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THE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE AND
ARCHETYPE
OF MASTERY
OF EMOTIONAL OBJECTIVITY
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"She
delves down through the waves, seeking to be alone and
to find a peaceful place to contemplate her own
thoughts. She brings a cup with her. It brims with the
captured essence of sunlight from the world so high
above her own. It contains the tiny sparks and flashes
that have drifted down to the sea bed in bits of golden
coin or in the stray shaft of sunlight that manages to
pierce through the fathoms. All of that is distilled
into the precious contents held in her hands."
-
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law & Barbara Moore
(Shadowscapes
Companion) |
The Princess of Cups is
the Universal Principle and Worldly Archetype of
Mastery
of Emotional Objectivity. The
Beholder of Life has
worked through issues of jealousy,
manipulation,
seduction,
possessiveness and thus has
achieved emotional mastery within oneself, and has the
capacity
to offer emotional longevity and
loyalty to others in
objective and non-possessive ways (symbolised by the
turtle in the seashell).
Within
the rich and symbolic
Thoth Tarot by
Aleister Crowley,
painted beautifully by Lady Frieda Harris, the
lush Princess is
emotionally secure (symbolised by the swan
coming from the top of her head) and is able to
communicate her
feelings,
desires and
concerns in
realistic and meaningful ways (symbolised by the
dolphin). She is the visual representation of
emotional
acceptance, authenticity and
objectivity.
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"The
crystals on her seashell gown indicate her
ability to look at things as they are rather
than as she would like them to be. She allows
the lotus blossom to go free, a symbol of the
trusting heart rather than the controlling,
possessive heart."
- Angeles
Arrien (The Tarot Handbook) |
This strong symbolism represents the
capacity to state
feelings objectively and
realistically, with a
firm
conviction, and not allowing oneself to
suffer emotional
abandonment into attachment and
clinginess, but rather
embrace loving and realistic emotional journeys.
The Princess of Cups is associated with the
Water sign
months of
Pisces (February 21 – March 21),
Cancer (June
21 – July 21) and
Scorpio (October 21 – November 21),
shining bright with
individuals born into these
Great houses.
During these valuable times, it is important for the
Beholder to
break patterns of jealousy and
possession (if not
already done so) and to look at
emotional situations realistically and
objectively. It is important that
feelings are not abandoned or for one not to
succumb to
the repetition of old reactive patterns.
For men, the Princess of Cups represents the
inner
feminine nature, the anima, which has
total commitment
to offering emotional longevity and
loyalty (the turtle)
in realistic and non-possessive ways. For both genders,
the Princess is also reflected by a person who is one’s
own age or younger, who appears at the right time to
teach lessons about letting go
emotionally.
When you are drawn to the Princess, this is a
strong
indicator that you have had success in working through
jealousy issues and are now able to
love deeply, in
accepting, healthy ways. You have
worked through old,
reactive patterns of
insecurity,
jealousy and
possessiveness, and have moved through issues
surrounding fears of abandonment and
loss and are not
willing to perpetuate or get involved in
emotionally
divisive situations.
The concept of compassion and
imagination are
illustrated perfectly within the Animals Divine Tarot by
Lisa Hunt. The card shows
Tangorea, the
Polynesian god
of the oceans and sea-life which
symbolises deep
emotional empathy within the
Beholder of Life.
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"Rays
of light penetrate the translucency of the
ocean. This is representative of tapping into
the unconscious terrain of the psyche. The light
penetrates the wonderful reservoir of inner
life. The fish are swimming harmoniously,
representative of the imaginative ideas that are
circulating in the mind. The dolphin is an
intuitive guide. It is able to help us direct
creative energies into physical manifestations.
The sea turtle is quietly floating through
deeper waters of the psyche, its quiet strength
capable of focusing on the less-recognized
elements of our inner, deeper terrain. The god
is covered with seaweed. The seaweed exemplifies
movement and fertile energy. A bright, radiating
spiral originates from the young god’s chest
area. His heart is leading him through the
waters of subconscious exploration. He is
learning to listen to his inner voice as it
navigates him through unsheltered territory. The
birds above the surface represent the spirit and
transcendental thinking."
- Lisa Hunt (Animals
Divine) |
Tangorea
is the offspring of the earth and
sky gods
whose separation resulted in the
creation of all life on
earth. His magnificent influence
scatters across the
Pacific archipelagos and depending on which myth you
encounter, his influence changes dramatically.
The
Maori tell the story of the
endless destructive
cycle between Tangorea and
Tane Mahuta. After being
driven from the forests by
Tane Mahuta,
Tangorea assumed
the domain of the ocean.
Tane Mahuta provided the
mortals with equipment to
catch marine life (spears,
nets) which sent Tangorea into a
rage. He
avenged this
violation by sending great floods to
Tane Mahuta's
shore.
Tangorea's
deep ties with the ocean demonstrate how
influential his emotions are. This is a time to
nurture
the love we may feel for someone. It is a good time to
let emotional bonds strengthen and be willing to
show
loyalty to those we care about.
In the glittering and
enduring
Fantastical Creatures
Tarot illustrated by Lisa Hunt and written by
D.J.
Conway the Princess (Page)
of Cups is symbolised by the
Nereids, creatures of
great mythos and
sanctuary.
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"The
beautiful sea nymphs known as nereids were the
fifty granddaughters of the old sea god Pontus
and Gaea, the Earth mother. Though related to
mermaids, the nereids had no scales or
fish-tails. Unlike the mer-folk, the nereids of
the Mediterranean seas had emotions and feelings
similar to those of humans. They enjoyed their
ocean romps with Poseidon and the mer-folk, and
also rode their dolphins alongside Greek ships."
-
Lisa Hunt & D.J. Conway
(Fantastical Creatures) |
The symbolism of the
Nereids
warn us to
carefully
consider emotional involvements. This could be related
to a message of love,
engagement or a
wedding. You have
decided to take an emotional risk but
have no idea where
this will take you. This card can also be used to
meditate upon for the
Beholder of Passions to
take
control of emotions and to also decide if a
choice is
worth the risk.
Illustrated within the sparkling
Shadowscapes Companion
Tarot is the message of sentimentality,
connecting with
the true romance within the
longing Heart, which
breathes deeply the
space and
peace to take in all the
pleasures of Life.
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"She
lifts the cup underneath her face, feels that
remembered warmth of the sun’s kiss upon the
wavetops. The heat spirals out through the water
with tendrils of peace and tranquillity. The
radiance sparks her thoughts and imagination.
She feels her mind begin to set adrift, and her
vision fills with dreams of the fantastic."
- Stephanie
Pui-Mun Law & Barbara Moore
(Shadowscapes
Companion) |
The Princess listens to the
still voice from
deep inside
that speaks with understanding and
intuition, longing to
make the impossible, possible!
In the ancient Haindl Tarot, the
Princess of Cups is
also given the heroic name “Daughter of Cups” and is
portrayed as
Brigid, the
steadfast goddess of the Celts.
Brigid is the
patroness of poetry,
prophecy,
divination,
livestock and
produce. She radiates with
calm
peacefulness from the decisive strength of her
character.
In the reflective
Rider-Waite Tarot which is
illuminated
by Joan Bunning in
Learning the Tarot, the message is of
cupid bringing opportunities for
Love, delivering real
opportunities to experience romance,
deep feelings and
the inner life, which is the
epitome and
wonder of the
Cups suit.
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"An
opening appears that stirs your emotions and
pulls at your heartstrings, bringing you great
joy. When you see a chance, Act on it!"
- Joan
Bunning (Learning the Tarot) |
The Page of Cups (Princess of Cups) who is
fair and
contemplates a fish rising out of the Cup in a studious
mood, symbolizes a child, a
young-at-heart adult whose
interactions with you involve emotional needs,
moodiness,
love, intimacy and
spirituality. Take this
time to express and enjoy feelings with
light-hearted
abandon!
This exemplified symbolism also represents a
fair young
lady, one impelled to render service and with whom the
Querent will be connected. This
message of love and
intimacy are expressed in the
vibrant Kleopatra Tarot,
expressed by Sebek (Sobek), the
Egyptian Nile Crocodile
god symbolising power,
fertility and
prowess. This card
also represents the Love of Art in all forms.
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"The
Princess of Cups represents the earthy part of
Water; in particular, the faculty of
crystallization. She represents the power of
Water to give substance to idea, to support
life, and to form the basis of chemical
combination. She is represented as a dancing
figure, robed in a flowing garment on whose
edges crystals are seen to form."
- Aleister
Crowley (The Book of Thoth) |
In The Book of Thoth by
Aleister Crowley, the
Princess of Cups is expressed from a
deeply esoteric viewpoint
(Malkuth in Briah); the crest of the
vibrant lady is
that of the
Swan (in Oriental philosophy represented by
AUM). The
Tortoise in
Hindu philosophy supports the
Elephant on whose back is the
Universe. The
Dolphin is
the ancient symbol of the power of Creation.
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"The
character of the Princess is infinitely
gracious. All sweetness, all voluptuousness,
gentleness, kindness and tenderness are in her
character. She lives in the world of Romance, in
the perpetual dream of rapture."
- Aleister
Crowley (The Book of Thoth) |
In the Yî King, the
earthy part of Water is
represented by the 41st
Hexagram, Sun. This
means diminution, the
dissolution of all solidity.
People described by this card are
very dependent on others, but at the same
time helpful to them.
Rarely, at the best, are they of individual importance.
As helpmeets, they are
unsurpassed.
Lon Milo DuQuette in his thesis
Understanding Aleister
Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, reminds us that together with the
Ace of Cups, the
Princess of Cups rules
Libra,
Scorpio,
Sagittarius, the
celestial quadrant above the
North
Pole, and the area of the Pacific.
There are numerous titles given to the
magnificent
Princess; the Princess of the Waters,
Lotus of the
Palace of the Floods, Princess and the Empress of the
Nymphs and Undines and Throne of the Ace of Cups.
The Princess of Cups is
deeply rooted to individuals
with brown hair and
blue and
brown eyes and rules women
aged thirty-six and younger.
Lon Milo DuQuette writes; "I cannot overemphasize the
importance of the relationship between the ace of each
suit and its Princess …. As earth of water, she
literally can ground vaporous and romantic ideas into
manifestation, and provide a fixed and fertile medium
where the water-nourished life of ideas can flourish."
The
magical and
effervescent
Princess of Cups has come into
your Life to affirm your longevity with your own
emotional bond and confirms that you have
accepted and
strengthened your anchors to
Love without the need for
jealousy,
deprivation and
reliance. You can now
love
freely in healthy and
fulfilling freedoms!
POSITIVE PATH
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BE EMOTIONAL
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be
moved and touched inwardly
let your feelings show
respond to beauty
be sentimental and romantic
shed detachment
let heart lead the way
reach out and touch someone
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BE INTUITIVE
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receive
inner guidance
act on your hunch
remember dreams
have psychic experiences
experience direct knowing
trust your gut reaction
mend a broken relationship
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BE INTIMATE
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start and
renew a love affair
meet someone you’re attracted to
get closer to someone
go beyond formalities
have special moment of togetherness
solidify a friendship
share something personal
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BE LOVING
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make a
thoughtful gesture
express sympathy and understanding
forgive yourself and others
apologize to someone you have hurt
brighten someone’s day
respond with caring and not anger
refuse to judge/condemn
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WORLD AND
OCCUPATION
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- Expressing your Beautiful Heart -
poetic, romantic, idealistic, graceful, gifted,
mystical, changeable, forgiving, clairvoyant,
nature-loving, gentle, dreamy, adventurous,
compassionate, introverted, passionate, beautiful,
freedom-loving, of high mind, wild, charming, delicate,
enthusiastic, dramatic, sensitive, empathic
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NEGATIVE
PATH
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Dragging Yourself into Chaos -
superficial, weak, shallow, two-faced,
over-emotional, impractical, showing off,
artifice, affected, inexperienced, false,
irrational, vacillating, impressionable,
sentimental, fantasy prone, deception,
self-absorbed, immoral, inconsistent,
personal history ignored, altruistic,
sensational, coquettish, gullible, shy
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REVERSED
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- Losing Oneself to Unemotion -
misunderstanding, death, seduction, illness,
curtailed freedom, bad news, ill fortune,
rigid,
conservative, undoing, materialistic,
sabotage,
unforgiving, maternal upsets, attachment,
falseness, insensitivity, coarseness,
critical,
loss of self-assurance, heavy
responsibilities,
uncongenial environment, end of happiness,
upset hopes and dreams, end of innocence,
divorce, inclination, end of naivety, oppression |
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"The reversal asks to strengthen the positive and
release the negative. Any path will always lead
to both being fulfilled."
- Michael
Tsarion |
- Research sources -
Taroscopes
by
Michael Tsarion
Röhrig
Tarot by
Carl-W. Röhrig
Arcus Arcanum Tarot by
Hager Gunter
The Tarot Handbook by
Angeles Arrien
The Book of Thoth by
Aleister Crowley
Animals Divine Companion
by Lisa Hunt
Fantastical Creatures
by Lisa Hunt
&
D.J. Conway
Thoth
Tarot by
Aleister Crowley &
Lady Frieda Harris
Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot by
Pamela Colman Smith
Shadowscapes
by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
& Barbara Moore
Understanding Crowley’s Thoth Tarot
by Lon Milo DuQuette
Robin Wood Tarot
by Robin Wood
& Michael Short
Kleopatra Tarot
by Etta Stoico
& Silvana Alasia
Connolly Tarot
by Eileen
& Peter Paul
Connolly
Learning the Tarot
by Joan Bunning
Haindl Tarot by
Hermann Haindl
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