Monday is Tarot Day: Climbing Up On Solsbury Hill

"Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
(I) just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home." - "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel

I took a look at the calendar today and realized that not only is it the day before Valentine's Day (which, most often, is when Ben and I go out for  Valentine's Day dinner, rather than V-Day proper, which always costs a butt load more and is so very crowded and nasty), but it's also the 62nd birthday of the amazing Peter Gabriel, one of the most creative, inspiring artists to share the planet with the rest of us.  I get all cocky when I realize we're both Aquarians, feeling that some of the same magical starshine that gave him such gifts has dusted off on me, due to our shared astrology.  Well, one can only wish I got even an ant's eyedropper's worth.

As Monday is Tarot Day on the blog, I took a look at Peter's work and said, "Come to me, oh song to inspire some tarot imagery" - and "Solsbury Hill" immediately popped into my brain screen.  After reading the lyrics, I knew I could break it down into a variety of cards, actually. The first verse is a perfect textbook snapshot of a full reading, where the question might be, "What step do I take next?"  The first few lines remind me of the "Hermit": someone seeking some seclusion in order to gain enlightenment.  But then we shift into 4 of Cups energy, where the querrent (imagine Peter Gabriel as a querrent!!) is faced with the need to be attentive, given valuable information he might otherwise be too self-involved or introspective to see.  Following the lyric, the Page of Swords would not trust the information.  But The Fool would trust imagination.

However, to sum up the energy and message of this particular song in a big-picture sense, what comes to mind most strongly is the 8 of Cups, where something that no longer is of benefit is being left behind.  If you take a look at the journeyman in the the image, he's got his walking stick and is clearly on his way somewhere. The moon seems to be waxing; it's a fruitful time, a time to plant seeds for new ventures and worlds.

Gabriel wrote the song about the time when he knew he needed to move on from Genesis and follow his own path.  Notice the red cloak the character in the card is wearing.  I consider that the color of power and forward movement.  Although Cups refer to emotion, heartfelt and deep, the red offsets any sort of sense of melancholy.  This man is on a mission, following the inner strength that comes with knowing yourself enough to trust you can take that next step (do note that he even appears to be aimed at a hill that he would ostensibly climb up...).

Happy Birthday, Peter.  May you continue to seek and learn and share your wisdom with the rest of us, so eager and hungry to gain the wisdom to follow our own True North.