Friday, April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022: VII of Swords and IV of Pentacles; brief notes about Calcination

The image on the True Black VII of Swords shows a white rat, a known carrier of disease and symbol of betrayal, in front of a dark and shadowy curtain that is pierced from behind by the blades of six Swords.  Dangling ominously above the rat, point down, is a seventh golden Sword.  The keywords for this card are betrayal, thievery, plotting, and dishonor. 

The image on the IV of Pentacles shows four heavy and large golden coins embedded in the ground.  Above them is an intricate spider web; trapped in the web are blue butterflies.  One additional butterfly appears to be flying toward that web.  The keywords for this card are hoarding, greed, materialism, and stagnation.

 

To me, the VII of Swords indicates the achievement of an empty victory by fighting hard to hold the current rules in place, even if they have become a danger to ourselves or to others.  The True Black VII of Swords represents this as well, with the added possibility this danger will be subverted or hidden to prevent interference.  In the Tarot, the number 7 can be seen as reaching a pause or pinnacle that offers us a choice, and it appears this choice could have life-changing effects, not necessarily good ones.

 

The coins in the image of the IV of Pentacles look heavy; to emphasize that appearance, they are deeply embedded in the ground to the point that removing them would be difficult.  The vines growing on the coins reinforce the idea that they are stuck for good.  This card reminds us that wealth does nothing if we keep it hidden safely away.  To make these coins valuable, they must become something, they must be used in order to create something.  Like the number 7, the number 4 tells of a pause, this pause caused by stability and control, rather than the opportunity to choose.

 

Pulling Elemental Dignities into the interpretation, we have learned that Earth (Pentacles) is passive, representing cold that binds and dry that shapes, and Air (Swords) is active, representing heat that separates and cold that adapts.  They are unfriendly, which means their effects actively cancel each other out or take away the power of the other element to act.  The IV of Pentacles represents holding onto something to the point of hoarding, and the VII of Swords represents fighting hard to hold the current rules in place, even if they are not benefiting me or have even become a danger to me.  Hoarding resources and deliberately choosing to selfishly subvert a situation by insisting on my own rules are the results of this unfriendly combination.

 

I certainly need to pay attention today.  My mind may be trying to cling to something that will not work, perhaps something in the physical world that is stuck or being difficult, or just being invisible through not moving.  Hmmmm . . . .


I've been exploring the rabbit hole that is the alchemical Great Work once again, in part because of my VII of Cups card that appeared in my previous post.  I find that typing things out helps to crystallize them in my mind, so here is just a bit about Calcination.


Calcination is the process of burning something over an open flame until only ash remains.  It is considered to be purification by fire.  Calcination is also seen as the destruction of ego, the first step in the Great Work because ego can not only cloud our perceptions, but also control them for its own benefit.  Thus we must experience the destruction of ego through psychological disintegration in order to meet and understand our Shadow.  Physically, the open flame can be represented by metabolic or aerobic discipline, which helps in the purification of thoughts.  Calcination corresponds with the element or substance of Fire, the planet Saturn, the metal of Lead, and the colors black, magenta or purple-red.  It corresponds with Muladhara, the root chakra, and the yogic path of abstention.  To me, The Tower is the Major Arcana card that best corresponds with Calcination, for this card represents sudden changes and upheavals, and corresponds with the element of Fire.  


 

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