1. Discussion
Undoubtedly the most romantic figure in the deck,the Prince of Vessels enters the scene mounted on his noble charger,the very image of Sir Galahad questing for the Holy Grail. When he enters a room,all heads turn,and he never fails to captivate any audience with his tales of noble quests and high adventure. Although a charmer and a flirt,he is completely chaste,for no woman can ever reach is unattainable standards of perfection. Indeed,it is this very purity that makes him worthy of the Grail quest. Unfortunately,in his quest for perfection,he will invariably turn his back on that which is merely sublime.
He is inevitably a person who is in close touch with his feminine (yin) side. This prince displays impressive talents in the arts—music,literature,and painting but like so many creative souls,is an inherently melancholy and restless spirit,often swinging from deep depression and moodiness to unbridled enthusiasm. As befits the watery nature of the suite,he is typically ruled by Pisces,and embodies the deep psychic depths common to this astrological identity. This may help to explain his uncanny ability to generate contagious enthusiasm in others for any project toward which he sets his sights.
Although he presents a calm,imperturbable façade to the world,beneath the surface he is consumed by tempestuous conflicting passions,driven,perhaps,by a Piscean prescience of his preordained fate. His expression is one of deep concern,for he is intimately,even painfully aware of how much may depend on the flawlessness of his choices. We can see clearly by his body language as he approaches the moment of decision that he sets for himself the highest of standards.
In our illustration for this card,we see the prince confronted by one of the choices that typify his quest. As he rides into a verdant glade,alive with life and the colors of spring,he sees an attractive,earthy woman,sitting against a stump,and pleasantly contemplating a butterfly on her arm. She appears to be unaware of,or indifferent to the approaching prince. In her right hand she bears a crude wooden mug,of the humble type one might expect Jesus himself to have used. A red rose suggests passion,desire,and fertility,but also,cultivation. Moreover,in Christian lore,a rose bush was said to have grown at the site of Christ’s death—another clue,if the prince can only decipher it. On the stump beside her hovers an iridescent dragonfly. Like this card,the dragonfly is a creature of both air and water,and symbolizes strength,peace,purity,and positive outcomes.
In the background,a beautiful water sprite,reminiscent of the Lady of The Lake from whom his father,Lancelot,received his name,vies for his attention,offering a gleaming silver chalice.
A crab,symbolic of the fertilizing potential of water,mankind’s emergence from the primal sea of unconsciousness,has crawled out from the pond,and makes its way toward the prince. However,an eagle swoops down upon it. Traditionally,the Eagle represents higher thought,aspiration,and great undertakings,but in more modern contexts,it is most commonly associated with the emblem of the United States of America;an intriguing connection because legend has it that after gazing into the Grail,Galahad expired forthwith;a result of having glimpsed therein the atrocities perpetrated in purported service to a God of love. Hence,the Prince of Cups is seen to be like Adam,who falls from grace when confronted with the graphic realities of good and evil.
2. Divinatory Implications
Pursue your quest without haste,but with your whole heart,for this task demands all the energy you can provide. Aspire to integrate the unconscious with the ego,that the self may emerge as a result. Be aware of a tendency to become overcritical in your pursuit of perfection. Ponder your dreams,but be aware that you must pursue them as well.
If this card represents a person,it will most likely be one with brown or brown-black hair,and brown or gray eyes. This may be a person of sweet nature,innocent and naive,an idealized lover,but it may well be one who is likely to break your heart,so proceed with caution. The person represented is likely to be an artist:musician,dancer,painter,poet writer,or some combination thereof.
At a more esoteric level,this card may indicate an intersection between that which is seen,and that which resides beyond our normal realm of existence. A critical turning point may be approaching,and this may indicate that the time has come to transition from naiveté to responsibility.
A shamanistic journey for soul retrieval may be portended.
3. Keywords
Idealism. A holy quest. Romantic love. Dedication. Responsibility. Healing past wounds. A turning point or cusp. Facing reality.
4. Reversals
This reversal captures the negative,flip side of this romantic figure. He can be overly critical,fickle,flighty–the archetypal “love them and leave them”type–a rake,a philanderer,a deceitful schemer who employs his charm to further his own ends. The card may represent unrealistic goals,irrational sentimentality,and avoidance of the consequences of one’s words or actions. Disillusionment,selfishness,callousness,hypocrisy,manipulation or duplicity are distinct possibilities. Someone near you may be utterly lacking in sensitivity to the suffering of others. The card may warn of someone who is avoiding commitment,and there may be an indication of sexual abuse. Propositions must be examined closely,for you could be dealing with a ruthless individual who feels no responsibility toward others.
5. Artistic Interpretations
The Prince of Cups stimulates me to approach whatever I’m doing with vitality and innocence;to pull out all the stops. It urges me to plunge into experimentation with form,materials,colors,harmonies,and see what emerges. I want to look at things in a fresh way that helps me release the inner child. I would also tend to examine whatever I was working on with an eye toward detecting one-dimensionality,for this is a card with many layers of nuance and complexity.