The title of this card immediately caught my attention and shaped my expectations, making it difficult to consider alternative interpretations of its symbolism. I've spent an extra day contemplating this card and have not made any progress.
The central image features a nearly naked woman, running with her arms raised, hands together, as if ready to dive into water… or perhaps she is dancing. There’s a clumsiness in the angle of her limbs that suggests she may be intoxicated. She has adorned herself with only arm cuffs, bracelets, a head band, and a loincloth, while her feet remain bare. On the wall behind her is a primitive object resembling a caveman’s club.
In the upper part of the cartouche, three symbols are present: a geometric figure that resembles the letter Ayin with two circles, a hieroglyph for a ceramic pot or a woven basket, and the Hebrew letter, Gimel, symbolizing the generosity of a rich person towards a poor person. The lower portion of the cartouche depicts some sort of mythical creature seemingly more suited to a medieval manuscript than to an ancient Egyptian text.
The title includes an astrological symbol that resembles Neptune’s trident, the Roman letter N, and the number seven, a prime number that is often considered lucky.
Initially, nothing in the card spoke to me except for its unsettling title. I fear being deluded, failing to attend to reality diligently, and not taking appropriate action in my life. Gazing at the card, I find myself unable to see beyond the obvious interpretations of its imagery. I wonder, in what part of my life am I deluding myself? Perhaps the appearance of this card was a suggestion that I should work invoke Hyékati Vrímo tonight, asking her to “shake the pillars of perception.”
According to Kaplan, the object on the wall is called a sistrum—a Greek musical instrument with rattling rings on its crossbars. The sistrum had widespread use, but to the Greeks, it became closely associated with Egyptian religion, ritual, and magic.
Kaplan speculates that the creature portrayed at the bottom of the cartouche may represent Seth, the god who caused irrationality and lawlessness. Egyptians originally considered Seth a benevolent deity, but later regarded him as the force of death and decay. His domain was the western side of the Nile and he sought to disrupt the ordered life prescribed by the other gods. Black magicians turned to Seth, harnessing the god's malignant powers against their enemies.
Kaplan assigns the following meanings to the upright card: delusions, hallucinations, insanity, drunkenness, addiction, irrational moods and actions, outlawry, physical and moral decay, neurotic compulsion, and black magic.
In contrast, he assigns the following meanings to the reversed card: recovery from a mental breakdown, abstinence, rigid adherence to rationality, suppression of emotions, and moral struggle.
While the other Egypcios Kier cards we’ve explored have evoked a pleasant state of reverie and offered a clear framework for interpretation, this particular card leaves me uncertain how to respond. Therefore, I extend an invitation to you to tell a story about this enigmatic woman—why she finds herself in this situation, who surrounds her, and what she hopes may happen.
By delving into the narrative of this ambiguous figure, we may unlock insights and discover new perspectives on the card's symbolism and meaning. Let us embark on this journey together.
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