7 Rada -- Erzulie Freda Dahomey

afrosaxon

This is one of the cards that has been coming up in both my personal and outside readings.

http://alpha.mxat.ru/WWPCM/decks05/d02446/d02446s7.jpg

The card is equivalent to the 7 of Swords, in that the 7 of Swords indicates a sneaky character...someone who puts forth the illusion of being "respectable"

In 7 Rada, Erzulie Freda Dahomey sits in front of a mirror at her vanity, and also looks into a handheld mirror. She's crying, but her tears form a little sea upon which a boat (Agwe) floats.

(gives new meaning to the phrase "cry me a river", huh? :D).

But why is she crying? Is she crying because she doesn't like what she sees in the small mirror (which could speak to putting oneself under a closer microscope)...but owning up to what she sees (or doesn't see) in that mirror will be what catapults her forward on her journey to the next level (the boat on her river of tears). Isn't that the point of therapy? To actually face your inner demons and, if not banish them, then come to a comfortable arrangement with them that will allow you to move forward? ;)

There is a lot of pink in this card...that new blush of innocence, romance (not love). Erzulie Freda Dahomey seems to be a girly girl, the true essence of Erzulie herself -- perfumes and jewelry on the vanity, hats and flowers, frilly dresses, ribbons. Perhaps this speaks to our childlike illusions, and how often those illusions are shattered as we grow into adults and have adult experiences.

Erzulie Freda Dahomey sits at her vanity table. She is crying as she looks into her hand mirror, even as she sits in front of a large mirror. Her tears form a current upon which the boat of Agwe floats away.

She wears a pink dress, and there is a hat, ribbons, flowers, perfumes and jewelry on her vanity. These are symbols of Erzulie, but they are also “girly” (the essence of female/femininity)  innocence, naivete, openness/freshness, new point of view. The mirrors, hat, etc. are all pink. Pink mirrors  “rose-colored glasses”?

She is looking at a hand mirror and sitting in front of a large mirror: facing herself and situations. But since they are pink, is she seeing what she wants to see (rose-colored glass)? She cries as she looks into the hand mirror, as if she’s seeing things that are painful…but are they crocodile (fake) tears? She is also looking into the mirror over her shoulder; looking into the past? Not facing past properly (hence the tears)? Note that the river moves away from Erzulie F.D…in the direction of the past (or rather, in a different direction).

The background of the card is a spring green (like the color of new leaves, new grass): the green is lighter on the left side of the card (where Agwe is) and darker on the right side of the card (where she is looking into the mirror). Growth through catharsis and seeing reality?


Thoughts?

T.
 

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elkahib

I think the reason Erzulie Freda Dahomey is crying here is because she does this when she possesses a devotee. At first she is all smiles when she is given all she asks for - perfume to sprinkle on the floor, a new dress, jewellery, champagne, etc.

But she keeps asking for more. And when you run out of things to give her, she cries because the world can never live up to what she wants it to be.

The above would make me think that this card sends the message of 'stop complaining and look at what you have'. In the constant effort to acquire, we forget what we have already gained.

Thanks for sparking off another great thread!

El.
 

Grizabella

I think it could also be that she's seeing things with tunnel vision. That's indicated by the smaller mirror she's looking in instead of the bigger mirror. It's also suggesting to me that she's denying the toll age is taking on her, considering the lighter green behind her and the darker green in front of her.

Also that boat looks like the same one in Petro--Agwe le Flambeau that rides on molten lava. I wonder if there's any significance in that.