The penultimate card of the 36 decans! Happiness, or Lord of Material Happiness, the Nine of Cups is doubly blessed by Jupiter, classical ruler of Pisces and ruler of the middle decan. Pisces’ major is The Moon card (though the Moon itself is the Priestess) which also makes it very comfortable as a Nine (Nines being associated with the Moon/Yesod on the Tree of Life.)
Yet the magical description of the decan in 777 reads “A grave man pointing to the sky“. Why so grave? Isn’t this card called “Happiness”? His “pointing at the sky” perhaps reminds us of the source of all happiness: following the true will that comes from our connection with that which is above Yesod on the middle pillar. Yesod is home base for all the Nines but especially this one because of Pisces association with the Moon card. The pointing suggests of course a hand (Kaph, the letter of Jupiter meaning open palm and closed fist); I suppose a pointing hand is part palm and part fist. And the sky is of course home of Sky Daddy Jupiter, and home of the Moon.
(While the decan isn’t moon-ruled and neither is Pisces, Pisces association with The Moon card of tarot gives it a lunar flavor, as well as the fact that it is a Nine – Yesod is also lunar ruled. I made a mistake in the newsletter accidentally calling the decan moon ruled – it is not, that was a late night cocktail influenced “brain misfire”. The decan is Jupiter all the way! sorry about that – I started the newsletter draft while having Sazaracs for Mardi Gras last night – oops! Too happy to be almost through the minors to care!)
Speaking of the newsletter, for now, some preview stuff like preliminary sketches is given only to newsletter subscribers. If you haven’t subscribed you can at this link. I’m holding back from posting all the art on the site but will be giving some preview visibility only in the newsletter.
The Lord of Material Happiness, with “a grave man pointing at the sky” – features a great water (Pisces) wheel (Jupiter) filling nine cups from a gushing lotus (Moon/Yesod and Water influence).