This card is all about structure, solidity and strength in the physical world. Things have certainly manifested in the world in the fours, the first step downwards from the spiritual planes on the Kabbalah. Here we see strong square shapes and an image like a fortress. So we have a sense of power in keeping things out and also in keeping things in – the draw bridge shows the control we have on what and who we let in and what and who we keep out. We use our personal power to make these decisions. Sometimes it is needed that we shut the door on the world and keep our own counsel, sometimes we need to allow others in – those close to us and who we trust into our inner sanctum. The turrets have the symbols of the various elements on them – earth, water, fire and air. Spirit is missing, and there is a sense that this is a very material card. and all the elements come together to make the material world – we could get too caught up in the physicality – the ‘thing’ we have and would like, the practical things we have to do, and we forget to use these ‘things as vehicles to reach more spiritual perspectives. The castle as sanctuary where we find the space to hear our inner voice and the voice of spirit, or the castle to show off to others.
This is sun in Capricorn which also has this dichotomy – often associated with hard work and reliability, Capricorn is good at being self motivated and making income and a secure life financially. Often forgotten is the aspect of sun in Capricorn which is highly spiritual and that the need for solitude contemplation, quietness and stillness are equally important to Capricorn’s balance. We see this balance here in the card in the form of having the choice to create the life we want by using our personal power. As we do so we gain the space we need and protect it at all costs, we also gain access to our own inner worlds and know how to use our emotions as information to aid our protection and access our intuition.
Very often when this appears in a reading we are looking at a situation where we need to get down to making some pragmatic and practical decisions and also we are needing to be strong in our beliefs and what we hold as correct. We are challenged not to give our personal power away, but to take it fully and act in the world to make our lives as we need them to be. We need discernment in order to understand where and to whom to say no. Sometimes drawing up the bridge and taking space even if others want more of us.