In the Rider Waite Eight of Cups, we are confronted with the moment of transition. We see a cloaked figure taking off to a barren land leaving behind eight golden cups. He is tired of what those cups, that he has spent so much time collecting, represent and is now setting out seeking a higher purpose. It may come from boredom and restlessness or from sheer necessity.
In a general context, the Eight of Cups represents abandonment. It can signify walking away from people or situations in your life or abandoning your plans. It can indicate disappointment, escapism and turning your back on or leaving bad situation.
For seven years, Gorr’s character, Elle McFeast broke new ground, taking over as Live and Sweaty host before expanding her repertoire with different McFeast-badged shows. High-profile federal politicians such as Paul Keating, Peter Costello and Kim Beazley played along, recording scenes unimaginable in today’s no-risk political culture. Then, in a blink, thanks to a controversial interview with ‘Chopper Reid’ McFeast became toxic. Having the character, the work, the fame and her future plans ripped away so abruptly, threw Gorr into a crisis of identity.
Van Diemen’s Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen’s Land in 1803 before it became a separate colony in 1825. Its penal colonies became notorious destinations for the transportation of convicts due to the harsh environment, isolation and reputation for being inescapable. Macquarie Harbour and Port Arthur are among the most well-known penal settlements on the island.
“Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness.” – Susan Gale
Strength Card Light Seers Tarot
Between 1788 and 1868 more than 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia. Transportation as a form of criminal punishment emerged in the British legal system from the early 17th century as an alternative to execution.
Many of the crimes for which they were transported are considered minor offenses by today’s standards. The most common crime by far was stealing—food, clothing, money, household items—mostly items worth no more than £5.
One can only imagine how my great great grandmother, Mary Ann Maule, had been living prior to her sentencing after a series of petty thefts. Clearly Mary was no angel but conditions in Liverpool were particularly harsh. Houses were severely overcrowded and the impact of the Great Famine, known as the Irish Famine was profound.
Friedrich Engels was shocked when he visited Liverpool in the 1840s. “Liverpool, with all its commerce, wealth, and grandeur yet treats its workers with the same barbarity. A full fifth of the population, more than 45,000 human beings, live in narrow, dark, damp, badly ventilated cellar dwellings, of which there are 7,862 in the city.
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”– Arnold Schwarzenegger
Having survived the long, perilous journey on board the convict ship, there can be no doubt that life would have been no easier when she arrived in the colony. However, the scarcity of women opened up opportunities for convict women as servants and wives. Many, including Mary Ann, successfully merged into colonial society, creating new families, and through good conduct and hard work forged new lives. Convict women, like my great great grandmother, demonstrated a diversity of character, aspirations and behaviour, which contradicted their stereotype as ‘damned whores’.
Her legacy of strength and fortitude has been far reaching.
Passion is the fuel that powers the engine of our desires and our ambitions. The challenge for most of us is to learn to channel our ambitions wisely, or they can ignite and blow things up. One of the dilemmas when are confronted with the Seven of Cups is that we can feel like we are drowning, feel utterly overwhelmed.
Kabbalists are said to call the Seven of Cups tarot the Lord of Illusory Success! Unfortunately it can all be like that mirage you see in the desert! Like the Wizard of Oz it can all be an illusion, all done with smoke and mirrors.
Happily the Seven of Cups does allows us to explore our wildest, most exotic fantasies without having to worry about the real world consequences. Writing our discoveries into your journal or expressing them artistically will be very instructive.
Alternatively, if we are lucky enough to have one, we can send out an SOS and seek advice from a Zen Master. As luck has it, Skellie Stan bridges the gap for me and is willing to act as a conduit and pass on advice from the dead and abandoned. It was his idea to go to a grave of a creative man that we have often noticed in a nearby cemetery, and to stop at one of the farm houses that has long been abandoned. He seemed to think that they would be responsive.
Jack, who resides in this amazingly kept grave was quite emphatic, telling Stan to tell me that I must select cups that support the creative work I am doing, while the old house suggested that I chill it a bit, relax and enjoy life. The advice feels compatible.
Wild Mother Calling 