Fire (being), water (knowledge) and air (bliss) are traditionally viewed as pure elements or energy – they do not manifest without the fourth element, earth.
While the trump, or key cards, within a tarot deck correspond to the twenty-two foundation letters of creation (thence to the pathways on the tree of life), the court cards (knight, queen, prince, princess) correspond to the elements.
Air
Air, portrayed as the breath of God, is represented by the Hebrew mother letter “Aleph” and chemically corresponds to nitrogen and seasonally to spring. It has been written – soul travels on the wind.
Of air, Abraham wrote in the Book of Formation – “The twenty-two sounds and letters are the Foundation of all things. Three mothers, seven doubles and twelve simples. The Three Mothers are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire Water is silent, Fire is sibilant, and Air derived from the Spirit is as the tongue of a balance standing between these contraries which are in equilibrium, reconciling and mediating between them.”
Air is represented by the Fool, trump card 0 – a fiery intelligence standing on the tree of life between Kether with Chokmah.
Air corresponds to the swords (spades) suit – the seed of air is the ace of swords – the manifestation of air begins with the two of swords traditionally known as the Lord of Peace.
The four knights are the active forms of the elements (natural forces) they represent – hence, the Knight of Swords corresponds to wind or to storms – air’s fiery component – applied violence // an attack.
The four queens receive the energy of their knights – they function in the way Binah functions on the tree: as a womb – hence, the Queen of Swords corresponds to birth – air’s watery component // ideas perceived.
The four princes are the sons of the knights and queens – they combine the energy of their mothers and fathers – hence, the Prince of Swords corresponds to mind and mental processes – the airy component of air // mind applied to a purpose.
The four princesses are the materialization of the energy – crystallization as well as balancing – hence, the Princess of Swords corresponds to Heaven’s influence – the earthy component of air – often mediating – yet stern.
Traditionally, after creation, Aleph was the first mother letter to appear – the element “air” carries the material universe as a leaf on the wind.
