The Talkative Tornado

The sun has returned, and with it, some of my energy has been restored. I laid inside with my boyfriend last night and we watched Pedro Almodovar's 'The Skin I Live In'. It's the only film of his that I hadn't seen and I liked it. It had a strange plot, which isn't unusual for Almodovar, but since All About my Mother, all of his films have, at least, made sense. Without spoiling it for anyone, I will just say that there came a point where my boyfriend and I looked at each other, wondering if the story was really going in the direction it seemed to be. There is a chill to this film, where you realise that the absurd ideas within it's director's mind could crazily become a reality. I've read worse in the papers. As with Volver before it, it is the twists and turns, along with the beautiful cinematography and audio backdrop, that makes this film one by Pedro.

I needed a quiet night and I slept well. I was up relatively early this morning as my friend was taking me out with another mate for lunch. I was a little worried about my energy levels, but even though we didn't walk much, I felt better than I have for the last couple of days.

When I first bought the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, I felt a little cheated by 50% of the courts. Even though it is explained in the book that there is a reason for the kings being shown at a distance (to emphasise their rank and superiority), I was irritated that they were not shown in such stunning close-up, like the queen's and page's. As someone who usually enjoys the knight's in a deck, being shown just a helmet was disappointing for me. Working with the pack at the moment, I am coming round to them. If all of the courts had shown nice close-up portraits, I would have been happier. Equally, if every court showed only their crown with an animal, as this card does, I would have also been satisfied. I am just a real stickler for consistency in a tarot deck. I hate it when courts are not all alike (like the King and Queen of Pentacles silhouettes in the Palladini that stand out like a sore thumb) or when there is such a difference in style between major and minor cards (think of either the Fenestra or Margarete Petersen).

The part of this card that I am instantly drawn to is the tornado in the background. I have always thought of this knight as being a bit of a bull-at-a-gate and this bit of symbolism describes his impatience and ability to be chaotic. He is sheer movement, which is why I sometimes see him as unexpected change, sweeping into our lives at a rate of knots. I am not sure what change he has brought to my day. I can slightly see my mutual mate, Tina, in the card. She is by no means negatively impatient or chaotic, but she talks at ten to the dozen and I sense that beneath this witty and talkative lady is a quieter, thoughtful and more vulnerable side.

My boyfriend and I went over to his brother's this evening, since it is his birthday. We had a tea and I played with the kids for a couple of hours. They're youngest is under 2, but is such a bright little soul. Her speech is coming along already, and as I sat with her, she thrust books into my lap; a real Knight of Swords in the making.


Illustration from The Legacy of the Divine by Ciro Marchetti