by Brian Clark
The constellation has also been described as Maera ‘shining’, the faithful companion of Icarius who acted as a guide to the dead by leading Erigone to her father’s buried corpse. Cerebus, the three-headed guardian of the gates to the underworld, has also been associated with this constellation. This tradition finds a parallel with Anubis, the dog-headed god who the Egyptians knew as the guardian of both the seasons and the underworld. Whether a hunting companion or guardian of the underworld, the dog remains the eternal symbol of the unconditional, loyal, and protective companion to man, attributes which help shed light on the current situation.
Canis Major includes the bright star Sirius, whose heliacal rising coincided with the heat of the ‘dog days’, the forty days that ushered in the New Year at its hottest period. The Egyptians personified their god Anubis as Sirius, the constellation’s brightest star that marked the annual rising of the waters of the Nile. Flooding implies that the contents of the unconscious are ready to be emptied out. When the card is drawn, a turning point in the situation has been reached and a flood of feelings is ready to be released. The star’s name can be traced to both ‘scorching’ and ‘bright’, two traditions associated with Sirius. As the brightest star in the heavens, its comparison with the Sun lends this card its symbolic association with light or consciousness. When the Eight of Swords appears, it suggests that consciousness be applied to a conflicted situation in order to help resolve some of the difficulties from the past. It also implies that the heat is being turned up and that the situation may have reached its boiling point.
Cross-culturally, the dog has mythological symbolism as the guardian to the underworld, as reflected in the Egyptian Anubis and the Greek Cerberus. As a gatekeeper and guide to the underworld, the appearance of the dog suggests a new way of viewing the past, especially how we may have contributed to our own feelings of alienation and feeling trapped. Troubled feelings, buried from previous conflicts, fears, and obstacles that have inhibited communication, are rising to the level of consciousness. Psychologically, the card may reveal the guarding of an unconscious position that can be reversed through conscious exploration and self-examination. However, this requires identifying the issue and making a clear choice. When the Greater Dog appears it is time to hunt down the truth and pursue the right course of action.
Venus is the ruler of this decan. Paired with Gemini, it could suggest duplicity in relationship, ambivalence, or the inability to make a decision. In esoteric astrology, Venus is the ruler of Gemini and suggests that choice is based on personal values. On an oracular level, the individual needs to confront personal values, and commit to integrity and truth in order to break free from the current impasse.
The Nine of Swords: Canis Minor
As the smaller of the two dogs, Canis Minor rises first. This stellar dog sits below the twins of Gemini, and on the opposite side of the Milky Way from Canis Major. The two dogs are separated by the celestial equator. The smaller dog sits directly on the equator, while his larger companion is located south of the celestial marker. Greek myths often interchanged the two canine constellations. Canis Minor was also seen as a hound of Actaeon, or the faithful Maera, or as the second hunting hound of Orion. The Greeks even suggested this was the beloved dog of Helen, the beautiful sister of the twins of Gemini, who was separated from her homeland and taken to Troy. On the celestial stage, the ‘lesser dog’ is separated from the larger one by both the Milky Way and the equator. Therefore, when the Nine of Swords appears, it alerts us to the fear of disconnection and separation. On a divinatory level, the card suggests that the atmosphere enveloping the individual may be filled with anxiety stemming from a separation or disconnection in the past, whether conscious or not. Startled by fear, the individual is awoken from a nightmare and confronted with the pain of feeling disconnected. Traditionally, the card has been linked to mental anguish and night terrors arising from guilt and shame, which now are ready to be confronted.
Because of the dog’s proximity to the Milky Way, different cultures have perceived the stars, or the group of stars, as watering holes and have attached to them legends of water and drowning. Metaphorically, this may represent an oasis that provides comfort to the parched areas of the psyche, and protection from the anguish of the past. Alternatively, a flood of guilt may constellate the terror and anxiety of what will happen in the future. The bright star Procyon, which means “before the dog,” dominates the constellation. From early Greek records, the star’s name suggested its rising announced the appearance of Sirius. Procyon’s role in heralding the season of flooding parallels the Nine of Swords representation of the rising feelings of anxiety from the past.
While the Greeks did not name this star group, the Arabs linked the dog constellations together in their legend of two sisters. Both sisters fell in love with the same man, who was separated from them by a great river, most probably the Milky Way. One sister was able to cross over the river, leaving her sibling broken-hearted on the other side. The abandoned sister was often depicted as weeping or watery-eyed, a reference to Procyon. This legend echoes the archetypal pattern of separation often reflected in many sibling myths. The sibling represents the first partner or companion from whom we must separate in order to individuate. While separation is inevitable on the journey of individuation, the painful feelings accompanying this process may awaken a deeper fear of abandonment, aloneness, or disconnection. This primal dread is experienced as anxiety, hyperactivity, and fear of the future. The myth underlying Gemini echoes this painful theme of being separated from the soul mate. Here, on the canvas of the heavens, the Arabic legend uses the star patterns to tell a universal story, a motif consistent with the astrological symbols of Uranus, the archetype of separation, and Gemini, the sibling.
The card brings to consciousness past separations that may have involved siblings, close friends, partners, or associates. However, the card suggests a deeper archetypal layer emerging from underneath the personal experiences of separation. Though separations are painful, they help us embrace emergent independence and the need for individuality within relationships. Uranus’ orientation is toward the future, which often produces feelings of panic and anxiety. However, with reflection, reparation from what was severed in the past can take place. Uranus also symbolizes awakening and suggests an alternate vantage point to feeling disconnected. The appearance of the ‘lesser dog’ serves as the guide to healing the feelings of isolation and injury through the conscious acceptance of our separateness.
The journey through the Swords constellates both conflict and relationship. In the Nine of Swords there is recognition of how conflict has lead to separation and disconnection. The ‘lesser dog’ separated from his companion, the anguish of the divine twin Pollex being separated from his mortal soul brother Castor, and the sky god Uranus disconnected from his earthy mate Gaia are all images embedded in this card. All these myths evoke the pain of separateness and the terror of being alone. The card encourages the individual to embrace their sense of separateness and aloneness. Ironically, only when we are prepared to confront the fear of being alone do we become able to embrace the unknown.
The Ten of Swords: The Winds of Change
In mythology, air is represented by the unpredictable winds, which often bring change and herald a new season. Zephyrus would usher in the spring, and the change of winds was a harbinger that a new phase was imminent. Because of the importance of the winds, the ancient Greeks personified them and the Athenians built a tower to the Fours Winds to commemorate their importance. Astrologically, the winds are represented by Gemini, the changeable breezes of late spring; Libra, the high winds that precede the calm before the storm; and Aquarius, cold electric air of winter. Today we still speak of the “winds of change,” especially in context of larger global or social movements. Today, certain winds like the Chinook and the Foen still herald a sudden change in the atmosphere. Our expression ‘something in the air’ refers not only to chang
ing climatic conditions, but also expresses the certainty that change is inevitable. Never static, air is changeable, like the wind. Blowing from different directions, each wind allows a different perspective. When the Ten of Swords appears, it is important to look at the current situation from all sides to get a clearer perspective, in order to accept and separate from it.
Winds can be destructive and devastating, as well as helpful and necessary to sailors. In myth, Aelous, the keeper of the winds, gave Odysseus a gift of a bag that concealed all the winds. With the stormy and wild winds contained, Odysseus was better able to guide his ship on its homeward journey. However, his crew became curious and suspicious of what was in the treasured sack and tore it open, releasing the ravaging winds that blew the ship off its course. When the Ten of Swords appears we are alerted to a conflict, which may be due to ignorance, fickleness, envy, or thoughtlessness. Drawing this card indicates that, unless if we are unable to let the difficulty go, the winds will continue to stir up the situation and cause more anxiety.
In antiquity, air and wind became associated with the sources of certain physical and mental conditions. Traditionally, the Ten of Swords has been connected to back pain. However, while the card alerts us to physical ailments, it suggests the pain may stem from the mental anguish of a severed relationship or misunderstanding.
Heaven was the domain of the early masculine air gods. Separated from the Earth, they were distant and aloof from the mundane world. Like many of the heavenly gods, air can be aloof, disengaged, and perfection-orientated, often the source of the wounding. As a symbol, it becomes representative of the masculine values of heaven, ideas, ideals, and intellect. Without air we cannot breathe, we are suffocated or smothered. Being short of breath, we panic and become anxious. The card suggests it is time to breathe new life into your social circle, and separate from those who no longer give you space to be yourself.
Air was also represented in myth by the motif of magical flight undertaken to try to reach heaven, conquer the dark feminine, or carry a message to the gods. Perseus was able to fly when Hermes lent him his magic sandals. Bellerophon rode the winged horse Pegasus into Olympus. With wings of wax, Icarus flew as high as he could before the sun melted his wings and he crashed in the Aegean. Phaëthon stole the chariot of the sun and tried to ride it across the heavens, resulting in his fall from heaven, like Icarus. Air’s fanciful thinking can become inflated, over idealized, or ungrounded. Our language reflects this meaning in the phrase “putting on airs”, while the phrase “blowing hot and cold” reflects air’s penchant for changing its mind. Myths of magical flight encapsulate air’s tendency to think lofty thoughts, as well as its urge to escape the earthly realms for a more idealized world. Air is also invested with cosmic significance, for in the beginning was the Word, synonymous for the breath of life or Holy Spirit.
The winds of the Ten of Swords are blowing into the center of the situation to clear the sky and make the way forward more apparent. In order to perceive the right choice, the three air signs are supporting the situation with their gifts of intelligence, perspective, balance, and insight. Once the winds have calmed down, the individual should be able to see the future more clearly, having finalized a difficult and conflicted situation. On an oracular level, the card suggests the winds of change will clear the horizon so the individual can see their future direction more clearly.
CUPS: Waters of the Heart
Minor
Arcana
Cups/ Water
Constellation
Decan
Ruler of Decan
Ace
Ursa Minor
1st Cancer
Moon
2
Ursa Major
2nd Cancer
Pluto
3
Argo
3rd Cancer
Neptune
4
Serpens
1st Scorpio
Pluto
5
Asclepius
(Ophiuchus)
2nd Scorpio
Neptune
6
Hercules
3rd Scorpio
Moon
7
Al Risha
1st Pisces
Neptune
8
Cepheus
2nd Pisces
Moon
9
Andromeda
3rd Pisces
Pluto
10
Water
Water contains Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, the three signs ruling the realm of feelings. The myths underpinning this element describe the full spectrum of feelings aroused through ancestral and familial attachments, and the bonds of love and hate experienced in our close relationships. This astrological trinity symbolizes the journey of life, beginning in the sea of the womb (Pisces), the breaking of the waters at birth (Cancer), and crossing the river at death (Scorpio). Each sign is concerned with a specific form of attachment. Cancer represents unconditional love of the mother, Scorpio, an equal and committed attachment, while Pisces embraces universal love and compassion through the Great Mother. The Cups are drawn with depth and emotional intensity, contributing to the maturation of feelings, and the development of the soul.
CANCER is the gentle and flowing waters of the world’s rivers, the babbling brook, the flowing stream, a child’s tears, the feelings that flow through the family of origin and ancestry. Mother-love, the family atmosphere, baby-love, childhood mementos, a secure base.
SCORPIO is the clear pond or the stagnant pool, the still lake, the feeling of intense love, the power of love, yet also the love of power. Eros and the potent feelings that flow beneath the visible surface. The Beloved. Shared intimacy, trust, and union.
PISCES is the wide sea, the tides of the ocean, selflessness, the Great Mother, the collective layers of the unconscious, oneness, merging, surrender, the feeling for all of humanity, universal love and chaos, the spiritual and magical realms. Sacrifice, divine love, idealized love.
Representing the most primal layer of the human psyche, water signs depict archaic motifs underpinning the visible world. An element associated with the mysterious and mystical sides of life, water symbolizes what is hidden, unknown, uncertain, and invisible.
Led by their feelings, aroused by empathy and compassion for others, water individuals seek soulful connections. Being receptive, empathetic, compassionate and feeling, sensitive water individuals are instinctively able to sense the others’ pain and despair. Aware of what others need, the watery type habitually serves others in an unspoken way. Without invitation from the other, the watery type tries to soothe the pain, attend the discomfort, and nurture the broken heart. Often these feelings are not reciprocated, leaving the individual adrift emotionally. When water becomes conscious of its projections, attempting to maintain boundaries, then warmth, emotional generosity and support are returned. When a predominance of Cups appears, this alerts us to the probability that this type of individual is pivotal to the situation being revealed.
Water lifts the veil separating the visible world from the invisible on
e. It has a natural affinity for symbols and signs, and is inclined to see the source of the illness, not the symptom. Water types are able to read what is below the surface of the situation. Because of this trait, they are natural counselors, helpers, and healers. Yet they should always be conscious of their tendency to become enmeshed with those they try to help. Water in essence has no form and needs to be contained. Without containment, its potentiality to invade or erode is relentless. By nature, it is an element that will absorb and assimilate what is in the environment. It is difficult for water to let go of the affect of feelings, and therefore collects reminders, memories, and mementos of their life. Since water locates itself frequently in the past, there is an element of nostalgia and sentimentality. When engaged, it has great potential for depth of intimacy and union.
With Cups, we enter the sphere of water and meet the mysterious life-giving spirits inhabiting this territory. Starting with the Ace of Cups, the instinct to nurture, to protect and care is encountered in the Great She-Bear, an archaic image that symbolizes the mothering instincts. This is Cancer’s domain and, as we journey through the first three Cups, we engage its need to nurture, attach, and respect the bonds of family. With the Four of Cups, we meet Serpens the healing snake that introduces us to Scorpio’s domain of mystery, healing, power, and love. Scorpio initiates us into the depth of our unconscious and confronts us with honesty and integrity. With the Seven of Cups, we encounter a nodal point in the journey; the knot tying the ribbon of stars that link the two fish of Pisces together. This experience heralds the journey into the imagination to engage the Divine. As we reach the Ten of Cups, we encounter the fullness of Water where the three layers of feeling merge. When the Cups appear, we are alerted to the full spectrum of feelings, ranging from the brightest to the darkest emotions. The Cups introduce us to heroes, shamans, healers, magicians, and instinctual animals, which represent the mystery and complexity of feeling. Important transitions and passages in the life cycle are revealed when the Cups appear in a spread. In this suit, we journey into the soulful regions of the human psyche and confront its deeper mysteries and cycles.