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

Melanchollic

sravana said:
I did have time to make some nice Sopapillas for you!


Ahhh... Just in the nick of time. I was getting hungry! :D
 

Melanchollic

10 of Swords

10 OF SWORDS

Nickname - "Absolute Power"
Element - Earth/Fire
Temper - Melancholic Choleric
Power - Dry
Timing - Long
Movement - Rigid
Direction - Southwest
In the cycle of a year - August/September
In the cycle of a day - Afternoon
In the cycle of a life - Age 21~28
Sex - Male
Similar Cards - 4 Swords, Valet Swords, 7 Batons, 1 Batons, King of Batons



At last we reach our goal — the Decad, the most revered number by the Pythagoreans. The Decad is not only a 10, or a return to 1, but is called "All". 10 is like saying billions, and billions. It is called "Eternity," for it symbolically represents the eternal continuation of all number. When we see the 10 of Swords it is like we see a massive army of sword wielding death-dealers. It is impenetrable. It is total, complete naked power.

The Fire of the Swords, and the Earth of the 10 both share the Power of Dryness, which lacks flexibility and is rigid, and of long duration. The 10 of Swords returns us to the realm of the Ace of Swords which is traditionally associated with Death. The Decad brings us back to Death after forging our armor in the fire and blood of the previous nine Swords. We are now the Master of Death. We now decide who lives and dies.

Obviously, every time this card shows up in a reading won't mean the querent will have several Roman Legions at his disposal. The card could show any and all manner of authority, both benevolent, and ruthless. It furthermore may show a mastery of conflict, strife, and division internally even among those with no worldly authority, or a person whose knowledge and mastery of their given field makes them an undisputed 'authority,' like your French Literature professor.
 

Melanchollic

10 of Cups

10 OF CUPS

Nicknames - "Divine Wholeness"
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, 9 Batons, Knight Batons, 4 Cups, Valet Cups



The 10 of Cups creates perfect balance between it's opposing parts (Air/Earth). We have returned to the Divine realm of the Ace of Cups, but unlike the undifferentiated "Oneness" of the Ace, we have a divine nature which embraces differentiation. This is not the mystic state of "not two" but a return to the world. The 10 of Cups seamlessly binds Heaven (Air) and the everyday business of living in the world (Earth). Here is an active and engaged manifestation of 'the spirit' in the world. The Decad uses it Monad-like nature to bind the two halves into one. There is no pretense of 'holier-than-thou'. The 10 of Cups is firmly in the world. There is no need to put on the pretenses of "being spiritual" by shunning the pleasures of the World. The 10 of Cups knows the sensual and the ethereal are in fact the same. Here we see the mastery of everyday living.

The 10 of Cups is more like 'craft' than 'art'. The pretentious dribble of "art for art's sake" is alien here. The 10 of Cups is like a Shaker chair. Form, function, a respect for the natural 'inclinations' of the material, excellent workmanship and simplicity create an everyday object of use that touches perfection.

The idea of the 'divine' born into the everyday world of men reminds us of Jesus Christ. (The Ace of Cups then could be seen as The Holy Ghost), though I feel this 10 is more akin to the 'Divine Humanity' of the native Europeans Gods and Goddesses.

In any situation the 10 of Cups is suggestive of perfection and accomplishment without pretensions.
 

Melanchollic

10 of Coins

10 OF COINS

Nickname - "Gratitude"
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, 8 Batons, Queen Batons, 4 Coins, Valet Coins



The Water of the Coin, and the Earth of the 10 share the Power of Cold. Cold, when dignified is sympathetic, joining, and undiscriminating.

The ancients called the 10 "all," and "all-fulfiller". The 10 of Coins returns us to the "Peace" of the Ace, but the Cold Power makes it more contracting or inward directed, thus more personal. Following the logic of moving forward from the prosperity of the 8, and the comfort of the 9, the 10 fulfills what is lacking thus far, and what brings us an inner peace — thankfulness for what we have been given. No matter how prosperous, or how many wonderful possessions we have acquired, without appreciation, they are empty and meaningless. It is only from a sincere feeling of gratefulness that worldly things come to have real value.

From The Theology of Arithmetic,

"...It is thanks to the Decad and its parts that we have secure trust in things being precisely comprehensible. And that is why it might also be called 'memory'..."

The Decad empowers us to remember our blessings.
 

Melanchollic

10 of Batons

10 OF BATONS

Nickname - "Skill"
Element - Earth
Temper - Melancholic
Power - Cold/Dry
Timing - Slow/Long
Movement - Unifying/Rigid
Direction - West
In the cycle of a year - October
In the cycle of a day - Sunset
In the cycle of a life - Age 28~49
Sex - Female
Cards - 4 Batons, Valet Batons



From the 'burden' of the 7, to the 'perseverance' of the 8, to the 'bugs' of the 9, we arrive at the 10 of Batons. Its Powers are slow (Cold) and long (Dry). She has taken her time and mastered her craft, and they will serve her well. Both the Decad, and the Melancholic temperament are associated with perfectionists. The 10 of Batons, like any great craftsman is careful, focused and meticulous.
 

Melanchollic

Grab a Cup of Coffee, and Sit Down

Okay! We've made it through the Decad. So, enough about pips.... It's time for some pastries! Mmmmmm.

Everybody help yourselves.




pastry.jpg
 

Melanchollic

Preview of the Courts

ElementChart.jpg






[size=+1]King of Swords.........FIRE/FIRE...............(Choleric)....................Hot/Dry
Queen of Swords......FIRE/WATER...........(Choleric-Phlegmatic).....All
Knight of Swords......FIRE/AIR.................(Choleric-Sanguine)......Hot
Valet of Swords........FIRE/EARTH............(Choleric-Melancholic)...Dry

King of Cups............AIR/FIRE.................(Sanguine-Choleric)......Hot
Queen of Cups.........AIR/WATER.............(Sanguine-Phlegmatic)...Wet
Knight of Cups.........AIR/AIR..................(Sanguine)...................Hot/Wet
Valet of Cups...........AIR/EARTH.............(Sanguine-Melancholic)...All

King of Coins...........WATER/FIRE............(Phlegmatic-Choleric).....All
Queen of Coins........WATER/WATER........(Phlegmatic)..................Cold/Wet
Knight of Coins........WATER/AIR.............(Phlegmatic-Sanguine)....Wet
Valet of Coins..........WATER/EARTH........(Phlegmatic-Melancholic)..Cold

King of Batons.........EARTH/FIRE............(Melancholic-Choleric).....Dry
Queen of Batons......EARTH/WATER........(Melancholic-Phlegmatic)..Cold
Knight of Batons......EARTH/AIR.............(Melancholic-Sanguine)....All
Valet of Batons........EARTH/EARTH........(Melancholic)..................Dry/Cold
[/size]​






Courts.jpg
 

cardlady22

Thanks for the goodies, Mel! I've brought milk, OJ and apple cider. Who's up to bring the hot drinks?
 

SolSionnach

Melanchollic said:
Okay! We've made it through the Decad. So, enough about pips.... It's time for some pastries! Mmmmmm.

Everybody help yourselves.




pastry.jpg
Yaaah!

:party: :party: :party:

Way to go, Mel! I can't wait to dig into this (the pips, that is. Oh, and the pastries as well!). :D :D :D :p


:party: :party: :party: