Legend: Temperance, The Cauldron of Annwn

Sophie-David

There are many beautiful cards in Legend, but this is perhaps my favourite, the one which captured my heart and made me decide that I really would buy the deck. There are many symbols of balance in the card, of balance achieved through the practice of art, a favourite theme of mine.

The cauldron itself appears to be suspended by three golden chains, balanced above the sacred pool of the fay. It is a richly powerful vessel, trimmed in gold and coloured a deep mystic blue. Inset below where the chain meets the cauldron, a round gold medallion is embossed with three roses. The waters of the feminine cauldron are supplied from the mouth of the masculine stone head: from his mouth flow the living waters of wisdom. From Proverbs 18:4:
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
Nine fay priestesses, like the nine Greek muses, tend the sacred cauldron. One mixes the waters of the cauldron, and by the pool below another holds a flaming torch, while two more decant the holy water into a gold trimmed jar.

Anna-Marie tells us that the Cauldron of Annwn was a symbol of the arts of the bards, connecting and balancing the seen with the unseen, passion with reason, the spiritual with the mundane, the psychic with the physical, the conscious with the unconscious, the masculine with the feminine.

From the point of view of the male statue, the nine female fay priestesses are the muses of his creative unconscious, together his active energy flow and their inspiration balance in the creation of art. From the point of view of the fay priestesses, the masculine stone head in the background of their consciousness provides form and authority to their free flowing creative imaginations, and they structure the distillations of the unconscious using the forms of the gilded vessels, again achieving balance in the creation of art.

From #8 of Lao Tsu's Tao Te Ching, trans. Gia-Fu Feng:
The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
 

Lyones

What beautiful quotes David, and most fitting for this card.

What strikes me the most is that the stone face seems sightless, but that when one of the senses is impaired or removed, the other senses become more developed - and so, seems to see what others cannot.

Because of the cauldron's rich Lapis Lazuli blue, I associate it with the stone and it's properties especially those of creativity, spirituality and peace. http://www.luckygemstones.com/lapis-lazuli-jewelry-navy-blue-gems.htm

The cauldron is full to overflowing, which speaks to me of the imagination not being contained, it has to find an outlet, and does so in gentle, constant rivulets, making it available for everyone to partake of and appreciate.
 

Sophie-David

Lyones said:
What beautiful quotes David, and most fitting for this card.

What strikes me the most is that the stone face seems sightless, but that when one of the senses is impaired or removed, the other senses become more developed - and so, seems to see what others cannot.
Thank you Lyones. I think that the statue represents seeing with inner vision.

Lyones said:
Because of the cauldron's rich Lapis Lazuli blue, I associate it with the stone and it's properties especially those of creativity, spirituality and peace. http://www.luckygemstones.com/lapis-lazuli-jewelry-navy-blue-gems.htm
I note from the web page that Lapis Lazuli is associated with the Sixth or Third Eye Chakra that is overtly symbolized in the Connolly Temperance that I have just been writing about. When you start dealing with the archetypes the parallelism of the symbols is inescapable!
 

WalesWoman

I hadn't given such deep meanings to it. More that a little bit goes a long way, since the priestesses only seem to carry it off in small amounts, one pitcher at a time. Taking things into proportion perhaps or just portioning it out as it's needed. How much can anyone take at a time before becoming overwhelmed by it?
So I've also thought of this as just taking what you need from it rather than trying to hold it all. In fact since this overflows there is only so much we can contain without spilling it. It seems like this circulates, nothing is wasted and goes back to the source somehow, so we can return for more when we need to.
 

Sophie-David

WalesWoman said:
I hadn't given such deep meanings to it. More that a little bit goes a long way, since the priestesses only seem to carry it off in small amounts, one pitcher at a time. Taking things into proportion perhaps or just portioning it out as it's needed. How much can anyone take at a time before becoming overwhelmed by it?
Yes, I agree. Even Temperance needs to be taken in moderation. :) Recently I received Temperance Reversed in the Advice position, two readings in a row. It wasn't telling me that Temperance was blocked and to slow down, but to live intemperately, i.e. to be more passionate!

WalesWoman said:
So I've also thought of this as just taking what you need from it rather than trying to hold it all. In fact since this overflows there is only so much we can contain without spilling it. It seems like this circulates, nothing is wasted and goes back to the source somehow, so we can return for more when we need to.
Yes, there is a recirculating pump in the bottom of the rock pool! :) I think there is a constant flow of spirit through us, for spirit is the breath of life, dynamic and eternal, we try to channel and use what we can, but the fiery flow continues regardless. Lately just before I sleep, I've found myself looking up and imaging a renewing celestial dust raining down on me - this is the metaphor for spirit that Philip Pullman uses in His Dark Materials trilogy.
 

WalesWoman

I've been looking at this card again and am trying to figure out what the white thing is, it sort of looks like a veil around the blonde priestess' shoulders in blue (standing just behind the cauldron). At first I thought it was like a hose or something spraying into the cauldron, but now I see it goes behind it and across the hem of the priestess on the other side.

There has to be some significance for this, but I can't figure it out, unless it's to show the movement of thought/air. I guess that would make sense since another priestess holds a torch aloft, so the others can see when the urn is filled without spilling or wasting...effort?

Ohhh, it's spirit isn't it? I just reread Davids last post and it became clearer.
 

Sophie-David

Yes, I'm not quite certain what is being dipped in the cauldron either, but I think it is a long strip of fabric that is being used to mix the water, or perhaps to bless it. It would certainly be a very gentle and reverent way to mix water. Or perhaps it is a way to sanctify the priestess's veil.
 

WalesWoman

Here is an image of the card.
 

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