Seeing past the blindfold - Margarete Petersen’s Eight of Feathers

In Margarete Petersen’s Eight of Feathers, the ever-present sphere is almost completely obscured a mish-mash of dark-red (blood-stained?) feathers; it looks as though they’ve been through hell and back. Through them we see an eye: all-seeing? A rather fearsome head and outstretched arms can be seen through the feathery mass near the bottom...a native carving of some kind perhaps?  There is certainly a sense of being hemmed in by all the feathers, and of something terrible going on beyond our control. Yet the eye seems to be steady, the one thing in the image that sees us through whatever’s going on around us.

Eight of Feathers (trimmed): © Margarete Petersen tarot

Like the Eight of Flames, I have a sense of there being a need to focus, to choose a direction – and also about needing to think about the situation before acting. I’ve always seen this card as being about seeing beyond the things that hem us in – taking the blindfold off, seeing beyond the fence of swords. So in this image the swords/blindfold are replaced by the feathers – and perhaps too the fierce-looking carved figure.  The eye in the centre is what guides us out of the morass.

I also see the Eights as being about the combination of Two and Four – balance and stability – so the Eight of Swords/Feathers would indicate regaining both things by re-thinking things and finding a way forward. The card is linked astrologically to the mutable sign of Gemini and the Sun - adapting, being flexible, moving into the light.

Locked in, full of fear;

See beyond what keeps you stuck

And walk into light.

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004

Softly, softly - Margarete Petersen’s Seven of Feathers

Margarete Petersen’s Seven of Feathers is dominated by the beak and talon of a bird and a newly-emerged butterfly, superimposed on the ever-present sphere. According to the LWB, the butterfly symbolizes seeing things for the first time, while the beak and talon represent being ready to tear apart what we don’t like.  It’s about recognizing traps, the self-fulfilling prophecies and self-sabotage, the blind spots. The phrase that really sticks with me is “change your attitude towards your own hostility”. There’s the dawning of awareness (good Air/Swords correspondence!) of the potential for damage through negative thoughts and words.

Seven of Feathers (trimmed): © Margarete Petersen Tarot

The Seven of Swords is often linked to being stealthy – one of my tarot friends, Alison Cross, calls it the ‘Sneaky Pete’ card.  Some say it’s about making a sly escape, but I like Juliet Sharman-Burke’s description – “tact rather than aggression”.  The astrological association is Moon in Aquarius – so we have the potential for unpredictable reactions, perhaps.   But there’s something about thinking things through and making plans for the future (Aquarius) while taking great care with those plans. Remember the Moon is ruled by Cancer, so there’s likely to be an element of protectiveness involved – possibly to the point of being underhanded.  Aquarius brings the detachment, the clarity of vision, so that any protectiveness or nurturing quality to the action is not going be based on emotional needs.  We often warn against being too free and open about what we intend to do when we see this card – that’s the Moon’s caution acting on an Aquarian desire to spread knowledge within the community.

Beware the mind’s traps.

Valid beliefs, or a new

perspective required?

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004.