Alchemical Study Group - King of Vessels

Leisa

A whale, the king of the sea, rules over the emotions by
recognizing that they are a force of Nature. Thus, he doesn't
try to control the waves--he lets them wash over him. He also is
an internal source for water, and fills his vessel with his own
inner reserves.

Tarot wisdom: To rule your emotions means to let them
alone. They are a force of Nature. You are the source of your
own satisfaction--don't look to others to provide that for you.
Don't let others take away your own happiness. It is only
necessary for you to control your own behavior, which is independent from the emotions.
 

mac22

Leisa said:
A whale, the king of the sea, rules over the emotions by
recognizing that they are a force of Nature. Thus, he doesn't
try to control the waves--he lets them wash over him. He also is
an internal source for water, and fills his vessel with his own
inner reserves.

Tarot wisdom: To rule your emotions means to let them
alone. They are a force of Nature. You are the source of your
own satisfaction--don't look to others to provide that for you.
Don't let others take away your own happiness. It is only
necessary for you to control your own behavior, which is independent from the emotions.

Ok here I have questions..... Where does s/he get or find those water reserves with which s/he fills the cup?

I wholeheartedly agree that YOU are the SOURCE of your own satisfaction.

Mac22
 

Leisa

Dreams

I know its a rhetorical question but the first thing that came to mind was dreams are the source of inner water.
 

mac22

Leisa said:
I know its a rhetorical question but the first thing that came to mind was dreams are the source of inner water.

Hmmm Something to ponder on... thanks.

Mac22

Psssst I want a pocket edition of this deck....:p
 

Kenny

There is a mandala that shows the alchemists face behind the symbol of Water. It was mentioned in the explanation of the text that this was divine grace flowing down from heaven.

So maybe this is the source of inner Water.
 

JimmyJonesah

I love this card as a symbol of Emotional Self-Sufficiency
 

sapienza

This is a really interesting card. The first thing I thought when I saw it was that it linked well to the Buddhist idea of detachment. "You are the source of your own satisfaction--don't look to others to provide that for you." So perhaps the card is a reminder not to become too attached to people or things, or to rely on them too heavily for satisfaction. Happiness must come from within rather than because we have something or someone. It is great to get emotional satistaction from things, but perhaps this King reminds us not become dependent on them.

After looking at it more I started to think it reminded me of the astrological sign of Pisces....without boundaries, being completely at one with your emotions and your unconscious. The whale is completely surrounded by water, perhaps representing our unconscious. Our unconscious could be the source of our spiritual growth, which is similar to Leisa's idea about our dreams. I'm just thinking that maybe another message of this card is therefore to look within for answers rather than searching outside our self.
 

JimmyJonesah

From Sapienza:
The whale is completely surrounded by water, perhaps representing our unconscious.

The whale is not only surrounded by water but also on top of the sea...almost body surfing (see the breakers)..whee! The flipside is that s/He could be in the danger of potentially being washed ashore. But I like to see him as being in command of his emotions and even having a bit of fun with them in his state of detachment.
 

sapienza

...so maybe enjoying the process of doing his or her inner work?
 

RexMalaki

The King of Vessels is a whale blowing a stream of white water, the esoteric spiritual knowledge of II-The High Priestess, into a chalice-shaped vessel on its crown. The whale is a symbol of rebirth; Jonah was swallowed by the whale and deposited alive on the shore three days later. Because the whale fills the cup of itself, it represents knowledge from within. The King of Vessels has experienced the whitening and is self-fulfilled, confident, ready to continue the work toward the yellowing.