Two of Cups: Pink Roses?

Centaur

I noticed earlier that the man in the Two of Cups is wearing a wreath of pink flowers on his head. I thought it might be worth discussing.

I am thinking that the presence of these pink flowers may indicate femininity, and a man who is in touch with his feminine side. This would be in line with the whole 'balance' interpretation of this card... and reflect a balanced gender.

What do you think?

C
 

Phoenyx*

Aren't pink roses also given to someone as a gesture of friendship (not necessarily a love interest)?
 

poivre

I agree, pink roses for friendship.
Remindes me of Rose Quartz.
 

HudsonGray

I found this about rose colors http://www.gardenersnet.com/roses/roses06.htm but the site doesn't say WHEN they're taking this information from. Medieval times was very detailed about what flowers meant & a lot of that came forward into today's time. The RW deck would have been looking at the meanings from the 1800's I think, if not earlier. But I'm sure the pink do mean something! They put a lot of roses into that deck.
 

Centaur

ros said:
Remindes me of Rose Quartz.

I like that. It would be a very appropriate crystal to associate with this card. Love, and balance are promoted by the rose-quartz.

Thanks for the link HG!

I am thinking that the woman in this card wears a wreath of green (Universal-Waite deck), and the man wears the pink roses. Now, going on traditional stereotypes of male and female, one might expect that to be the other way around! The man wearing the green, and the woman wearing the pink. Perhaps this again emphasises the dual aspects of this card: balance, and harmony?

C
 

lark

In Kate Greenway's Language of Flowers, a crown of roses = Reward of Virtue and A crown of Laurel = Glory.

I see the 2 of Cups as a partenership of equality.
She has seen life from his perspective. (Laurel crown.)
And he has seen it from her's. (Crown of roses.)
This makes for a very equal partenership based on harmony, and sharing.
They both know where the other is coming from because they've lived in each others skin.

This is a very deep card.
Just think if we all lived like this?
There would be no war.
 

Centaur

lark said:
I see the 2 of Cups as a partenership of equality.
She has seen life from his perspective. (Laurel crown.)
And he has seen it from her's. (Crown of roses.)
This makes for a very equal partenership based on harmony, and sharing.
They both know where the other is coming from because they've lived in each others skin.

Lark, you describe it excellently.

I see this card also as a card of friendship, and friendship is all about understanding and connection with another individual. This involves a sharing and a mutual understanding... an interchange of ideas and thoughts.

C
 

Chronata

I love all the interpretations,and everything that has already been said of this card!

Pink and yellow roses have been interchangable for a while...and can stand for love or friendship.

There's a book I have on roses that says pink roses stand for Familiar love (like between parents and children,or between real close friends) rather than for romantic love.

The medium John Edwards uses the symbol of pink roses the same way.

I do have to add a story that happened when I taught a tarot class a few years ago....and it happened again with an individual student that I had as well...

We were discussing the symbolism in every card .The students wrote down what they saw in each card,and then we discussed it as a group.

And a great debate arrose in whether the costumes in the 2 of cups were enough to denote Male or Female...

We finally came to the conclusion that they were a little androgynous...that the dress could be a robe, and that what I had always considered to be the man...could very well be a woman!

When you use this card to refer to partnership, (rather than romance...) the figures do seem to become less gender specific!
I think there could be a duality...of traditional male and female energies(yin/yang...active/passive) but that the figures don't necessarily have to take on those traditional roles.

Not meaning to be controversial here...but I do like that idea!
 

Centaur

Chronata said:
We finally came to the conclusion that they were a little androgynous...that the dress could be a robe, and that what I had always considered to be the man...could very well be a woman!

Interesting what you say about partnership. Partnership does not need to be defined by gender, therefore it is very non-gender specific unless gender is a relevant factor.

Perhaps it is a reflection on human difference: that true partnership arises when we forget our differences as human beings. We forget that we are male, female, white, black, gay, lesbian, or straight, and truly form a partnership of equality.

Equality is also about balance and harmony, another attribute of this card.

C
 

Chronata

I like to use this card to denote partnership. One that is based on mutual Love and respect. It doesn't have to be romantic at all.

It's amazing how often this card relates to business partners for me....A new relationship based on love, and respect.