The Forge Beneath the Tide

The Alchemy of Animus Mundi

Alchemy begins with Mercury’s spark, an unsteady push that loosens everything. It connects with the Six of Cups, where six cups cling to old moments, the ego tethered to the past, gentle yet unstable. Don’t let your mind get trapped in what was; it is eager to shift but can become unclear when clinging too tightly to who you were.

Mercury nudges: Look closer, and allow it to move.

Next comes the flood; the Drowned King pulls everything under. Pride drops, distractions fade, and the Father of Pentacles steps up a stag, calm and firm, planting roots in the mess. It’s not about the solutions to fixing anything but more about the cause. What was the reason in the first place? Then Mortification hits, scraping away what’s extra, like ash swept off a table. The stag stays put, steady through the grind. These two cards work together: the flood clears space, and the scrape builds something solid, ego finding its footing, bit by bit.

Then, there’s a turn Quicksilver cuts through, a sharp line tied to the Chariot. It’s movement now, a horse pushing forward, guided by focus. What began with Mercury’s stir, sank with the King, and solidified in Mortification becomes this: ego not trailing behind but driving ahead. Quicksilver marks the edge; The Chariot takes it somewhere tangible to the best self, not just imagined but shaped by effort, drawn from deep within. Without the mask or identity, who are you? You can choose how you present yourself in your life.

Under it all sits the Seven of Wands, one stick burning, others leaning in. The fire within you is running through every step: a fight to keep going and to hold your ground. In Mercury’s nudge, the King’s drop, Mortification’s cut, Seven of Wands says: Don’t quit, stand up. It’s the heat that turns flood to forge, past to progress.

The cards line up: Six of Cups holds Mercury’s blurry start; Father of Pentacles anchors the Drowned King and Mortification’s reset; The Chariot rides Quicksilver’s edge; Seven of Wands keeps the fire lit. It’s not a straight path; ego gets messy, tested, and built. The tide pulls, the forge hammers, the way opens.

Prompt: Stop where things feel heavy. What’s sticking around too long? Let it go. What pushes back a tiny, stubborn kick? Lean into that. You can do it; keep going! The forge does its job, not a loss, but what endures beyond the tide.

Thoth, Hermes, Mercurius, and Hermes Trismegistus. Whether you're a seeker of wisdom, a student of mythology, or someone who senses there's more to reality than meets the eye, this journey will show you how ancient insights into the nature of consciousness remain startlingly relevant today. The divine messengers await. Are you ready to hear their message?