Waite 7 of cups
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| little |
04 Jan 2003 |
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What is the significance of the objects in the seven cups presented to the seeker? Here's the bits and pieces I noticed:
Only two are glowing, the figure in the white veil and the pile of jewels. The glowing figure is glowing more brightly, and with its arms outstretched, I think it might be the 'right' choice.
Three are blue- the head (it looks peaceful), the castle, and the menacing dragon. But if they have something in common, I'm not sure what it is.
Why is the figure in white hiding its face? Is it the mystery of spiritual wisdom? An angel?
Is the golden snake slithering toward the figure in white?
The laurel wreath, which I associate with victory and public acclaim, looks like a good choice, but the light reflected on the cup makes a skull- the only cup that has an effect like this.
I'd love some insight on this card.
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| allibee |
04 Jan 2003 |
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Hi
I dont have this particular deck but the feel of the card is similar in most decks, the feel of wishful thinking, unrealistic goals and therefore illusions.
In short, here we have someone who thinks they are going to be the next Formula One Racing Driver Champion, when they've never even had a driving lesson. OK, that's a bit extreme, but that is the feel I have for this card. The person in this situation and mindset.
The advice of the card, following on from that analogy, is to get your provisional licence, some 'L' plates and some lessons. In other words, if you want to make something happen, be a bit more realistic and stop wishing your life away. Daydreams and fantasies are fun and prove you have an active imagination, but they are exactly that ... daydreams and imagination. Illusions which do not reflect reality.
allibee
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| Sulis |
04 Jan 2003 |
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This is a card of choices and indecision. I haven`t got the RWS deck either but in the decks which I have the man seems to be looking at the choices in the cups not knowing which one to choose. I also agree with Alibee , this card is often a card which depicts someone daydreaming about unrealistic goals. I have heard the 7 cups described as a card of prophecy as well.
Love and light
Crystalmynx xx
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| little |
04 Jan 2003 |
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Thank you all for your ideas.
I understand the meaning of the card overall.
What I'm most interested in is why Waite chose those particular objects to put in the cups, and what their symbolic meanings might be.
I'm certain that he chose those seven images for a reason...
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| WolfSpirit |
04 Jan 2003 |
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I found this in Rachel Pollack's 78 degrees of wisdom:
cups on the bottom row:
adventure (the castle)
richess (jewelry)
victory (wreath)
fear (dragon)
top row: archetypes from mythology:
face of the god
mysterious shining figure
snake, symbol of paranormal wisdom.
78 degrees is very good if you want to dig deep into the symbolism of rider-waite, I seem to remember pollack even describes why on the tower card there are so many sparks on either side of the tower.
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| allibee |
04 Jan 2003 |
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It's basically just a representation of all the spheres of a persons life: health; wealth; home; love; spirit; courage etc, etc. I don't think there is any thing mind bogglingly esoteric or exoteric behind the imagery. It's just universally recognisable symbolism getting a big idea into a small space.
allibee
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| Alex |
04 Jan 2003 |
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but that of working on the choices you've already made.
Or else, having to do the necessary work in order to make a previous choice "happen".
I see those cups as the necessary "material" that has been gathered already and what one has to do is to mix it all in the right proportions in order get the "alchemical" transformation.
Like someone who's got the sugar, the flour, the eggs and the milk all lined up- THE CAKE IS ALREADY THERE, IN POTENTIAL; one is not choosing between eggs, milk, flour etc. One is contemplating them and trying to figure how to bring about the cake.
Alex.
Originally posted by allibee
In other words, if you want to make something happen, be a bit more realistic and stop wishing your life away. Daydreams and fantasies are fun and prove you have an active imagination, but they are exactly that ... daydreams and imagination. Illusions which do not reflect reality.
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| lupo138 |
05 Jan 2003 |
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I read that card as "illusions" in 50% of cases, too.
The cups to me are as follows:
Face in the upper left corner - beauty
castle on the left at the bottom: power in the world
jewels at the bottom left: wealth
laurel on the bottom right: fame
the wonderful tiny dragon on the right at the bottom: spiritual power
the snake in the upper left corner: wisdom
the veiled "mushroom" in the middle: the goal that the querent is looking for.
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| Pollux |
05 Jan 2003 |
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Originally posted by little
The laurel wreath, which I associate with victory and public acclaim, looks like a good choice, but the light reflected on the cup makes a skull- the only cup that has an effect like this. The Laurel and the skull are the image of Eternity and Time.
The Laurel is sacred to Pheobus, Protector of Poets and artists and Leader of the Muses. The Laurel wreath, from ancient times till more or less Renaissance, was the outer acknowledgement of great poetic or artistic achievements.
For example, Dante in his Paradiso of the Commedia invokes the God/Apollo to receive the artistic skill and mastery needed to render his experience of the Heavens as true-to-life and forthcoming as possible. Thus, he says, he will gain the laurel wreath and, along with it, unremitting glory and eternal fame, not bound to decay but carrying his name in future centuries to come.
The Skull is obviously an image of death and material consumption. It sort of wraps, together with the chalice, as a necessary outer container (matter bound to decay), the grace of eternal life.
I think this is a very important part of this card - the character is literally overlooking the aspect... Probably scared by Time and its implications (death/being unable to accomplish and conclude the very important goal begun).
I like Lupo's brief explanation, and agree with them as well.
And everything that was said so far resonates with me too. })
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| firemaiden |
05 Jan 2003 |
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Thank you thank you for asking this question. I am having a field day thinking, getting very excited, …
You might even consider this card as symbolic of symbolism itself, i.e. “metasymbolic” here is a vivid depiction of the very mechanism at work in the tarot!!!!!! Popping out of each cup is an image saying “HI ! I AM AN ARCHETYPE ".
Like a sort of baudelairian “forest of symbols” – … a host of symbols are "looking" at the person, with "familiar glances" -- which cup the person chooses is like that which the subconcious mind allows to surface from the forest.
Just a few specific thoughts on what is in these cups:
The head: – A Goddess? Fine, Why do I immediately think the severed head of Medusa with the hair of snakes? This head is only beautiful, but there is still something spooky.
Also, does anyone remember that L.Frank Baum fairy tale (was it Queen Xixi of Ix?) in which a queen has a room full of spare heads to choose from when she dresses in the morning, each one with a different personality… .?
Pollack says beauty? –hmmm… well, it is a disembodied head…
The veiled creature: Is it the mystery of spiritual wisdom? The Delphi Oracle? Or the veiled Medusa, whose unveiling reveals your death?
The Snake the snake of psychic wisdom? or the fangs of temptation, sin, and death?
The Castle looks a lot like Sleeping Beauty’s castle. – the sleeping realm, awaiting for the prince’s kiss...but it also looks like a sand castle!
The Gleaming Gold Treasure Is it the dragon's hoard? Your reward for braving his fire? or the devil's enchanted bait to Marguerite, to lure her in, debase her and catch her soul? or the Midas gold, one touch and you are turned to gold?
The Dragon Fafner? The dragon slain by Siegfried ? His blood gave Siegried the psychic gifts of understanding birds speech, and hearing the true intent of liars words. Or is it the basilisk? one look in his eyes and you are turned to stone?
The Wreath – why should the laurel -- of poetic victory be accompanied by the spectre of death? Is it because of the trials one has to pass (kill the dragon, collect the princess) along the path to victory?
I think they do all have something in common. It is as if each one represents a specific psychic test, with two possible outcomes -- answer the enigma, if you guess right, you win the princess, guess wrong, and you will be beheaded...
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| firemaiden |
05 Jan 2003 |
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P.S. I remember now, I read somewhere, where??? that each cup represented being psychic... (where???)
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| Keslynn |
06 Jan 2003 |
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Snakes are sacred to an old mother goddess of sort and often are indicative of psychic powers. The oracle at Delphi was sacred to Pythian Apollo. Pythian = related to the python. He got that title by slaying the huge snake that used to reside at the site. Basically, people who study mythology see this as symbolic of the followers of Apollo taking over what used to be a place dedicated to a mother goddess. Also, there is a specific instance in the Bible where a girl who could prophecy was possessed of a snake demon. You don't see that detail in the English translation but it's there in the original Greek. Thus, snakes are associated with the power of prophecy.
:) Kes
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The Waite 7 of cups thread was originally posted on 04 Jan 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.
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