17. Crook & Flail Upright Crook & Flail is a card of authority, leadership and worldly status. It denotes a step up in the world, a promotion, a successful business or worldly success in general. Crook and flail may also indicate work contracts. Being a card of authority it indicates the establishment in general. Self discipline and mastery of the ego are also denoted. Reversed Crook & Flail reversed indicates a tendency towards self-gratification, domination and bossiness. There might not be any real authority or leadership here but plain conceitedness and arrogance. Meditation Crook and Flail could be a good meditation aid for gaining self discipline and mastery of the ego.