Thoth 2 of Cups

rachelcat

I didn't see an earlier thread, so here we go!

2 of Cups

2 = Force, balance
Cups = Emotions
Emotional attraction, equal relationship

Water pours from a salmon pink lotus high on a stem (held by another pink lotus on the surface of the water) in two forceful streams. The streams bounce off the heads of two heraldic dolphins (also pink, with yellow fins) that are twined around the stem. The streams then pour into two light gold cups with faceted sides and 4-lobed feet resting on the surface of the water. From each cup 5 streams overflow into the sea. The dolphins also spit out two small streams of water into the lower lotus. The sky is a cloudless blue and the surface of the water is blue-green, shading to green to yellow toward the horizon.

This is the Thoth card that most closely resembles a Marseille card. The Universal Marseille (recolored Burdel) has upper and lower flowers in the middle of the card and two pairs of dolphins (along with a completely different illustration in the bottom third of the card with the artist’s coat of arms, which is a crowned heart). Tarot Classic (provenance?) is similar, but doesn’t have the lower pair of dolphins, which are really the ones in the most similar configuration as the Thoth pair (bodies crossed and heads downward). I don’t really know what this is important, maybe to show solidarity/continuity with non-scenic minors?

Crowley says twos are the elements in their most harmonious condition, and that 2 of Wands and 2 of Cups are the elements in their best and highest form. (This confuses me because I always think of 6s as best and highest. Maybe 2s above and 6s below the abyss?)

He says the card is Love under Will, the harmony of male and female. I think this means Love as feminine/receptive and Will as masculine/active. Cups and 2s (father). This gives a deeper meaning to the idea of equal or harmonious relationship. Everything is as it should be, give and take are balanced. Crowley also says “purity” and “perfection.”

He says the symbolism of the dolphin is “Royal Art,” and dolphins are sacred to alchemy. Now if I’m thinking right, alchemy IS the royal art (as in the Art card). Which makes total sense—a minor correspondent to Art—2 cups, harmony of masc. and fem.

Venus in Cancer: Very conducive to Love, I would think. Crowley points out that Cancer is the home of the Moon and where Jupiter is exalted, so the card contains all three fortunate planets.

According to Banzhaf: “Complete love, romantic love, dreamy, profound desire for harmony, unification, and spiritual and physical exchange.”

In a reading: Love! The card everyone wants to get! True love, not in the way of single-minded obsession or pursuit, but focused on a true desire for closeness, harmony, and the wellbeing of the loved one. The card can also refer to self-love and harmonious emotions within. Perhaps not giving oneself away to a demanding lover but respecting oneself enough to wait for/want a more equal, loving relationship.
 

poopsie

2 of CUPS

Hi RachelCat,

Actually, I agree with you on this one. I am currently asking a question related to a client and the two of cups came out ... the part which I found most helpful is the insight that for people to seek out being loved, it is also of equal importance that they love themselves ... In the question I am asking my tarot, I was trying to find out reasons why a team needed a relationship enhancing activity. Although they initially told me they want teamwork, they also mentioned that some of their people lacked confidence and therefore did not want to join. The insight I got was that people felt they were not valued ...

thanks for giving me the insight that for people to feel valued, they also need to value themselves ... I share the thought that balance and harmony can result in love -- and one has to will oneself to love himself or herself (not the self-centered kind) but one that is more willing to also give and value others in return... in effect, the Golden Rule really stands here. Thanks again for the spark.
 

Bernice

Although not a Thoth fan, I've enjoyed reading these two posts. I can understand why rachelcat says,

"(This confuses me because I always think of 6s as best and highest)"

On the the Tree the sixth sphere is indeed a point of Perfect Equilibrium (perfect 6).


The observation by poopsie re. valuation in relation to personal (& interpersonal) relationships has also struck a chord with me. Thank you both for your thoughtful examination of this card :)


Bee :)
 

Tzadkiel

Hi everyone,

a very well written post :)

I want to point out that the dolphin was sacred to Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love. And think of Feng Shui manuals where there are always two dolphins supporting the love and relationship bagua ;-)

The associated decanate of Venus in Cancer could also be described as Atu III - The Empress (Venus) - combined with Atu VII - The Chariot (Cancer). If we love ourself and get in contact with our inner light, the essence of our beeing, the Holy Grail (Chariot/Cheth), a door (Daleth) to fruitfulness, abundance and the growing of beautiful things (Empress) opens.

Chokmah, the male energy, the creative power, the father and the "lingam", combined with the female energies of Venus and Cancer (Moon).

I really LOVE that card...! ;-)
 

poopsie

2 of cups

Hi Tzadkiel,

I liked the way you integrated these symbols -- quoting from you --

"If we love ourself and get in contact with our inner light, the essence of our beeing, the Holy Grail (Chariot/Cheth), a door (Daleth) to fruitfulness, abundance and the growing of beautiful things (Empress) opens."

I am still learning how each of the symbolism integrate with each other and am doing quite a lot of research and study which is why I also enjoy these forums -- I found your explanation very fluid and foundational. Wonderful.
 

Tzadkiel

Thank you, poopsie :)
 

Rose Lalonde

2 of Cups

While the 2 of Wands, Swords and Disks all have only 2 focal points, having the 2 cups look much like the lotus above them gives me the strong sense of 3, and I'm struck by how similar the triangular layout of this card looks to the 3 of Cups. Is it because the receptivity of Chokmah in Briah is meant to be just a hair's breadth away from the fertility/abundance of Binah in Briah?
 

Teheuti

Dolphins were used in heraldry to signify charity and love (along with swiftness & diligence). They were known as fish-with-wombs (the meaning of the name), and Eros is sometimes pictured riding on a dolphin (who are also know as very amorous creatures who are willing to have sex with humans).

"According to the late Roman author Nonnus, it was a dolphin that brought the sea-born goddess Aphrodite to land near Paphos in Cyprus (Dionysiaca, XIII), and the affectionate, playful animals were associated with both Aphrodite and Eros."
 

smw

While the 2 of Wands, Swords and Disks all have only 2 focal points, having the 2 cups look much like the lotus above them gives me the strong sense of 3, and I'm struck by how similar the triangular layout of this card looks to the 3 of Cups.

hmm... I see what you mean about the image on the two of cups, it does look on first impressions quite triangular, almost like a bridal fountain of water coming from the lotus. Then there are the ten overflows of water in to the sea linking to the completion of the suit, the ten of cups when disturbance is due. The water then goes back up the fountain to start again...

Perhaps, this is to show that the union of the two is not static with a background of continual movement and change. The top lotus seems to show Kether the one, that has divided to enable the start of manifestation, into the two - the Will of Chockmah and the feminine Binah.

Crowley does seem to have a downer on the cups - or a warning -it gives me the feel of a sticky end if your not careful with them. However, this emotional aspect could also be the most transcendent.

The book of the law does mention three planets in connection with this card, 'superficially' the friendliest...

Is it because the receptivity of Chokmah in Briah is meant to be just a hair's breadth away from the fertility/abundance of Binah in Briah?

not sure what you mean here, though I am not very familiar with the four worlds. In the three of cups there is the fulfilment of the Will of love (from the two) and this spiritual fertility relates to the Demeter/Persephone myth. The BOL also mentions this card referring to the influence of Mercury in Cancer - Mercury, the Will of the all father and it's influence descending upon the most receptive of the signs, (Binah?) maybe this relates somehow to the Persephone myth - the will of Zeus and Hades then compromising with Persephone/Demeter (fertility) to bridge the underworld (death) with life...
 

Ambrosia

Great thread! I'm a little confused at the mention of dolphins though... I always thought the fishes were salmon...

To be fair I don't have The Book of Thoth so please forgive me if it explains in the text...

ETA - Ooh, I just googled images of Heraldic Dolphin... I need to research this fictitious sea creature me thinks... very interesting. If anyone has a link to a good source I'd be much appreciative...

Also... Is anyone aware of an eBook or PDF version of The Book of Thoth?

Thank you!