rider

INTERPRETATION


Approach, action, change, intrusion, speed, pushiness


About the meaning:
The two probably most used interpretations of the Rider are "news" and "change". I include these in my own interpretation, too. But from the mental image of a rider gallopping towards me with great speed, I derived quite a few other dimensions of meanings which I have found just as productive, if not more!

News / to bring something: Traditionally, the Rider is often interpreted as news, or as messages. Without context, these news can be good (e.g. a good job offer) but could also be unwelcome (e.g. a layoff). What type of message or news the Rider brings has to be derived from surrounding cards, or context.
Personally, I don't often use the Rider as a representative of "news", though. I have found it more useful to interpret him as a person or a situation who/which brings something with them. He can also stand more generally for something which is approaching, coming closer. And he can even represent, in a methodic sense, a certain approach to something.

Action / change / unfamiliar: Looking at the card, it will hopefully be intuitively clear that another important meaning of the Rider is "action". The card can indicate that it is time to take action, or that there's a lot of activity going on. Often, the Rider indicates action in the form of change. Now, there are several cards in the Lenromand deck which address change in one way or another. I personally like to limit each of these cards's interpretations to a specific type of change. This makes their interpretations clearer, less interchangeable. In the case of the Rider, I limit the change that the Rider stands for to change which is brought about by others, change which comes towards the querent (and not as change they bring about of their own volition).
Lastly, when things change, their new way of being is unfamiliar to us at first. That's why, in some cases, I interpret the Rider as something or someone unfamiliar, as a stranger, or as a novelty which has turned up in someone's life.

Intrusion / meddling / harassment: If something or someone enters areas of our lives against our wishes, this can be called an intrusion. The Rider to me represents intrusion and invasion, for example an invasion of privacy, home invasion, but also obtrusive behaviour or intrusive thoughts. It can represent a person who is trying to interfere with our lives, a busybody, someone who tries to meddle with other people's affairs. The Rider can stand for badgering, for importuning, and, depending on the context and surrounding cards, I have even read the Rider as harassment or assault. As positive advice, though, the Rider could also mean that something should be tackled. He can suggest that an intervention needs to be staged, that pushing for something is necessary.

Speed / hurry / surprise: The Rider can stand for anything that happens with speed, that is done swiftly. He can represent the simple fact that we are pressed for time. But he can also be a warning that we shouldn't hurry so much. In combination with other cards, the Rider can mean that the issues these other cards address need to be dealt with swiftly. And finally, the Rider can represent anything which surprises us - anything which happend so quickly we didn't see it coming.

To be overwhelmed / pushiness / ardour: When something happens to us very quickly, or if too much happens at once, we feel overwhelmed. These experiences can be subsumed under the Rider's meaning, too. The card can stand for overwhelming situations, but also for personality traits which easily overwhelm others - it can represent a flamboyant, cocky, or pushy person, and anything which is penetrative, overwhelming, shrill. The Rider can stand for bravado, swaggering, and pompousness. But he can also, less negatively, stand for honest exuberance, and ardour.

See also: the annakblogs articles >> Is the Rider a positive or negative card? and >> Why does your Rider face leftward?


About the Image: The Rider was one of the cards that eluded me longest. But when he finally turned up, he jumped out right at me! This is mirrored in the image. My Rider's horse is jumping across a barrier right at the viewer, almost as if it were jumping straight out of the picture! Nothing will stop this man and his horse; they want to reach their goal and so they will. There's a lot of speed and drive and immediatness in the horse's and its rider's bodies. In the backbround, behind the hills, the sun is going to rise soon - a new day is just beginning. I felt this made the Rider's role as the bringer of news and change even clearer.  
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