Letting Rome burn - Margarete Petersen's Father of Flames

Father of Flames (trimmed): ©Margarete Petersen

Margarete Petersen’s Father of Flames sits astride a wall while a fire rages all around.  He looks inscrutable, rather than charming or persuasive!  I think of Nero, above it all while Rome burns... although clearly there's no fiddling going on here, and I suspect the motivation is somewhat different!

Petersen writes, in her accompanying boook, “Originating from the flame, my mind is a firework...”, and about being “part of the cycle of dissolution and renewal”.  This strikes me as rather Ten-of-Wands-like, but as a King he would be the final card in the suit, so there's an even more marked ending of a cycle here. As with other Fathers/Kings in this deck, she talks about cleansing and giving structure.

I can see the ‘end of a cycle’ aspect in the roaring fire, but then most of the Flames cards have a fire or flame in theme, so if it wasn’t for the ‘King’ sitting on the wall ‘above it all’, I’m not sure the fire helps much with the interpretation.  His pose does suggest a belief that he can do whatever he wants, even if he’s not actually doing anything at the moment!  Independent and master of all, resolute. Not so sure about the magnetism that is often associated with the King of Wands - what do you think?

A little nod to Mr Sinatra here....

 

Flames leap all around -

Above them, untouched, free to act

I do it my way.

 

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004. 

Rider of Tigers - Margarete Petersen’s Mother of Flames

Margarete Petersen’s Mother of Flames is an explosion of fiery colour, leaping off the card – an exploding sun or supernova. A big cat’s face can be seen within the left side of the frame, a human face within the right, but the central part of the image is pure fire and flamboyance! 

 

Mother of Flames (trimmed):

© Margarete Petersen Tarot

The “flame born out of flame”, says the LWB, a “rider of tigers”. Easy to see the association with Leo here! With the tiger and the human face being contained within the border, rather than being free to move (as in the Son and Daughter), perhaps this reflects the struggle sometimes associated with Queens.  Being contained within the border could also reflect the protection, as well as the pushing forward and encouraging of others who are reluctant to step into the spotlight - especially with the fierce tiger’s presence.   

 

Brave, loyal, and sure,  

Exploding with ambition,  

Encouraging all.

 

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004.