After rereading Book 4, I experienced a mini epiphany about the meaning of bird images in the tarot. Previously, I assumed that birds signified “spirit.” But now, I believe I was mistaken.
I now think that bird images act as a visual proxy for the “mind/body/spirit complex” or, more clearly, “the Significant Self.”
The Significant Self comprises three “parts” represented by card 5 (the Hierophant), card 12 (the Hanged Man), and card 19 (the Sun). This trinity of Mind, Body, Spirit is You (with a capital “Y”). I envision this trinity as the three tarot cards pressed together and then picked up from the table where the other cards lie to stand like a game piece on a tarot board game. This You, this Significant Self, then moves around and interacts with the other cards. The cards illustrate this kind of interaction by depicting the Significant Self as a bird, and the way its wings point conveys meaningful information, such as “the Significant Self relies upon this card” or “the Significant Self uses this card.”
Examples:
In the Magician, a bird is in a cage, wings closed. Translation: The Significant Self is trapped/unable to fly or evolve without help/action.
In Justice, a bird flies above the “Body” (the female seated figure), with both its wings pointing at the Body. Translation: The Significant Self desires to (and does) inhabit a body. The bird also appears to be perched atop the column-like feathers emerging from the head of the little man behind the “Body.” (This little man represents, in my view, the internal intelligence that manages the Body’s autonomic functions, so that we no longer need to control them consciously.) Translation: the Significant Self is supported by the body’s inner operating intelligence.
In The Empress, a bird approaches while still in flight, pointing at the Empress with one wing and down at materiality with the other. Translation: The Significant Self desires to use the powers of catalyst (also known as reality creation) to create the optimal set of life experiences.
In The Emperor, a bird resides within the Emperor’s chest. Once again, one wing extends forward while the other points downward. Translation: The Significant Self uses the powers of observation and experience to advance its spiritual evolution. (The bird points to the left side in this image, but inside a milky white torso.) With the Empress, the bird exists outside the figure (which I translate as “desires to use”), whereas the bird is inside the Emperor (which I translate as “actual use”…no asking or desiring in this case).
In Strength (Enchantress), a bird perches (lands on?) on the figure’s head, once more directing its wings down and toward the figure. Translation: The Significant Self desires experiences while in a body, and it learns from (i.e., stands on top of) those experiences.
I just thought I’d share this in case it helps someone trying to translate these images.