THE FATE OF EUROPA

As an ambassador of the Imperium, Madame Hypatia has been giving thought to the estate of Europe which seems to have lost its vision of itself. As some countries consider whether they want to stay in the union or depart from it, this spread looks at the viability of its continuance.

Ace Submersibles

The two advocate cards are Ace Submersibles reversed and 8 Leviathans. We see the great submersible breaching the ice, but here it is reversed, giving it the appearance of a vessel sinking, not rising. The union seems to be reverting to a more selfish, less sharing entity.

8 Leviathans

The 8 Leviathans signifies hard work coming to a conclusion. The necessity that the Advocate cards reveal is for re-envisioning and a working together to reveal the possibilities. So many countries of the union have financial difficulty at this time that the shared wealth and concerted effort is beginning to count for little.

This time, I draw 4 pairs of cards and read these pairs together.

VII Triumph. Queen Submersibles reversed. XIX Solarium, 7 Submersibles

Navigator of Airships reversed, 6 Submersibles, 4 Airships, Queen Airships.

Navigator of Airships

VII Triumph

VII Triumph shows two successful inventors enjoying a lap of honour through the city. The get up and roll of the triumphal chariot launched Europe but now it feels like a vehicle out of control. For a state that has the most rigorous bureaucracy in the world, with regulatory committees for nearly every aspect of life, Europe is singularly un-united. In the harnessing of its  chariot means, some members are pulling more and harder than the others. Here the Navigator of Airships reversed has lost his high-minded ethical championship and turned surly and selfish here.

Lady Submersibles

Like the Ace of Subs above, the Lady of Submersibles is reversed, giving us the sense of a sinking mermaid. In the classical world, Europe was centred around the Mediterranean or the Inner Sea, as it was called. Trade and exchange  was irrigated by this sea. The countries now suffering most doubt about remaining in the union are these Southern European states which today don't have the power and wealth of Northern Europe. The Lady of Subs reversed shows how generosity can run away with itself and become  indulgent like a doting mother who spoils her children.

6 Submersibles

This dining out attitude, with the misuse of subsidies and handouts, the fabled butter mountain of stockpiled resources, is typified by this reversed Lady. The corrective to this is shown in the 6 Submersibles, which counsels us to remember the older ancestral way of doing things. There is some risk of nostalgia-based looking-back in this, so we have

 to stress the importance of a proper reconsideration that is inclusive, or we just end up with tribalism.

XIX Solarium

XIX Solarium shows two children playing in the sunlight enjoying themselves without anxiety. This has been the state of mind in which some countries have entered the union, in a careless state of naivety, hoping for the prosperity and lack of responsibility of being under the larger umbrella state. One of the immediate issues of being part of a larger state is the loss of confidence or national identity that may accompany this.

4 Airships

The corrective to this attitude is shown in 4 Airships, which counsels a period of consideration before continuing down this road.  A little rest to take the temperature of the union would not be not a bad thing. Allowing the smaller  and more recent countries time to settle in is necessary for the health of the union. 

7 Submersibles

7 Submersibles shows the vessel discovering an underwater city. This seems like a direct reference to the myth of Atlantis which underlies the European dream and acts as a continual warning against hubris and illusion. There is no way that Europe is an ideal union, but to behave as if this were the case carries with it the seeds of its own destruction. Civilisations like the Mycenean island of Santorini came to grief.(Indeed, in the  next card of the submersible sequence, we see the underwater city's destruction!)

Lady Airships

Lady of Airships brings a strong mental focus that reminds us to use our streetwise stratagems In order to survive. What is the trajectory of the union?

Advocates added together 1+ 8=9 or IX The  Inventor who becomes the shepherd of this union. He suggests a need for a 'back to the drawing board' approach, when all the blueprints of this union are reexamined and rethought in a considered way.  As the spread stands, we have all the seeds of destruction, all the warnings are on the wall clear to read.

IX The Inventor

I see few cards here suggesting a working together, unless the vital VII Triumph can steer its way with better integrity or a sense of deep consideration and insightful planning can be brought to bear, we are set for an autumn of things pulling apart. The jury is not out yet. It's time for all European citizens to consider the fate of Europa.