awareness and expanded consciousness, allowing us to see not only with our physical eyes but also with our inner vision.
The sword embodies the dual nature of our mental energy. It can be sharp and destructive, cutting through what is unnecessary, or it can clarify and consecrate. With a sword, one can either be executed or knighted.
When the Ace of Swords appears in a reading, I believe it signifies a new surge of mental energy—perhaps the spark of an idea—or a reminder of a previous surge that we may want to revisit. It might bring with it a moment of clear insight and a renewed ability to cut through confusion.
How does this pair work together?
What I see here is the call to become the Student of our own minds, to think about our thinking. When the Student and the Ace of Swords come together, I believe we’re being invited into the world of metacognition: to explore how we think, how we learn, and the mental processes that are unique to each of us. Can we become aware of the ways we process information and make decisions?
This seems like a very specific sort of self-discovery, one that I’m excited to explore. It feels like a path that could lead to some profound insights about ourselves. In the mini-ritual this week, I’ve included a few questions to help guide this process. I’d love to know what comes about as you explore metacognition this week! Please reply to this email, send me a DM or leave a comment below to let me know all about it.
Ooh, so excited to be a subscriber right now! I have been around tarot for so long without ever really diving deeply. Somehow, explanations always feel surface-level, rather than connecting me with the energies of the themes.
This post feels like it opened a new understanding for me that I feel like I’ve been searching for a long time. Thank you, Jenna for your vision and clarity! Excited for more!
Jenna,
Now when I read each week, I wait with sweet anticipation for how you are going to be so deft as to weave the two. This is beautiful:
“What I see here is the call to become the Student of our own minds, to think about our thinking. When the Student and the Ace of Swords come together, I believe we’re being invited into the world of metacognition: to explore how we think, how we learn, and the mental processes that are unique to each of us.”
To be a student of metacognition—Seems intrinsically relational. . . .