Three of Cups: Alchemical assimilation of the trinity

Three of Cups: Alchemical assimilation of the trinity

By Brother Harmonius



White red yellow – blue sky completes quaternity.


but no green, which Jung references in Psychology and Religion.

The problem here isn’t that blue is the odd color out, as it is in the dreams Jung used in his chapter on the patient’s religious dream. It’s that three of the four alchemical elements supposedly represent the “spirit” quality of fluidity: air, fire and water. Therefore, they correspond to the three offices of the trinity: the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost.

The fourth element, earth, is the unmoving element, and corresponds to the Virgin Mother, completing the quaternity.

We don’t see that in the Three of Cups, where the earth element is implied in the colors of one of the maidens’ gowns. In either of two decks, the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot card shows the girls garbed in red (fire), white (which must be water, since “air”, the sky, is already represented in the background), and brown or yellow (earth).

Furthermore, the absence of a green robe compounds the problem of reconciliation with Jung.

In terms of the colors and the cards, I think it would make sense to propose this assignment, to correspond with Jung:
Blue: air - east
Red: fire - south
Green: water - west
Yellow: earth – north

But in other aspects, aside from color, we can clearly see the representation of the trinity. For one thing, the young women are posed in an entanglement; each lifting their cups more or less equally, although it appears the girl in white is in the superior position. Each is in a kind of coordinated step, so that the center arrangement is in a fluid dynamic state.

Perhaps it would shed light on the meaning to get back to the essential meaning of cups, which is emotion, things of the heart, and soul.

In this case it’s easy to see the card represents a perfection of the emotional state, even a triumph of the heart. One is reminded of an author who completes a novel, and celebrates by toasting the completion.

So, now I’m wondering if the robe colors, white yellow and red should represent the fluidic elements in this case, the air, water and fire. Let’s assume they do. Now all we have to do is reconcile where the fourth element is, earth.

The three maidens, taken together might represent the Virgin of the earth. The archetypal spirit of the Virgin is in each of the three, in equal parts.



Trinity

Gaiety

Unity

Wholeness

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