Little Baron
I am really pleased to reach the fours, because they hold some of my favourite images in the deck. Some of the more calming ones which I appreciate for quiet introspection.
The fours are as follows -
Obatala, the loa of earth
La Beleine, the great whale of the water
Agwe la Flambeau, a boat amongst a burnt out fiery landscape
Agwe, a boat on the sea, but in the suit of air. [this may seem a strange association, since this loa is a patron of the sea, but in Golden Dawn symbology, the whole of Chesed is the realm of the sea, apparently]
These four reside in the sphere of Chesed in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.
Agwe is one of my favourite images here, and one of the lwa that I have warmed to in recent associations. Like Nan Nan Bouclou, Agwe is not a character within the card or a member of the ship which is shown. He is not even the ship or it's captain. He is the ocean. And here, he is the part of that which can be seen where the sky meets the sea on the horizon. Sailors honour him so that he will make it safe for them to travel on the waters.
Agwe is a lover of Erzulie in her form as La Sirene, the loa often depicted as a mermaid. This already brings up interesting thoughts about what it might be like to see the both of them arise in a reading. There would be something quite sensual in their interaction, since he is the great ocean that she swims amongst.
This card feels safe and calm to me, which is why I began to create a box in honour of Agwe recently - colouring it in many sea-theme-coloured sequins and shells. Thinking of the number four, I can understand how this loa has the secure and protective qualities of that numerological value. In air, I feel that he stills the mind from worry.
Agwe la Flambeau offers a similar image, but with quite a contrast. The salty water has been joined by molten lava. It has boiled the water and produced steam. Luckily, the boat is made of strong stuff and can carry it's passengers through safely. In this, the card is another promising one, which can guide a querant through an unexpected problem or crisis. This makes it a good omen for those approaching trouble.
Another aspect of the card is the combination of two things to make another. The lava and water produce steam. The commentary in the accompanying book suggests that this is a successful combination of opposites with a beneficial result; which can often predict a union of two different people, such as marriage in a reading. The 'Four of Wands' is often received as a promising and happy card. There is no change from that interpreation in the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot.
I often see the number four as being a slow, but sturdy number, so when it mixes with water, I can feel the massive whale in the picture easing through the seas slowly as she fills every little centimetre of space.
Beleine's large body moves through the silence of the dark sea. This is another card that makes me feel comfortable and secure. And what we see in the card is her mouth, open. It is like a cave. Would you want to enter? If you do, it shows the trust you place in Beleine. She is protective and maternal. In the book, it says "The womb of La Beleine is a universe in which her children play". As much as the security of the four, in water and emotion is a safe haven and there to be appreciated, it could also be stifling. I can see how Beleine could also be a card for the overprotective and those not able to stand on their own two feet. I remember drawing this card for a contestant on a reality show. He was the show's key-player, and I was convinced that the show was fixed to keep him, and therefore, to boost the ratings. In that reading, Beleine represented the people that were behind the television programme - a bigger protective force than we might imagine. When reversed, this card could symbolise independance or a move from what is known and safe.
Obatala is my favourite card, in that I just love the image. He is depicted as an attractive older man in a white t-shirt and hat. His white beard and dove seem to suggest some kind of purity. We are told that he is the 'mother and father of cool whiteness'.
I am not sure that the historical story of this orisha fits with the political correctness and sensitivity of modern times, but it is said that he is the patron for people with handicaps. Apparently, in the days of world creation, this loa got drunk on palm wine and fashioned some humans with handicapping conditions. In the book it says that handicapped people can find patron in him. I suppose that all of us have handicaps in varying manner and degree, making him a patron for a variety of different kinds of misfortunes.
I get the idea that when the four mixes with the earth, we create something that can only be steadfast or slow. This is all about grounding and those snails do not move up Obatala's arm at any kind of fast pace. He is an orisha that takes things slowly. He is not rash. Combining number and element, we have someone that is very practical and resourceful. Moving forward might be very difficult for this person in terms of the comfort that they are experiencing. They might not want to leave either their luxury or stability.
LB
The fours are as follows -
Obatala, the loa of earth
La Beleine, the great whale of the water
Agwe la Flambeau, a boat amongst a burnt out fiery landscape
Agwe, a boat on the sea, but in the suit of air. [this may seem a strange association, since this loa is a patron of the sea, but in Golden Dawn symbology, the whole of Chesed is the realm of the sea, apparently]
These four reside in the sphere of Chesed in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.
Agwe is one of my favourite images here, and one of the lwa that I have warmed to in recent associations. Like Nan Nan Bouclou, Agwe is not a character within the card or a member of the ship which is shown. He is not even the ship or it's captain. He is the ocean. And here, he is the part of that which can be seen where the sky meets the sea on the horizon. Sailors honour him so that he will make it safe for them to travel on the waters.
Agwe is a lover of Erzulie in her form as La Sirene, the loa often depicted as a mermaid. This already brings up interesting thoughts about what it might be like to see the both of them arise in a reading. There would be something quite sensual in their interaction, since he is the great ocean that she swims amongst.
This card feels safe and calm to me, which is why I began to create a box in honour of Agwe recently - colouring it in many sea-theme-coloured sequins and shells. Thinking of the number four, I can understand how this loa has the secure and protective qualities of that numerological value. In air, I feel that he stills the mind from worry.
Agwe la Flambeau offers a similar image, but with quite a contrast. The salty water has been joined by molten lava. It has boiled the water and produced steam. Luckily, the boat is made of strong stuff and can carry it's passengers through safely. In this, the card is another promising one, which can guide a querant through an unexpected problem or crisis. This makes it a good omen for those approaching trouble.
Another aspect of the card is the combination of two things to make another. The lava and water produce steam. The commentary in the accompanying book suggests that this is a successful combination of opposites with a beneficial result; which can often predict a union of two different people, such as marriage in a reading. The 'Four of Wands' is often received as a promising and happy card. There is no change from that interpreation in the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot.
I often see the number four as being a slow, but sturdy number, so when it mixes with water, I can feel the massive whale in the picture easing through the seas slowly as she fills every little centimetre of space.
Beleine's large body moves through the silence of the dark sea. This is another card that makes me feel comfortable and secure. And what we see in the card is her mouth, open. It is like a cave. Would you want to enter? If you do, it shows the trust you place in Beleine. She is protective and maternal. In the book, it says "The womb of La Beleine is a universe in which her children play". As much as the security of the four, in water and emotion is a safe haven and there to be appreciated, it could also be stifling. I can see how Beleine could also be a card for the overprotective and those not able to stand on their own two feet. I remember drawing this card for a contestant on a reality show. He was the show's key-player, and I was convinced that the show was fixed to keep him, and therefore, to boost the ratings. In that reading, Beleine represented the people that were behind the television programme - a bigger protective force than we might imagine. When reversed, this card could symbolise independance or a move from what is known and safe.
Obatala is my favourite card, in that I just love the image. He is depicted as an attractive older man in a white t-shirt and hat. His white beard and dove seem to suggest some kind of purity. We are told that he is the 'mother and father of cool whiteness'.
I am not sure that the historical story of this orisha fits with the political correctness and sensitivity of modern times, but it is said that he is the patron for people with handicaps. Apparently, in the days of world creation, this loa got drunk on palm wine and fashioned some humans with handicapping conditions. In the book it says that handicapped people can find patron in him. I suppose that all of us have handicaps in varying manner and degree, making him a patron for a variety of different kinds of misfortunes.
I get the idea that when the four mixes with the earth, we create something that can only be steadfast or slow. This is all about grounding and those snails do not move up Obatala's arm at any kind of fast pace. He is an orisha that takes things slowly. He is not rash. Combining number and element, we have someone that is very practical and resourceful. Moving forward might be very difficult for this person in terms of the comfort that they are experiencing. They might not want to leave either their luxury or stability.
LB