Mel's Old Fashioned Pips & Courts and Homemade Baked Goods

Cactus Dahlia

Oh, and I forgot the pastry!! The roast lamb followed by apple pie. The apple slightly tart (hehe, I was meaning the taste), covered with flaky pastry (golden and cooked to perfection) with whipped cream on the side. :) :)
 

Melanchollic

Cactus Dahlia said:
Thanks Mel. I head for your thread each time I visit AT to see what more goodies you have for us. :)

I have brought you sweet, succulent New Zealand roast lamb baked until it is falling off the bone and dressed with home made gravy. Also golden roast potatoes, the most perfect pumpkin - slightly dry with toffee skin, New Zealand red kumaras (sweet potatoes) baked until they melt in your mouth and fresh peas straight from the garden. Enjoy!


Mmmm. That sounds marvelous! I'm humming Mary Had a Little Lamb and drooling, even as I write this....
 

Melanchollic

8 of Swords

8 OF SWORDS

Nickname - "Confrontation"
Element - Fire/Water
Temper - Choleric Phlegmatic
Power - all
Timing - random
Movement - random
Direction - North South axis
In the cycle of a year - none
In the cycle of a day - none
In the cycle of a life - none
Sex - both
Similar Cards - 2 Swords, 6 Swords, Queen Swords, 7 Coins, 1 Coins, King Coins



The tradition calls the 8 'Embracer Of All Harmonies', 'Safety', and Foundation. It is literally a CUBE ~ safe, stable, and balanced. Yet in The Theology of Arithmetic it is written,

"Among the Muses, they said that the name 'Euterpe' was most suitable for the ogdoad, because it is the most changeable of the numbers within the decad, since it is even-times-even and is divisible up to the monad itself, which is naturally indivisible."

How can something be both 'a foundation' & 'safe', yet be the 'most changeable'? If we look at the implications of the sequence of the numbers in the Decad, we can find a possible answer.

First, imagine the cycle of the Decad as positions on a square.



numbermodel06.jpg



The fiery 7 launches us up on our ascent toward the 10. Once launched the 8 is on a coasting flight on the 'straight and narrow'. It ascends by its own momentum, effortlessly, but has little option to do otherwise. The Octad (8) is of a Watery nature. It fits to the vessel determined by the Heptad (7). The nature of the Heptad determines what shape the Octad will take. Hence it is 'changeable'. Once launched into the ascent, and the 'cube' of the Octad has been formed, it rises by the momentum and acts as a 'safe' container for the intent of the Heptad, until it becomes the 9. The Octad is the realization of the intent of the Heptad. More than any other number in the Decad, the nature of the 8 is determined by the 7 that proceeds it.

The 8 of Swords contains the opposition of Fire/Water. The four Powers have flown apart from the momentum of the 'explosion' of the 7 of Swords. Conflicts ripple outward in all directions, and new ripples are formed with each retaliation. A confrontation is born.

The 8 of Swords lacks a clear indication of timing or duration, so we know not how long we must fight. This card also may represent any manner of confrontation - external or internal.
 

Melanchollic

8 of Cups

8 OF CUPS

Nickname - "Following the Vision"
Element - Air/Water
Temper - Sanguine Phlegmatic
Power - Wet
Timing - Short
Movement - Flexible
Direction - Northeast
In the cycle of a year - February/March
In the cycle of a day - Late Night
In the cycle of a life - Age 70~Death
Sex - Female
Similar Cards - 9 Coins, 5 Coins, 3 Coins, Knight Coins, 6 Cups, 2 of Cups, Queen Cups



The 7 of Cups has inspired us. We must seize the momentum and apply it. The 8 of Cups is Wet, which is short in duration, so if we do not act, the vision will fade away. The Wet Power is flexible, which gives us the opportunity to twist and work our ideas into an achievable result.

We can draw parallels with the creative process here;


7 of Cups - an idea

8 of Cups - planning how to best implement the idea

9 of Cups - implementing the idea

10 of Cups - evaluating our results

Following the analogy of a creative process and using the three-fold nature of the Octad (2x2x2), we can concoct a little mnemonic device to remind ourselves that working an idea can happen on three levels, 1) logically, 2) subconsciously, 3) through 'creativity exercises'. :D
 

Melanchollic

8 of Coins

8 OF COINS

Nickname - "Prosperity"
Element - Water
Temper - Phlegmatic
Power - Wet/Cold
Timing - Short/Slow
Movement - Flexible/Unifying
Direction - North
In the cycle of a year - January
In the cycle of a day - Midnight
In the cycle of a life - Age 56~70
Sex - Female
Similar Cards - 6 Coins, 2 Coins, Queen Coins



The watery 8 of Coins is flexible, unifying, and passive. It operates as a stable and passive result of the frugality and resourcefulness of the 7 of Coins. Here we see prosperity. The 8 of Coins is 'money in the bank,' a well stocked cellar, and a chance to sit back and take a respite, and enjoy what we have saved and worked for. The idea of momentum in the Octad suggests that things are to a point where they can take care of themselves — money earning interest, businesses or households with smooth running 'systems', relationships that have 'found their rhythm', etc.
 

Melanchollic

8 of Batons

8 OF BATONS

Nickname - "Perseverance"
Element - Water/Earth
Temper - Phlegmatic/Melancholic
Power - Cold
Timing - Slow
Movement - Unifying
Direction - Northwest
In the cycle of a year - November/December
In the cycle of a day - Evening
In the cycle of a life - Age 49~56
Sex - Female
Similar Cards - 2 Batons, 6 Batons, Queen Batons, 10 Coins, 4 Coins, Valet Coins



From the "noble burden" of the 7 of Batons arises the quality of perseverance. The Water of the Octad, and the Earth of the Batons share the Power of Cold; unifying, contractive, and torpid. The Baton's dignity grows better toward the 10, and the labors of the Batons begin to show their virtue. Here is the tale of the tortoise who, though slow, perseveres and beats the Hare (a classic example of the Sanguine/Choleric character type). Steady, steadfast, and prudent, the 8 of Batons is also inward directed (Cold being contractive). It suggests an inner quietude and focused concentration. Here we recall the many monastic traditions where spiritual insights and a powerful centeredness are achieved through simple daily labors.
 

Melanchollic

9 of Swords

9 FOF SWORDS

Nickname - "Imprudence"
Element - Fire/Air
Temper - Choleric Sanguine
Power - Hot
Timing - Fast
Movement - Separating
Direction - Southeast
In the cycle of a year - May/June
In the cycle of a day - Late Morning
In the cycle of a life - Age 7~14
Sex - Male
Similar Cards - 1 Cups, King Cups, 7 Cups, Knight Swords, 5 Swords, 3 Swords




The Ennead (9) falls just short of the perfection of the Decad, it was called by the Pythagoreans, 'Failure', the 'Near Perfect', and 'Shortcoming'. More positively it is also called 'That Which Brings Completion'.

Again, imagine the numbers arranged around a square.


numbermodel06.jpg


The Ennead sits on a corner. If we imagined this as driving, the 9 is the sharp, sudden turn we should not miss. If we miss the turn at the 9, we'll never make it back to the Monad (10 = 1+0 =1). The Ennead is the last challenge before our goal can be reached.

The 9 of Swords reflects the Hot Power (Air/Fire). Poorly dignified, the fast expansive energy manifests as imprudence. It is rash, impulsive, and premature. It suggests a situation where victory is near, and we are over confident, and get sloppy and lose it all (again, the Tortoise and the Hare). We bring about our own undoing due to impatience or recklessness.
 

Melanchollic

9 of Cups

9 OF CUPS

Nickname - "The Merry Diversion"
Element - Air/Air
Temper - Sanguine
Power - Hot/Wet
Timing - Fast/Short
Movement - Separating/Flexible
Direction - East
In the cycle of a year - April
In the cycle of a day - Dawn
In the cycle of a life - Age 0~7
Sex - Male
Similar Cards - 5 Cups, 3 Cups, Knight Cups



Like the 9 of Swords, we have a danger of falling short of our goal here too. The sanguine temperament makes the 9 of Cups restless, fickle and easily distracted. Following on the analogy of a creative process (the 7 being inspiration, the 8 being planning) the 9 of Cups suggests a situation where we have a great idea, and think or talk about, but never actually get around to doing it. Likewise, if the work is begun, it never gets finished. The 9 of Cups is easily distracted and difficult tasks may be put 'on hold' for more enjoyable diversions. The true sanguine of course never realizes a great loss has happened. He was too busy having fun.
 

Melanchollic

9 of Coins

9 OF COINS

Nickname - "The Comfort Zone"
Element - Air/Water
Temper - Sanguine Phlegmatic
Power - Wet
Timing - Short
Movement - Flexible
Direction - Northeast
In the cycle of a year - February/March
In the cycle of a day - Late Night
In the cycle of a life - Age 70~Death
Sex - Female
Similar Cards - 5 Coins, 3 Coins, Knight Coins, 8 Cups, 6 Cups, 2 of Cups, Queen Cups



The common Power here is Moisture, which is fluid, conforming, yielding, and lacks self determination. Coupled with the 'falling short' of the Ennead, the 9 of Coins, following the 'Prosperity' of the 8 of Coins, suggests getting stuck in the comfort zone. The fluid 9 of Coins lacks hardness and discipline. It is excessive attachment to comfort and possessions, and fear of loss or failure. One has grown too comfortable and becomes reluctant to rock the boat and risk losing what one has achieved.
 

Melanchollic

9 of Batons

9 OF BATONS

Nickname - "Getting the Kinks Out"
Element - Air/Earth
Temper - Sanguine Melancholic
Power - all
Timing - random
Movement - random
Direction - East West axis
In the cycle of a year - none
In the cycle of a day - none
In the cycle of a life - none
Sex - both
Similar Cards - 3 Batons, 5 Batons, Knight Batons, 10 Cups, 4 Cups, Valet Cups



The Air of the Ennead and the Earth of the Batons have difficulty merging here. The 9 of Batons represents a situation where the pieces of a labor are not falling into place. Things are not 'coming together' as you expected, and more work is required to 'get the kinks out'. The 9 of Batons suggests those last minute 'bugs' that can plague any endeavor.