I tweeted some pics I took today (Saturday 27 April, 2024) walking along the Hunter River bank near my home. I took the pictures in colour then I made them into two versions of black and white. I have included the original tweet and all the versions of the shots here. I like all three versions but I feel there’s something more in the black and white ones. Is it a more Gothic vibe? What do you think?
Below the photos I wrote about how I took this unusual occurrence as a sign, an omen & tried reading it through a Tarot prism.
A Tarot Reading of the Woman on the Steps
I was walking along the river bank like I do most days. Seen it all out there – water dragons, wood ducks, lizards, magpies, kookaburras, doves, egrets, goats, sparrows, cows, bulls, giant spiders, hovering dragon flies, even snakes sometimes. Yep! Brown snakes that slithered over my shoes but I stayed still and calm so they left me alone. Lots of people too. But this day was different.
This day there was a woman holding a lantern and a sword. Not something you see every day. Got me thinking it must be some kind of sign or omen.
Two cards from the Tarot deck came to mind when I saw her – the Ace of Swords and The Hermit. The sword she was holding and the light from the lantern. Simple symbols but saying something important. Swords mean thoughts and ideas. The Hermit walks alone with his lamp.
The sword is for new ideas, fresh thoughts cutting through. Like the sunrise over the hills I see on my walks. An idea planted itself in my mind that day – “psychic noir” is what I started calling it. Don’t know exactly what it means yet, but it was there taking shape.
Ideas are funny things. Sometimes they come when you’re just staring at a book. Other times you have to go off alone to figure them out right. This one is going to need some solitude.
I’ll take my walking stick and that worn old lantern. They’ve been with me through a lot of wanderings, searching for answers in the quiet places. The lantern casts just enough light to see what’s right in front of me. That’s all I need to know for now where this psychic noir idea is headed.
Up in the high cold lonesome places, that’s where I’ve found my way before when the fog set in. Had to shed a lot of distractions and false notions to keep climbing. The staff and lantern are hard-earned wisdom from those journeys.
It’s not an easy path going inward like that. You lose sight of everything else. Only the faintest voice left to tell you you’re headed the right way. You keep putting one foot in front of the other though, trusting that at some point you’ll break through to clarity again.
That’s what the woman with the lantern was telling me. When the world crowds in too much, I know where to go to listen to my soul’s truth. Just me, the staff, the glimmer of light in the darkness, and sooner or later an idea takes shape.
That’s the journey. Bright flashes of clarity like the Sword. Then the Hermit’s long, hard, lonely road to make them real. Not easy. But the only way to live that counts.
Welcome — I’m glad you’re here.
Journeys and Star Gazing 
I agree Stavros. The black and white really makes it more medieval and gives a far more mysterious vibe. Nice one.
They are some bizarre picture moments you found on the banks of the Hunter River…😎
You don’t normally see women carrying sword and lanterns in that landscape of I’m not mistaken. 😁
No it’s not a usual occurrence. It was a photography club that not only had her with a sword but earlier two men acting out a fight sequence with sword & mace. I walked by them as I thought it was some kind of filming happening. On my return the people were still there photographing the woman with a sword. That’s when I asked what was going on.
Other times I’ve seen weddings on the river bank.
Hey newscluesandafewblues – check the post again. I’ve added a Tarot interpretation to the encounter with the woman with a lantern and sword.
❤️
Hey , I like the way you weave meaning into your life through chance occurrences. The ancients used to find some supernatural meaning in every chance meeting or occurrence in life, eg the call of a bird as you are in deep contemplation, or an accidental natural event that crosses your path. What you have done here I think is in a similar vein but you have generated layers of personal meaning with the wisdom of the Tarot. There’s a romanticism to that link you make. I wish I had the ability to find connections in my daily routines ; that takes real talent. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so down in the dumps most days. Thanx for sharing. I like the way you express yourself.
I do try to connect with my ancient Greek heritage thus my visit to the oldest oracle in Greece – Dodona. I went there, following the footsteps of Jason and the Argonauts to see if I will meet relatives in Turkey. Through the sound of rustling leaves and the sight of birds flying by the message I received from Zeus was an emphatic yes!
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it.