nisaba
This is the most Rider-Waite card in the entire deck. Once again we have seven Cups floating in front of a choosing figure, and each Cup has a little image of its own in it to tempt or repel the chooser. In this case, however, the contents of each cup are details taken from seven of the other cards in this deck. A fruitful discussion could be had by tracking those originals and discussing them and how they relate to the Seven Cups more fully, and perhaps when I have more time and energy, I'll be up for it (someone, remind me!). Behind the Cups, a smaller, hotter star is dying, has blown off its outer envelope of exhausted gases, and freed of those constraints and the extra gravity and heat, is expanding into a huge but dim and dying Red Giant. Red Giants are the OAPs of the galaxy, hobbling along on the stick of their already fusion-affected complex elements rather than incinerating everything around them in a burn of pure hydrogen.
(Talking about burning gases, an interesting meditation mantra can be had by chanting "Hydrogen - Helium - Lithium" repeatedly. Try it and see).
Like the Rider-Waite figure, the Quantum figure appears to have almost made a decision, and extended a hand out to take his choice. However, will he go for that one? There is still time to hesitate, and choose a less challenging Cup. Like many of the figures in this deck, his body is not made of flesh, but is a hole in space, this time filled with water, green light and celestial bodies around the shoulder and upper arm that is presently reaching out.
The very last observation I will make on this card is that the flare-off of teh gaseous envelope from the Red Giant creates a tube-like, tunnel-like effect back to the Red Giant, and the Cups look as if htey are flying formatino out of that tunnel towards us. Perhaps if the indecisive figure just waits, the Cups will choose him instead! And in fact, often when this card comes up I counsel people to make their choices very carefully, or to stand back and try not to make choices until a little later when the air is a bit clearer.
(Talking about burning gases, an interesting meditation mantra can be had by chanting "Hydrogen - Helium - Lithium" repeatedly. Try it and see).
Like the Rider-Waite figure, the Quantum figure appears to have almost made a decision, and extended a hand out to take his choice. However, will he go for that one? There is still time to hesitate, and choose a less challenging Cup. Like many of the figures in this deck, his body is not made of flesh, but is a hole in space, this time filled with water, green light and celestial bodies around the shoulder and upper arm that is presently reaching out.
The very last observation I will make on this card is that the flare-off of teh gaseous envelope from the Red Giant creates a tube-like, tunnel-like effect back to the Red Giant, and the Cups look as if htey are flying formatino out of that tunnel towards us. Perhaps if the indecisive figure just waits, the Cups will choose him instead! And in fact, often when this card comes up I counsel people to make their choices very carefully, or to stand back and try not to make choices until a little later when the air is a bit clearer.