7 Deniers (Coins) - how may it be read?

Although there are certainly different ways to see the ways in which the seven Coins are structured or arranged (for example, five above two, or three within four), I tend to more often than not see it as the descent of the Divine (three above) into the material plane (four below).

As such, it may be that the 'captured' coin from the loins of matter's four-fold aspect shows that already the spiritual realms are giving their support to an engagement one is involved in.

Attached is the Hadar version...

What a fantastic interpretation jmd - the descent of the divine into the material plane! wasn't that what was beginning with our dancer! So, the four is the material plane and the three is the divine? Is this then the "mystic marriage" of earth and sky? "les noces du ciel et de la terre" - it is sounding like a wonderful feeling of fulfillment, because of the involvement of the three

Oh, I see the captured denier! wow, that is really captured! as in... lovingly embraced, mon Dieu, mon Dieu!

...will anyone kill me if I say that this card looks exactly like a teddy bear, with two big ears, one big nose, and four big paws sticking out?

The number 7 suggests a relationship between body and soul. We may see this image as a downward pointing [water] triangle [soul] descending into the body of the square below. The six serpent head type leaves however embrace the inner three coins in a trefoil, 'clubs' like pattern suggesting an upward pointing [fire] triangle within the 'body' of the four corner deniers. The centrally 'embraced' coin [bottom of the downward pointing triangle, top of the upward pointing] is almost completely encircleld and is different to the other coins [central flower petal are six the others are five, the outer dot/petals only 13 the others have more]. The stem of the 'trefoil' suggests a downward pointing arrow head. I sense both a downward and upward movement in this card, a stretching or reaching, there is a feeling of growing tall, one's head above the heavens ones feet below the earth.

Kwaw

firemaiden said:

...will anyone kill me if I say that this card looks exactly like a teddy bear, with two big ears, one big nose, and four big paws sticking out?

Click to expand...

I saw that, firemaiden. I don't believe in the death penalty, I like teddy bears, and besides, you have the keys to the jail.

And now back to the Divine and the Profane. I do like that image, Jean-Michel, really! It reminds me of the (too few) spiritual breakthroughs I've had in my life and the (mercifully more frequent) artistic breakthroughs. They do feel like heavenly visitations, you have no idea where they come from, what provoked them but - miracle! - they translate into SOMETHING CONCRETE. Which is the whole point of this card, I would say. That and the fact that suddenly everything and feels so dynamic and looks so perfect - a perfect geometry: triangle and square - would any of you clever mathematical types please tell me if these shapes and their combination have any significance?

...or I might think of Playschool shapes. "Let's see what goes on through the...triangle-window!"

I also like the way the two leaves are kissing above the "captured coin". As though they were blessing the union of above and below. And truly - doesn't this union symbolise the whole suit of deniers? The spiritualisation of matter? the materialisation of the spirit? the Marriage of Psyche and Eros?

Come to think of it, isn't Winnie the Pooh the perfect meeting of Profane and Divine?

The Treasure House of the Soul

Denier I associate with letters and words, the components of language [communication, like coins, being a form of exchange]. Letters symbolize the fundamental elements of creation, the permutation of which elements results in the diversity of forms, just as through the permutations of letters we can name all forms.

In the 7 of Denier I see a triangle in a square, soul and body, spirit and matter. The vowel letters are traditionally associated with the soul, the consonants with the body. With the three denier of the internal triangle of soul I associate the divine name of three letters IAO, to the denier of the square the fourfold name YHVH.

The name YHVH is said to represent that which was, is and will be. IAO is the latin transliteration of the three Greek letters Iota, symbolising the eternal present, Alpha, which represented the past creation of all things, and Omega, the end. (That IAO and YHVH are of similar meaning should be of no surprise as IAO is but a transliteration into Greek of the Hebrew YHV). We may compare the meanings of these divine names with that of the seventh sephira Netzach, one of the meanings of which is eternity.

Viewed as a tree of life figure the two side deniers of the triangle, the alpha and omega, I see as corresponding to Chesed and Geburah, the right and left hands of the divine man. The third denier, the upward pointing tip of the triangle, I interpret as the iota, the greek transliteration of the hebrew letter yod, which is said to be in the shape of the hand pointing. It is said that the movement of the microcosmic soul is reflected or matched by a corresponding movement in the macrocosmic spirit. The upward pointing triangle, representing the aspiration of the soul towards ascension, would thus be matched by a corresponding descent of the spirit. It is probably because of these associations that when I look at the embraced denier I see the pointing hands reaching to each other of Michealangelo's God and Adam. In the Hadar this Denier is different from the others in having 6 petals instead of five. Six is the number of the letter Vau, spelt in full VV = 12, bringing to the mind the twelve precious stones of the priests breastplate, which together with silver [chesed] and gold [gevurah] would make of this body [the four corner denier] a treasure house. The treasure being the soul, which combined with the body represents the figure of the divine adam as Temple of the Eternal One.

The six side deniers then may also be equated with the six directions of space, as the Name IAO is said to seal the six directions front, behind, left, right, above and below, the denier embraced in kissing leaves representing the centre, Malkuth raised up to crown the divine son. In the kissing of the leaves I recall the lips of the beloved bride [and we may note that in a marriage ceremony the Bride circles the Bridegroom 7 times], Rachel [attributed to Malkuth, the Palace of Prayer to which is thus attributed the mouth], whose lips are like a scarlet thread, the prayers of which are woven into a crown and raised to the head of the divine son by the angel sandalphon. The scarlet thread is the secret symbol by which Jacob could recognise Rachel, but which she gave to Leah [the mother - binah] that she might not be forsaken. It is a symbol of the bloodline that is the continuity of life; but also of the mark of blood by which the chosen shall be recognised and protected as the angel of destruction passes over.

Kwaw

There is no doubt that, in this card the coin is being grabbed, and perhaps what we have to decide is whether that is for greed protection or love. This is the very difference between the six and the seven of this suit. Whereas the six was more to do with the choice..... which coin to take. This card shows that the decision has been made. There is a feeling that something 'deeper' is happening here. I also see the triangle and the square, and to me, the triangle relates to three separates coming together, and eventually evolving into the 4 - solidarity. This could be the merging of mind, body and spirit, or even... Mother, Father and Child to form a family (and therefore structure).

In a reading the number 7 is a spiritual number which relates to many vital things in our lives. I think of it as an enlightenment number and therefore with the coins could be read as understanding and realisation of situations to do with finances but also in everyday life and how to deal with it.