Egipcios Kier Tarot - 44 Expressiveness and 51 Advice

Today, we’ll explore two cards from the Egipcios Kier Tarot. The first card, 44 Expressiveness, reveals the realm of artistic mastery and discernment. It depicts a skilled artisan sculpting a majestic pharaoh from stone, emphasizing not only the power of human action, but also the wisdom required to see clearly and choose what to bring forth from many possibilities. In the second card, 51 Advice, we encounter a gateway to clarity and wise authority as a figure kneels before a priest, seeking guidance grounded in truth and reason.

Card 44 Expressiveness portrays artistic mastery and the disciplined expression. It includes the astrological symbol for Saturn, the Spanish letter Ñ, as well as the number 8, which represents stability and boundaries. In this image, we witness the skillful hands of an artisan wielding a chisel and mallet to create a stone sculpture. Slowly, but surely, a majestic pharaoh begins to emerge from the stone. Like Michelangelo, this artist removes what is unnecessary in order to reveal the figure he has discerned within.

This act of sculpting closely mirrors the energy of the Seven of Cups in traditional tarot. Upright, the Seven of Cups speaks of discernment, looking ahead, knowing what you want, creative visualization, and choosing wisely among many options. The sculptor stands before what could be infinite potential forms within the stone. Yet he does not attempt to create everything at once. He chooses and commits to one clear vision

Three symbols float above the scene: a hand, a doorway, and the Hebrew letter Dalet. The hand, symbolizing human action and connection, reflects the artisan’s dedication to his craft. To the right are three lines forming a π shape or dolmen, a portal tomb, each line ending in small circles, suggesting multiple pathways or possibilities. The Hebrew letter Dalet, meaning “door,” hints at gateways awaiting exploration. Yet, like the Seven of Cups, the card reminds us that not every door should be opened. Discernment is essential.

Beneath the image, a hieroglyphic-style representation of a man’s head with a goatee evokes the archetype of the artist, one who must balance imagination with grounded execution.

Stuart Kaplan notes that in Ancient Egypt, sculptors were revered as “masters of life,” their creations believed to endure forever. Carving a name into the base of a statue ensured immortality of the soul it represented. Statues within tombs provided refuge for the spirit. In this image, the statue represents a Pharaoh, the embodiment of royal authority and divine order, suggesting that what we choose to shape in our lives carries enduring consequence.

Kaplan writes that the card symbolizes an articulate individual, fulfillment of a creative endeavor, mastery in shaping events, or the fruits of focused application and concentration. Through the lens of the Seven of Cups, this mastery arises not from fantasy but from clarity.

Reversed, the Seven of Cups warns of fantasy, wishful thinking, delusion, and being carried away by emotion or daydreams. In the context of Expressiveness, reversal may indicate scattering one’s creative energies, imitating others rather than honoring one’s own vision, or becoming overwhelmed by too many possibilities. The sculptor who cannot choose will never complete the statue.

This card invites you to know yourself deeply so that your choices are rooted in clarity rather than illusion. By cultivating boundaries and disciplined focus, you can shape your life with intention and bring forth something enduring and authentic.

Turning to the second card, 51 Advice, we encounter a gateway to wise counsel and intellectual authority. Its title features the astrological symbol for Venus, the letter U, and the harmonious number 6. Yet beyond harmony, this card now resonates strongly with the archetype of the King of Swords, the fair judge, the strategist, the clear thinker.

Within the image, one figure kneels before another. Standing before the inquirer is a bald man in ornate clothing, suggesting a priest or sage. He appears to be reading from a scroll or inscribing it, symbolizing knowledge preserved and transmitted with precision.

Four symbols float above the image. Three suggest votive offerings: a curved line ending in delicate circles representing spiritual flow; a hieroglyph resembling an offering plate; and the Hebrew letter Kaf, meaning the palm of the hand, emphasizing intentional action. The fourth symbol is a cartouche containing Maat’s feather of truth and balance, a half circle suggesting new beginnings, and a crowned head with serpent and feather, evoking wisdom and divine protection.

Maat’s feather is especially significant in light of the King of Swords. Upright, the King of Swords represents clarity of thought, authority, boundaries, strategic thinking, and strong communication. He is a fair judge who weighs truth carefully. The kneeling figure seeks reasoned, principled guidance.

Beneath the scene, the silhouette of a jackal is encased within a cartouche. Associated with burial grounds, the desert dwelling jackal carries an otherworldly aura, but also keen instinct and watchfulness. The silhouette is also reminiscent of our canine companions, sometimes called “man’s best friend” whose senses and instincts we often rely on. Like the King of Swords, it suggests alert awareness and the capacity to perceive what others overlook.

Stuart Kaplan identifies the standing figure as Imhotep, healer, sage, architect of the Step Pyramid, and High Priest of Ra. As counselor to Pharaoh Zoser, Imhotep embodied intellectual mastery applied to practical ends. His later association with Asclepius ensured his legacy as a symbol of wisdom and healing. Here, he stands as an archetype of disciplined intellect and ethical authority.

Kaplan assigns meanings such as wisdom applied practically, manifestation of ideas into tangible works, healing, restoration, and recovery. Through the lens of the King of Swords, these qualities arise from clarity, sound judgment, and well-defined boundaries. Advice is not merely comforting; it is incisive and strategic.

Reversed, the King of Swords can indicate stubbornness, tyranny, manipulation, misuse of power, or rigid thinking. In the context of this card, reversed energy may warn of advice given without compassion. Authority without integrity becomes oppressive.

This card urges us to seek counsel from those who combine intellect with ethical balance, and to cultivate that clarity within ourselves.

Together, 44 Expressiveness and 51 Advice highlight the interplay between discernment and clarity.

The sculptor (Seven of Cups) must choose wisely from many possibilities and commit to a clear vision. The sage (King of Swords) must think strategically, communicate truthfully, maintaining strong ethical boundaries. Creative vision without discernment dissolves into fantasy. Authority without clarity devolves into tyranny.

When these energies work together, we gain the ability to envision our path and then evaluate it with reason. We shape our lives not from illusion but from conscious choice, guided by wisdom and truth.

The ideas raised by these cards lead me to consider my personal connection to Judaism, community, and the study of Jewish texts. The Seven of Cups energy speaks to the many possible identities and paths that once lay before me and the discernment required to choose a spiritual direction that felt authentic. The King of Swords lives in my memory of a rabbi whose heart and mind worked together, offering guidance grounded in wisdom and integrity. I still long to fully regain the ability to express myself, which was quashed in childhood. I remember the pleasure and wholeness I experienced the first time I could clearly articulate my thoughts and feelings. That clarity could be compared to carving something true from stone. These two cards remind me of the power of self-expression and the desire to learn from outstanding individuals.