Knight of Cups - The Hopeful Romantic

One of my favourite cards, is the Knight of Cups. Emotion is represented by the suit of cups and being a person who relates in an intuitive manner, on an emotional level, I strongly identify with this card.

The aftermath of Valentine's Day usually lives me feeling rather deflated as a result of all the hype around this very commercialized day, that has generally lost it's meaning in that it is now geared toward couples, who gush about their undying love toward one another. The unspoken message is a presumption that most of us the population is coupled. Reality certainly does not bare this out, but I don't want to get off on a tangent about this.

What I want to talk about is the nature of this Knight of Cups. I ask myself what kind of quest is he on? Firstly he is the mythic hero Perseus who is on a kind of spiritual vision quest and is greatly favoured by goddesses, The Graeae, the three Crones, who knew the secrets of the future.

Perseus is a real romantic and comes to the aid of the damsel in distress. He love's love, worships women, beauty and truth. He defends high ideals and searches always for that perfect love. Kindness, gentleness and idealistic in nature and personality, does not mean he is weak in character. Without the Knight of Cups, it would leave us in a cynical, bleak and a colourless world.

Our world has lost much of this romantic spirit found in the Knight of Cups. I see him as a hopeful romantic, and world needs more of them.

Page of Cups - Facing the Gorgon - Unexpected News

Well I got unexpected news today, as the Page of Cups indicates, of a spiritual nature. Not before going into my anxiety panic attack first. This time it was different. I got real quiet, and mindful within myself. Then I said a prayer. These two actions made the difference for me. My prayers were answered immediately, the anxiety left, once I decided to ignore my panic, and did what I had to do. Don't you wish that could happen all the time? I do think it does, for me, but I don't always take note of it in a real conscious way, until later. What happened today was different, and I know I need to nurture this kind of transitional shift within.

This Page speaks about the gentle stirrings, and nurturing self-care. It is the renewal of self-love and having a general interest in the body, the environment, and a focus on emotional pleasure rather than on pain or  painful memories.

I love all the Pages in the Tarot. They are youthful, possessing innocence, and a purity of heart. They always bring a message for us, because they are messengers and capture the essence of transition.

The Page of Cups will eventually become the truly romantic spirit in the form of the Knight of Cups, who makes the world a better place full of vibrancy and colour.. He will go onto slay the Gorgon Medusa, that butt ugly she-monster, with those snakes comin' out of her head.Ugh, she real scary ugly!

Well I didn't slay the Gorgon today but honestly it almost felt that way because I faced my fear, turned it over, and like Vasalisa The Wise with the doll in her pocket, I listened to the still quiet voice that helped me find my way, and I didn't forget to say my prayers.

Anne Lamott may favourite author wrote a great book, Help, Thanks, Wow. She talks about how these three words are her most frequently said prayers. I realized today they have also become mine.
What are your prayers? Do you listen to that still quiet voice?

Vasalisa The Wise-Egg Tempera, 2012 - Catherine Meyers

Knight of Cups - Love, Beauty, and Truth

Romanticism may seem foolish to a world that appears jaded and cynical in it's perspective, and some might possibly question, if such a thing even exists today. The Knight of Cups is seated on a elegant white horse, carries a golden cup much like the Holy Grail, and is crossing  a stream teaming with fish and life. As mentioned in previous posts, the Suit of Cups are connected with the emotion, relationships, friendship and romance. Also associated with the element of water, and the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. The suit can also refer to those with an artistic temperament.

The Knight of Cups is an earnest, positive, persuasive, and an attractive individual, who is on a quest, perhaps a quest that is romantic or of a spiritual nature. The individual has a vision of what life should look like in the mind's eye, and in their heart of hearts.

 This card in the Minor Arcana, I am personally very fond and identify with, because this is a portrayal of an individual on a mission to find what it is he seeks in life. Some what of a heroic figure, he believes in holy love conjoined with earthly love, in beauty and in truth. Without this kind of individual, the world would be bleak, colourless, and full of despair.

Some can find many loves in life, either in a committed and meaningful relationship with another, or we find a passion for something that becomes our vocation, that gives us another purpose in life. The fish is a spiritual symbol.

I have always been a great admirer of Pre-Raphealite art work, because it is full of romanticism, and it tells a story. The painting entitled, The Lady of Shallot, by John William Waterhouse, though he was a Neo-Classic painter, he was influenced by many of the Pre-Raphealites, and romantic poets. His subject matter was often based on Mythology.

The story behind the painting depicts Lord Tennyson's poem, that is tragic, but beautiful, none the less. Loreena McKennit put Tennyson's poem to music.

Romanticism inspires the imagination and feeds the soul. Artists are often moved to produce great art because of romanticism, as it we longingly aspire to be transported to an ethereal and spiritual world. I believe the world needs to experience romanticism that deepens, nurtures the spirit, and this can be found not only in our imagination but in love, beauty and in truth. This is the message of the Knight of Cups.