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

[Melanchollic]

QUEEN OF BATONS

Nickname - "The Cultivator"
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, 10 Coins, 4 Coins, Valet Coins


The steps to the Queen begin with the industriousness of the Valet, then to the new approaches offered by the Knight. The Queen represents cultivation and nurturing. She is a combination of Water (Queens) and Earth (Batons), which share the Power of Cold, which is contracting and uniting. The innovations of the Knight are brought into close focus through practical and regular implementation, and a slow (again, Cold) process of steady improvement, perfecting, and 'calibration' is implemented. Through the mastery of technique, attention to detail, and constant nurturing, a state of great efficiency is achieved.

In any task or labor the Queen of Batons represents the slow process of mastery that arises from a love and sympathetic understanding of it, and the joining power of Cold strives to unite the two, closer and closer, as subject and object evolve into their ultimate form - the Monad.

[Melanchollic]

KING OF SWORDS

Nickname - "Authority"
Element - Fire/Fire
Temper - Choleric
Power - Hot/Dry
Timing - Fast/Long
Movement - Separating/Rigid
Direction - South
In the cycle of a year - July
In the cycle of a day - Noon
In the cycle of a life - Age 14~21
Sex - Male
Similar Cards - 1 Swords, 7 Swords


The Sword King represents pure authority. The Dry Power of Fire makes him long of duration and form imposing. The Hot Power of Fire makes him quick and decisive.

Looking at the overall symbolism of the Tetractys, the Valet is Dry (dutiful), and the Knight is Hot (volatile). It is the King, being Hot + Dry, that has the understanding and temperament to unite and lead both of them. He inspires the loyalty of the Valet by adding heat to the dryness the Valet is accustomed to, and he guides the Knight by adding dryness to the heat that the Knight is accustomed to.

Depending on his placement, the King of Swords may indicate that one must 'take charge' or alternatively, that one should yield to a greater power, and 'take orders'.

The court cards are the most dignified within their given suit. They are a 'noble' manifestation of their given energies, so the King of Swords is an idealized version of a powerful King, and I do not put any overtly negative overlay onto his meaning.

[Cactus Dahlia]

Originally Posted by Bernice

I've been surfing around the Forum and came across this thread re. defining exactly who Court Cards refer to in a spread:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=81444

I've tried it with Mels three-card spread (1# Querent: 2# Quesited: 3# Interaction). Used 3 cards for each position, 9 in all. It seems to be working out OK.

But my final conclusion - at this moment in time - is that Mels 3 cards, one for each position, are quite sufficient.

Just a thought that you other mixed nuts may be interested.

Bee

Yes, I agree Mel's 3 card spread is quite sufficient. I am having great success with it. Thanks so much for sharing Mel.

Well, if we're all going to be 'mixed nuts' I guess I must be the walnut!

Glad you liked the Queen Pudding Bee. Definitely one of my favourite desserts. I wonder what else Mel might like ... mmmmmmm ..

[Melanchollic]

Originally Posted by Cactus Dahlia

I wonder what else Mel might like ... mmmmmmm ..

I won't lie to you ladies! After I've finished the whole 56, I'm going to crack open a nice bottle of Kentucky bourbon I've been saving.

[Melanchollic]

KING OF CUPS

Nickname - "The Connoisseur"
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, 7 Cups, Knight Swords, 9 Swords, 5 Swords, 3 Swords


The Air of the Cup, and the Fire of the King share the Power of Heat. The separating Power of Heat gives this King the skills of discernment. The nature of the Cups focus his discriminating tastes within the realm of beauty and pleasures. He is the connoisseur.

This card's relationship with the Ace of Cups insures the King's taste is 'inspired', and is drawn from a higher source beyond mere amusements, vulgar ostentatiousness, and vanity. He is in fact, a philosopher of aesthetics. His position at the top of the Tetractys shows him to be a patron of the arts, but even above that, his exceptional taste and insight inspire those who create for him, and he defines what is truly beautiful.

Such as the King of Cups is rare in our age, where much of what passes for 'art' is merely 'product'.

The King of Cups may also apply his sharp discriminating judgement and higher sensibilities to the 'art of living' — a spiritual path of some sort. I would say Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas are all Kings of the Cup.

[Bernice]

KING OF CUPS:

Well, Mel may think he's 'melanchollic', but he's coming across as a King of Cups!

Now I wonder what we can rustle up to go with his Kentucky bourbon. Perhaps a multi-course meal with eversuch delicate portions....? Lot's of mouth-watering tid-bits to accompany every nip of the Burbon?

Bee

Timing is brilliant with these meanings - the Interaction card says it all!

[Vesper]

Great thread, Mel, and thanks for this. Been following along and copying down your summaries of the cards. One thing I'm not getting - the Tempers.

Choleric? Phlegmatic?

Where would I find definitions of these? Or are they just another way of expressing the powers?

Thanks again, and though I'm not much of a cook, here's a batch of my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (they've got oatmeal! you can have them for breakfast.)

[Emily]

I'm new to the Marseille too - I'm using a reproduction Conver deck and am really enjoying this thread.

[Melanchollic]

Originally Posted by evelone

Great thread, Mel, and thanks for this. Been following along and copying down your summaries of the cards. One thing I'm not getting - the Tempers.

Choleric? Phlegmatic?

Where would I find definitions of these? Or are they just another way of expressing the powers?

Thanks again, and though I'm not much of a cook, here's a batch of my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (they've got oatmeal! you can have them for breakfast.)

You can Google "Four Temperaments" or "Four Humors" and find a lot of info.

Basically, the Four Temperaments are how the Four Elements manifest in human behavior. They date back to the Ancient Greeks, and were common in European thought and early medicine until the 18th century.


Choleric is a Fiery character,

Sanguine is an Airy character,

Phlegmatic is a Watery character,

and Melancholic is an Earthy character.


They also work in combinations, like Choleric-Sanguine characters, etc.

[Melanchollic]

KING OF COINS

Nickname - "The Benevolent"
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, 8 Swords, Queen Swords, 7 Coins, 1 Coins


Here the King successfully brings together the opposing energies of Fire and Water (Kings = Fire, Coins = Water). He benevolently unifies all opposites, bringing conflicting interests under one flag. He forges 'a kingdom' from scattered tribes.

Like the theory of the 'Free Market Economy', some systems are too complex to regulate from a central source, and function better when left to regulate themselves, and the inherent complexities work as a built-in system of checks and balances in which extremes are neutralized, or as René Guénon put it,

"It is the sum of all disorders or disequilibriums that constitutes the total order."

Here, the well dignified balancing of all the opposing Powers gives this King the natural ability to know when things will balance themselves out, and when measures must be taken to maintain balance. Through the wise implementation of policies that promote peace (the Ace being his ally in the pips), prosperity, and trade, the Kingdom seemingly runs itself.

Looking at the Tetractys, the peace and freedom maintained by the King, give rise to the market (Queen) in which sellers (Knights) and buyers (Valets) can mutually benefit.