View Full Version : What about that snail.
Something that has always bugged me is the snail on the 9 of pentacles. I love this card and really connect with it on a personal level. I was reading through some threads today and someone asked about the snail. I am a little obsessed with the snail so I always turn to the 9 of pentacles first in any new tarot book. I had never seen it discussed or expained. Just, hey look there's a snail.
Untill......
I bought the book Tarot and the Tree of Life by Isabel Radow Kliegman.
At last, not only is the snail mentioned but actually explained.
She says "It's a snail.Yuck! What is he doing on the card? No not yuck. He's part of the natural world. She accepts him in the same way she accepts the bounty of the garden and the falcon. He is welcome. He's part of it all. He's part of us. You can't be at one with nature unless you are at one with all of nature, and being at one with the nature "out there" is a metaphor for being at one with your own internal nature. If you can't enjoy a garden unless it is free of pests, unless each leaf and flower is perfect, you will never enjoy a garden. Similarly, if you cannot accept yourself because of your flaws and failings, if you cannot accept yourself as worthy of abundance and love unless you are perfect, you will never enjoy yourself. The snail represents our human failings; the serenity that the lady's demeanor expresses is the peace that comes from really being comfortable with yourself, really liking yourself just as you are."
Alot to get out of a snail. But I'm happy with the explaination. In my own mind I always saw the snail as saying- things aren't always as perfect as they seem. There might be a little snail just waiting to slim up you beautiful grapes. There will always be those little irritations so accept them and enjoy life anyway.
So I guess I wasn't so far off on my interpretation.
.
I'd be interested to know of any other book that explains the snail, or what your own insights are. I'm a sucker for obscurity. Nameste
A snail has an essential role on the garden. Using it to represent some sort of fault, seems disingenuous. It equates a lesser role with failure, or a flaw. I know of office buildings where the workers look down upon the janitor, because of his lesser role in the building. Does that imply that he is less of a person, that his morals and ethics are automatically flawed because of his lesser role?
Sandra A. Thomson, in her "Pictures from the Heart" book states that the snail......"Appearing mostly at night, snails are a lunar symbol, therefore a symbol of feminine energy and the cycle of death/rebirth, ending/beginning, continuity, and fertility. Because of its shell, it is linked to the symbolism of the spiral and to self-sufficiency...... represents slow and steady progress made in the journey 'home'(towards enlightenment)
Hi lark,
If you go to the sticky at the head of the Using Tarot Cards Forum then scroll down to Minor aracana - nines, there's a fascinating thread similarly entitled.
Eve
Thank-you Aoife, that was a big help to me.
You see I have to look at a snail in the context of my life. I'm a gardener and snails are a pest to a gardener. They slime up your lettuce and you can't eat it. I respect all life and see it as necessary in the big scheme of things. I'm an organic gardener because of that belief. I don't view a snail or any creature as lowly or lesser. Their knowledge and wisdom far exceed mine. My garden snails were well able to outwit any organic attempt to get them out of the lettuce. I finally just let them have the lettuce bed.
And all of this leads me to a question. In the thread, RW 9 of pentacles and a snail. Mojo said " The Egyptians used the snail to symbolize eternity and the vastness of the universe. Also the tendency of life to start off broad and grand and to eventually spiral down to it's basics as we get older. That along with Gerbear's description from Pictures of the Heart are wonderful and insightful peeks into the meaning of the snail. I'll be adding them to my notebook.
But what if someone put you on a desert island with the nine of pentacles and said , tell me what this means?
I don't know anything about Egyptian Hieroglyphs, or moon symbols, or ancient beliefs. I only know my own snail experiance.
Is that wrong?
This has made me very sad.
I didn't mean to offend.
I was a cook and dishwasher for years. I know how it feels to be looked at as flawed because I was preceived as having a lesser role than others around me.
So I'm confused, should we follow our intuition and life experiances when interpreting a card or look through a book to find the answer?
I think that the Tarot and the Tree of Life book validated my gardening experiance so I thought it was a good explanation.
I thought if someone else sees what I see I must be on the right track.
So I stopped there.
Should I have punched snail into a search engine and learned about every other cultures belief about the snail? Maybe.
But then the card isn't personal to me- it's way out there in some strange culture that I can't connect with. And I believe I have to learn my own myth first before I can adopt someone elses.
I hope I don't sound narrow minded. I truly believe in the joy of learning new things.
I don't know.
Like I said I'm confussed and sad about the whole thing. And truly didn't mean to offend. Nameste
.
Oh lark, you sound so disheartened.
Originally posted by lark
Should I have punched snail into a search engine and learned about every other cultures belief about the snail? Maybe.
But then the card isn't personal to me- it's way out there in some strange culture that I can't connect with. And I believe I have to learn my own myth first before I can adopt someone elses.
.
For what its worth, I entirely agree with you!
My intuition is precious, it has grown with me and has been shaped by my experiences and understanding of the world. For sure, I want to remain open to learning but in the process I refuse to doubt what my intution tells me in the here and now.
Gebear, I'm at a loss to understand how it could be considered disingenuous to consider the negative aspects of a symbol - or for that matter, a snail. Nor do I understand the analogy you offer.
[i]Originally posted by Aoife
My intuition is precious, it has grown with me and has been shaped by my experiences and understanding of the world. For sure, I want to remain open to learning but in the process I refuse to doubt what my intution tells me in the here and now.
I truly believe with my whole heart what you wrote above. If I didn't I'd have to give up reading tarot. Thank you for your kind words they lightened my heart. Nameste
wolfen045
19-10-2003, 16:35
Lark I think books are important to give us a starting point. Then we need to go on from there. Each deck is a book and we all learn how to read it in our own ways. Your intuition is very important in reading the cards both for yourself and others. Blessings, wolfen
Everything about the Tarot is Symbolism, The Snail means that she can go at a snails pace, slow and steady. Most people I know cannot afford the luxury of doing this, with bills and work. Debt is the modern slavery of our society today. People HAVE to work, and some even hold down several jobs. In the nine of pentacles, she is free. truly free to do what she wants. SHe can travel, enjoy life at a snails pace. slow and easy.
The Snail = 1.618033963
Which relates to both the Falcon and its handler in myriad of ways.
Begin at your knuckles. Measure the individual finger joints. What is the ratio between them? What is the ratio between the distance from your mouth to chin in relation to the distance from mouth to nose?
What is the size difference between each spiral on a snail cross section?
1.618033963 is referred to as the ‘golden ratio’. It repeats itself in all living things. It is also represents the ratio between Fibonacci numbers.
Mojo once said, “Falcons are wild creatures and master hunters. To tame any bird of prey to hunt on command takes incredible discipline and patience on the part of the trainer. There must exist absolute trust between the falconer and her bird. One single slip up could result in disaster. The expert handler exudes confidence at all times in the field of play. It is an amazing sport”
The snail is a reminder of successful relationships, both personal and mathematical…and your attitude at and towards work – is a relationship…
anjocoxo
20-10-2003, 05:19
I'm gonna say something really repulsive to you guys... here in portugal we eat snails. It's usual in the summer, people going through the fields looking for them, and then cook them, and eat them. For us, snails are not discusting, they're a part of the nature. I personally love snails, because they're slow and steady (my favourite animal is the turtle - see any similarities?).
In the 9 of pentacles I see the snail just like matfav does: "SHe can travel, enjoy life at a snails pace. slow and easy."
The fact that it's slow, doesn't mean it's stupid or inferior... do you remeber the tale about the race between the rabbit and the turtle?
Anjo
Hi,
i think the snail in nine pentacles is telling us about unity. Don't think about being less or bothering the scene. In that card is reminding the concept of unity, each living creature is there with a role, a reason. The woman in the card is concious and complete in the garden, with all the living creatures there. She has realized the meaning of unity in spite differences.
Love and be happy
Sylvie.
I've read the the snail is a natural symbol of the labyrinth. Does that change the meaning for anyone?
TemperanceAngel
16-03-2004, 16:37
This thread is worth a re-hash! XTAX
ScarabFlight
16-03-2004, 23:47
Oooohhh, lots of good stuff in this thread!
For what it's worth Lark, I didn't find anything offensive in your post. Actually I thought it was quite uplifting. Thank you.
Phoenyx*
17-03-2004, 05:53
Thank you for bringing this thread back to life TA. Umbrae's post about the ratio is absolutely fascinating.
Nitegoddess
17-03-2004, 06:14
This was definitely enlightening. I have always wondered about that but being a newbie I am concentrating on one element at a time. This definitely was one for my study book. Thanks :D
Wow, I think this was the very first thread I ever started.
I was so happy to make a connection to my little snail I wanted to share it with everyone.
It didn't turn out so well at the time.
But, I'm glad you have all found something to learn in it.
I learned alot to.
I just love that little snail!
Ambrosia
17-08-2009, 21:46
Just wanted to bring this thread back to life as I find it quite fascinating.
I love this explanation below. It's a wonderful way to interpret the snail in this card, that we must accept flaws in order to appreciate the beauty around us.
I bought the book Tarot and the Tree of Life by Isabel Radow Kliegman.
At last, not only is the snail mentioned but actually explained.
She says "It's a snail.Yuck! What is he doing on the card? No not yuck. He's part of the natural world. She accepts him in the same way she accepts the bounty of the garden and the falcon. He is welcome. He's part of it all. He's part of us. You can't be at one with nature unless you are at one with all of nature, and being at one with the nature "out there" is a metaphor for being at one with your own internal nature. If you can't enjoy a garden unless it is free of pests, unless each leaf and flower is perfect, you will never enjoy a garden. Similarly, if you cannot accept yourself because of your flaws and failings, if you cannot accept yourself as worthy of abundance and love unless you are perfect, you will never enjoy yourself. The snail represents our human failings; the serenity that the lady's demeanor expresses is the peace that comes from really being comfortable with yourself, really liking yourself just as you are."
I always saw the snail as a little reminder to "slow down" and smell the roses (or in this case have a glass of wine lol). To "take it easy" so to speak.
The Nine of Pentacles for me is all about enjoying what you have achieved, taking a leisurely "time out" to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
The snail reminds us that we don't always have to be rushing around "doing" things. We can just slow down and take it all in.
Great thread.
lots of snails to ponder in the Paulina
thorhammer
17-08-2009, 23:40
Hmm, interesting. See, that snail says to me, first and foremost, "self-containment". I, too, love this card and connect strongly to it; it speaks to me of borders, boundaries, security and having all that one needs, having built it oneself. The snail reiterates that and is a reminder that much of what is tangled up in our lives is extraneous. It reminds me of what is important; or it states that what I need to know is closer than I thought.
\m/ Kat
Ambrosia
18-08-2009, 00:01
See, that snail says to me, first and foremost, "self-containment".
Ooh! Love that interpretation too thorhammer! Yes that would make complete sense seeing as she is the "independent, self sufficient woman".
rwcarter
18-08-2009, 00:31
I love this explanation below. It's a wonderful way to interpret the snail in this card, that we must accept flaws in order to appreciate the beauty around us.
I'm sorry. I have snails in my garden and the only thing I appreciate about them is the crunch they make. Yes, they are attracted to beauty and to that which is succulent and sweet, but they are still a pest. And I know how to deal with pests....
So now I guess I have an alternate interpretation for the 9P - enjoyed beauty disrupted by the need to deal with unpleasantness. (Although garden snails are wild and Gordon Ramsay had a great way to deal with them....)
To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall,
As if he grew there, house and all
Together.
Within that house secure he hides,
When danger imminent betides
Of storm, or other harm besides
Of weather.
Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting power is such
He shrinks into his house with much
Displeasure.
Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.
Thus hermit-like*, his life he leads,
Nor partner of his banquet needs,
And if he meets one only feeds
The faster.
Who seeks him must be worse than blind,*
(He and his house are so combined,)
If, finding it, he fails to find
Its master.
William Cowper "The Snail" (1731)
Kwaw
*As 9 we may make perhaps an analogy with the IX the hermit; snail we may see as analogy of the Hermits staff, that aids the old man's slow but steady pace; the hawk is free to fly once its blind is removed so we too are made free by the revelation of the light (hermits raised lamp).
thorhammer
18-08-2009, 02:28
Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.Oh, kwaw, what a lovely poem! The whole thing, but particularly this verse, describe how this card strikes me.
I've always loved snails and what they represent (not that I like it when they eat my roquette!) . . . this is a great discussion.
\m/ Kat
I'm also more in the self-containment, slow & easy camp. Also, the knowledge how to protect yourself and your borders ... yet knowing when it's safe to come out and feast!
We always had a wilderness garden back home ... with a place for everything in it ... of course, there are some years when the garden is virtually overrun with snails, but that's the red, houseless variety. The ones with houses, called wineyard snails here, never did enough harm to fight them.
Ambrosia
18-08-2009, 04:02
That is a lovely poem kwaw, thanks for sharing.
I think the Nine of pentacles lady can definitely be seen to represent some of those hermit qualities. She is alone and seems content to be. She is self sufficient and has no need or desire for anyone else at this time.
Yes, as both this card and the Hermit are numbered nine, the snail is a wonderful reference to the correlation between the two, the snail being self sufficient, carrying all it needs on its back and wandering wherever it may.
I am enjoying this thread too, and am amazed at how much symbolism can be found in that one tiny little snail.
I am enjoying this thread too, and am amazed at how much symbolism can be found in that one tiny little snail.
Me to! I love the idea of self-containment; everything we need we carry with us; self sufficiency and independence from others. Everything the 9 of Pentacles stands for.
The 9 of Pents is one of my favourite cards!
I love lark's focus on the snail! :) I do think we pick up on images in a card for a reason. :)
Here is the original thread about the snail (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=2266) which someone referred to. It talks about the snail's spirals and reference to Pi, along with some other neat stuff including:
Slugs are hermaphroditic, and the gender-neutral pronouns "sie" and "hir" will be used for this page.Slug is a very "mystical" sort of Spirit Animal. While animals like mountain lion or raccoon are very earth-based, Slug has a more ethereal quality to hir teachings.
Slug leaves trails that are iridescent... seemingly magical. These trails are often interpretted to be signs and totems left by Slug, and can be interpretted. Slug is a great communicator, both mundane and spiritual. Slug is nocturnal and has ties with the moon.
Slug Medicine is in its most primal basic form that of a healer. Not too long ago, Native Americans used to let Banana Slug crawl around in their mouths when they had a toothache, because Slug's mucous is an anaesthetic. Slug's wisdom includes that of healing body, mind, and spirit, and represents the connections that must be healthy between these for overall well-being.
Slug can cling to glass, upside down, yet to the touch, the "slime" is slick and is used to rid hirself of gunk... like anything wet and sliming around in the leaves and dirt would collect. It just slides off of Slug (you can see it at the end of their tails sometimes). This is another part of Slug's wisdom -- letting go, or leaving behind the "junk" and garbage of life... rumors, bad feelings, stories, material ties, attachment and so on. Slug is of balance, represented by sticky mucous to help hir hold on when it is important -- a solid base -- versus slick slime to help hir shed the trivial things.
Slug is not very connected to the physical world. Slug may lose part of hir body during mating; this is for the continuation of the species and is not mourned (it does in fact help slugs in the long run). Slug sheds hirself of all material things. Sie eats on the move. Sie shelters wherever there may be shelter.
Slug's medicine also includes incredible strength. Particularly hidden strength. It may not seem like it, looking at that little squishy critter with no bones and only a rudimentary shell inside. But Slug is almost pure muscle. Sie moves by tiny ripples of those muscles. The foot muscles are the most evidence of this... you can see them moving watching a slug on a piece of glass, from underneath.
Slug also has the Wisdom of self-protection and hiding. Slug can pull hirself almost entirely under hir mantle, protecting most of hir vital organs. Sie protects hirself from predators in this way. Sie also protects hirself from the harsh sun and dryness by hiding under a stone or piece of wood or in a crack, emerging in the gentle night.
Part of Slug's teachings include simplicity. Slugs live simply (survival -- food/shelter/reproduction) and are simple organisms.
Also, Slug's wisdom is that of seeing the world of spirit and shadow -- seeing beyond the mundane and clairvoyance. Slug can't "see" in terms of shape and color. They see in pure light and shadow.
Slug has a great deal to teach us about gender and sexuality. Slug may be considered to be a combination of both male and female, or an independant gender. They can reproduce with any other Slug (and suffer no sexism!), and also by themselves if a suitable partner can't be found. Slug, like many other living things, challenges the duality of deity. Exceptionally fertile, many slugs lay hundreds of eggs at a time.
tarotcardrose
12-10-2009, 00:08
Sorry, for the reply I have been busy but think this is an interesting comment. I didn't read all the replies, so sorry if someone mentioned it.
I always take this card, a woman enjoying herself amidst her abundance. Grapes, vineyard, represent wealth. But I also take this woman as older at times.
The snail to be represents that this woman has come to a place where she can enjoy the finer things, but that it took time. This wealth wasn't acquired fast. And to remember that. This sometimes comes up for self employment, retirement, or just enjoying the finer life.
But the snail, represents that it was a slow progress. In other words, things don't always come easy. No lotto winnings or get rich quick. In time the querent will enjoy life. It comes up in my readings a lot. And I am so happy to have a successful thriving tarot business. Many other readers comment on it, and ask how I got so busy. But people don't realize I studied the cards for 20 years....daily. It took hard work...a lot of it. Reading the Tarot cards for hours, daily for 20 +