Margarete Petersen Study -Ace of coins - the Universal Egg

firemaiden

  • To generate life. Just as the entire tree is contained in a seed, so the Ace of Coins contains the entire potential of the suit of earth:
    -Growth, nourrishment, the plant and animal kingdoms. All of visible creation with all its possibilities of becoming. Material things, profit, security, as well as the physical-organic. The entire richness of earth unfolds her possibilities before you. A time for a new project, trust that that which nourrishes you. Thoughts, wishes, solidity, good possibilities, a seed to plant. Take care of the body and all of its needs.


Link to image: As der Münzen

MP's by-now familiar snake is coiled around a seed pod, bearing a ressemblance to the womb.

The snake coiled around a seed/egg from which all of creation is ready to spring, recalls the creation myth of the "Orphic Egg", or "world egg" -- symbolism also used by Crowley. In the (perhaps apocryphal?) re-construction of the myth by Robert Graves ... Eurynome (ocean goddess) is impregnated by the Serpent Ophion:
Next, she assumed the form of a dove,
brooding on the waves
and, in due process of time, laid the Universal Egg.
At her bidding, Ophion coiled seven times about this egg,
until it hatched and split in two.
Out tumbled all things that exist, her children.

Orphism
Pelasgian creation myth




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firemaiden

I wonder how many other decks use the Universal Egg image for the Ace of Coins?

The snake Ophion, father, and guardian of the Universal egg, appears on the Crowley Universe card, dancing with Eurynome; and the Thoth Two of Disks shows the Snake as Ouroboros, as does MP's two of coins. The image of the egg with a snake wrapped around it (Orphic Egg) appears also on the Thoth Lovers, and the Hermit Cards, while Crowley's Hanged man has a snake coiled round his foot even as he hangs above a snake.
 

Rusty Neon

firemaiden said:
I wonder how many other decks use the Universal Egg image for the Ace of Coins?

The snake Ophion, father, and guardian of the Universal egg, appears on the Crowley Universe card, dancing with Eurynome; and the Thoth Two of Disks shows the Snake as Ouroboros, as does MP's two of coins. The image of the egg with a snake wrapped around it (Orphic Egg) appears also on the Thoth Lovers, and the Hermit Cards, while Crowley's Hanged man has a snake coiled round his foot even as he hangs above a snake.

In Duquette's Ceremonial deck, the image of the egg with a snake wrapped around it appears on the XIV Art (Temperance), the card of the art of alchemy. (Duquette doesn't explain why that image appears on that card.) That image doesn't appear on his Lovers or Hermit cards.
 

Little Baron

elbow grease ...

This card is a seed. As the tree is contained in the seed, then the whole of this suit is contained, potentially, in this card.

I like to look at it like this. I like to look at the card as potential, rather than an actual physical thing. Some may link it to money but I think that possibility is so much more of a healthy investment in our future. If I know that the option is there, I will work harder to fullfil the possibility.

I like how the snake circles the seed. It nurtures it. It keeps it warm. This what we must do with our own money, investments and projects. This isn't a quick-fix card. It requires elbow-grease if we want to see the results of the opportunity the card gives.

LB
 

firemaiden

LB said:
I like how the snake circles the seed. It nurtures it. It keeps it warm.
You know, now that you mention it, can snakes keep anything warm? Aren't they cold blooded? I wonder why MP chose to pick up the snake and the Orphic egg/seed Pelasgian creation myth here - it is such a poignant myth, because it has overtones of the creation of the entire universe in one big bang -- yet how many snakes are there who actually nurture their eggs? Would not a chicken have been more a propos? Or at least an oviraptor.

Perhaps she chose the snake, because it is also a metaphor for the human spine, or because the aspect of being "coiled up" readying to strike in the future offers another metaphor of potential.
 

Little Baron

Hi FM.

Yes, you are probably right. I was thinking of the general nurturing, rather than specific to snakes. I was thinking of the gesture and body language, because it made me feel that the seed was being enveloped and looked after, which felt nice :) To be honest, I havn't much of a clue about snakes :D

LB