Stupid is as stupid does.

This week’s Harrow card, The Idiot, is not quite as harsh as it may appear. And like many Harrow cards, it does appear rather harsh. The card is dominated by a man wearing an oversized mask resembling a clown. His clothes are in tatters, his hands are tied behind his back, and he has been wounded by arrows. On either side of him, a goblin with a wicked grin is taunting him.

The Idiot’s meaning might be apparent just from the card’s title, but like many Harrow cards, it goes deeper than that. The card is from the suit of Books, which corresponds to intelligence, which is somewhat of a given. The card’s alignment of Neutral Evil, however, hints at its layered interpretation. While Neutral Evil is usually associated with evil performed for its own sake, it is also associated with a supremely self-centered outlook and an inability to see beyond our most immediate needs. This is especially true if we fulfill those needs with no regard for how it may affect those around us.

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Do you feel trapped?

This week’s Harrow card, The Waxworks, is one that might leave you paralyzed. The ghastly scene on the card shows a man blindfolded and chained, hanging upside-down over a cauldron of boiling wax. Other torture implements, like an iron maiden and a rack, can be seen in the background. Also in the background are a pair of frightening faces carved into the wall, although they appear to be melting.

The images in the Harrow deck pull no punches, and The Waxworks is one of the best representations of this. All aspects of life are included in the deck, including the unpleasant and painful parts, of which The Waxworks is certainly a symbol of. As can be deduced by the image, The Waxworks is about paralysis and helplessness, especially of the physical variety. The card is from the suit of Shields, which corresponds to Constitution, the ability governing health, stamina, and endurance.

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And now, for my next trick…

This week’s Harrow card, The Juggler, seems to have the whole world in his hands, if only temporarily. The card features a smiling titan striding through a forest while he juggles a little bit of everything, including an elephant, a clock tower, a boat (with an airborne passenger), and a boulder. Clouds of dust billow around in the wake of the titan’s footsteps.

At first glance, The Juggler looks a bit whimsical, almost like a circus performer, but his job requires a great deal of precision and skill and has little margin for error. One slip up, and he risks not only dropping one part of his juggling circle but throwing his rhythm off, making it harder to keep the rest in the air. It should come as no surprise that the card belongs to the suit of Keys, which govern dexterity and agility.

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