Hyacinthus

For the mind, I drew the ace of wands represented by the firefly. The firefly is a creature of unique ability and contrast which they show off when the time is right. Hyacinthus knows that his powers of prophecy and the water may separate him from his peers at times, but he is not afraid to let his gifts shine anyway. However, like the firefly, Hyacinthus must also be aware of the times when it would be inappropriate to let his powers define him; the firefly never wastes energy shining in the daylight. Once Hyacinthus learns when to pursue contrast and when to fade into the crowd, the full flexibility of his mind can be utilized without sacrificing what makes it special.

For the body, I drew the star card represented by the oyster. The oyster’s pearl and how it comes to be is a great comparison for the process of making wishes. They arise from an irritation, like sand or a sea mite, and are turned into shining pearls only after a significant amount of work has been dedicated to the task. To me, this didn’t relate easily to the body, so I drew the knight of cups to clarify. The knight of cups is represented by the blue-footed booby, a bird that fixates on small details like the color of its feet or the cleanliness of its feathers and is largely more of a dreamer than a doer. Together, the cards suggest that the body is the aspect of Hyacinthus that requires the most of his attention. His mind and soul push the body forward with dreams and wishes, but the action simply isn’t there; this inaction may be no fault of his own however. The oyster can only produce its pearl if its body is functioning at peak condition, and the blue-footed booby’s attention to detail is all for nothing if the body fails in its health. Whether caused by temporary illness or permanent disability, the fickleness of the body has the power to strand us in the realm of dreams and wishes.

For the soul, I drew the king of pentacles represented by the bison. The bison makes its life in a barren landscape, surviving only because he has mastered his own environment and the ability to make something out of nothing. Hyacinthus has a survivor’s soul and is very comfortable with his own ability. Even when there seems to be nothing left, his soul will persevere because he knows that even though things are not easy, they are simple; the hardest problems are best answered by the most simple solutions because, even though they aren’t flashy or eye catching, they are strong and reliable. His indomitable spirit may have its roots in the struggle of his body. The constant battle to allow the powers of the mind to shine through without the cooperation of a physical vessel could harden anyone’s soul. The outlook is hopeful however, as the bison shows its scars proudly; the journey has not been easy, but where the body may fail, Hyacinthus will always have the shining gifts of his mind and the survivalist nature of his soul to make up for it. ~AlmightyAmu