Upside-down M solved [maybe]
Abrac
LRichard, I agree that in Waite's thinking the priesthood of the Graal is distinct from the official Latin Mass. But he doesn't draw a clear distinction between the priesthood of the Graal and the priesthood of Melchizedek.
"So far as concerns the authority of the text itself, it would appear that the Mass of the Graal is not like that of the Church without--an office which recurs daily; it is rather an arch-natural sacrifice, at which the incarnate Christ figures as the sensible oblation and subsequently as the Melchisedech of the rite, communicating Himself to the witnesses..."
Here indicates the "Melchisedech of the rite" as officiating in the Mass of the Graal. He identifies Melchizedek as the incarnate Christ himself, not merely a human priest. In this way the Mass of the Graal is "higher" or superior to that of the outer church.
I think when Waite talks about the priesthood of Melchizedek he's talking about a higher priesthood that could be applied to different circumstances. For example the Mass of the Graal, or the Order of the High Priesthood in Royal Arch Masonry, or certainly the "invisible church."
"So far as concerns the authority of the text itself, it would appear that the Mass of the Graal is not like that of the Church without--an office which recurs daily; it is rather an arch-natural sacrifice, at which the incarnate Christ figures as the sensible oblation and subsequently as the Melchisedech of the rite, communicating Himself to the witnesses..."
Here indicates the "Melchisedech of the rite" as officiating in the Mass of the Graal. He identifies Melchizedek as the incarnate Christ himself, not merely a human priest. In this way the Mass of the Graal is "higher" or superior to that of the outer church.
I think when Waite talks about the priesthood of Melchizedek he's talking about a higher priesthood that could be applied to different circumstances. For example the Mass of the Graal, or the Order of the High Priesthood in Royal Arch Masonry, or certainly the "invisible church."
Richard
My point was that Waite views the priesthood of the Grail as precisely the priesthood of Melchidezek, as distinct from the ordained priesthood of the Latin Church. Therefore, if the M means Melchizedek, this reinforces the idea that the Ace of Cups refers to the Grail, not to an ordinary vessel used in the Mass of the external Church. However, as I have stated elsewhere, I think it is inappropriate to place a letter signifying Melchizedek directly on the Grail Chalice itself, although I suppose it could refer simply to the contents of the Grail after having been transmuted into Christ/Melchizedek.
Abrac
Okay, point taken. What I'm saying is the M represents an office, and as such, may refer to the Graal, or more likely in my opinion, is a reference to the office of Melchizedek outside of any other considerations.
I don't think it's inappropriate to put it on the Cup if your trying to misdirect.
I don't think it's inappropriate to put it on the Cup if your trying to misdirect.
Abrac
Mary, to address one of your points after thinking it over. If the M represents the office of Melchizedek, that doesn't necessarily rule out the possibility that Waite's comment, "that which lies behind the Lesser Arcana" means the Graal Hallows. I believe it still could without negating M as representing the office of Melchizedek. I'm just thinking now there may be other possibilities.
onesun
Transcendence?
Seriously, can take the Hanged Man's offering, look at it differently, use another perspective. You don't really have to physically turn the card, you can visualize it through imagination. As in 'image'-ination. You can literally 'turn the world around' with the Mind's eye..
ravenest
censored
Barleywine
This comes from the Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot website:
"The Ace of Cups is a clear example of the Catholic nature of the Waite-Smith Tarot.
It signifies redemption and devotion in a religious sense. Waite specifically signals this image as the “intimation of that which may lie behind the lesser Arcana”, i.e. the mysteries of the Shekinah, or feminine presence of the divine, and our redemption through its holy agency.
In our book we show how Waite alludes to this mystery, and what it meant to him – we read how he clues us in by also describing this card as “the house of the true heart”, the true heart being the ‘immaculate heart of Mary’ in Catholic teaching.
You may be surprised to know that this is the first time – here, on this page – this connection to “M” for Mary and the mysteries of the Shekinah (central to Waite and his version of the Tarot) has been clearly revealed, despite a century of people guessing about the card in hundreds of books and thousands of websites."
I haven't read the book and therefore have no comment on its validity. But I'll bet some of you do.
"The Ace of Cups is a clear example of the Catholic nature of the Waite-Smith Tarot.
It signifies redemption and devotion in a religious sense. Waite specifically signals this image as the “intimation of that which may lie behind the lesser Arcana”, i.e. the mysteries of the Shekinah, or feminine presence of the divine, and our redemption through its holy agency.
In our book we show how Waite alludes to this mystery, and what it meant to him – we read how he clues us in by also describing this card as “the house of the true heart”, the true heart being the ‘immaculate heart of Mary’ in Catholic teaching.
You may be surprised to know that this is the first time – here, on this page – this connection to “M” for Mary and the mysteries of the Shekinah (central to Waite and his version of the Tarot) has been clearly revealed, despite a century of people guessing about the card in hundreds of books and thousands of websites."
I haven't read the book and therefore have no comment on its validity. But I'll bet some of you do.
Teheuti
Others have suggested Mary, although not specifically the Shekinah - more of a Grail mystery. Florence Farr wrote a GD teaching paper describing an astral journey to Mary and an experience with the Grail containing the blood of her son. It's in my book Women of the Golden Dawm. I've guided large groups through the journey. I found some interresting stuff that may be more or less related in Eckhartshausen's Cloud on the Sanctuary - a book that Waite refers to often and which contains some interesting stuff on the Order of Melchizedek.
BTW, the guy who came up with the M-Theory in physics has never revealed what M stands for but suggests it might have multiple referents including Magic and Mystery. Coincidence? What if there are no coincidences.
BTW, the guy who came up with the M-Theory in physics has never revealed what M stands for but suggests it might have multiple referents including Magic and Mystery. Coincidence? What if there are no coincidences.
Richard
It is an honorarium open only to High Priests of a Royal Arch Chapter in the US. It's scriptural basis is the meeting of Abraham with Melchizedek. There is an article on it in the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry by Albert G. Mackey 33°.
