This post continues the reading started in Part 1: The setup.
The reading is one using “traditional” meanings (gleaned from authors such as Arthur Edward Waite, Eden Gray, and Leanna Greenaway), in a “predictive” (or fortunetelling) reading. The purpose of this reading is not fortunetelling, but to demonstrate how a predictive reading can be used to stimulate the creative imagination and as an aid in problem solving. (See Part 1 of this series for the reasoning behind the exercise.)
In a true divinatory reading, this card will have the alarm bells ringing: the previous card—10 of Cups (reversed)—seems to indicate a troubled family life; the 2 of Cups (reversed) would now appear to reinforce this interpretation. Let’s see where we can go with this card.
A note: Even as a sceptic, I am often startled by the “accuracy” of these pretend-fortunetelling readings. Of course this perceived accuracy can be explained by factors such as hindsight, coincidences, seeing what you expect to see, and self-fulfilling prophecy, but still …
This reading, however, by card 3 out of 10, is so wrong that it is almost as if the cards are saying: “See, we can be used for solving problems, but not for divining situations!”
This crowns you: 2 of Cups (reversed)
The “crowning” position often gives readers trouble: exactly what does it mean? Some take “crown” to mean “head” (which is where a crown usually sits), so that this position indicates something that is known, conscious. One could then take the next card, opposite this one in the “Foundation” position, to point to hidden or unconscious influences.
Waite describes the “Crown” position as “(a) the Querent's aim or ideal in the matter; (b) the best that can be achieved under the circumstances, but that which has not yet been made actual.”
I like to expand on Waite’s description by thinking of “crown” in the sense of “the cherry on top”, and “the top or highest part of anything, as of a hat or a mountain … the highest or most nearly perfect state of anything … an exalting or chief attribute” (from dictionary.com). In this sense then, card 3 could indicate something that “crowns” the situation, almost a blessing.
The 2 of Cups traditionally means a partnership—most often of the soul mate kind—but could also refer to a contract or partnership between two like-minded people. Reversed, it could mean a broken partnership or contract, or—the one I will choose for this reading—a delay. “A book contract? Not yet, baby!”
At least the “energy” of the card is present, even though the card is reversed: this I will take to mean that, although it is too early to start contacting publishers, the prospect is not completely out of the question. This interpretation would fit Waite’s option b, above—the best that can be achieved, but still just an ideal.
Another possibility that I like, is the continuation of the trend started by Temperance and continued by the reversed 10 of Cups: inner (creative and emotional) balance and harmony. The number 2 can indicate both balance and harmony, and the Cups suit represents not only relationships and emotions, but also creativity and the imagination. Note also the appearance of cups and water in the Temperance card. It is almost as if Temperance is emphasising the most important aspects of the balance and harmony it represents.
OK, I said I wouldn’t be looking at themes and patterns, but this one was too good to miss! It also fits in with the “problem statement” that is slowly taking shape: a problem statement that I will be able to use as the question for a subsequent reading.
So far, this tentative problem statement incorporates “the ideal circumstances in which to continue the book project would be to attain an inner and outer state of balance, harmony, creative achievement and moderation” (formulated in Part 3 of this series, and reinforced in the reading of the current card).
What I would like to achieve in this reading, is a more focused definition of “inner and outer state of balance and harmony”, as well as some ideas on how to achieve this.
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