Tag Archives: sea folklore

19 Thursday Jun 2025

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🜄 THE LOVERS – Card VI

TITLE: The Moonlit Crossing / 月渡抉择 (Yuè Dù Juézé)

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Pirate Queen and the Dragon King’s Daughter

TAOIST PARALLEL: Liu Yi (柳毅), the scholar who married a Dragon King’s daughter after delivering her plea for help, merged with Ching Shih’s (鄭一嫂) legendary romance—a Pirate Queen who bargained with sea spirits for her lover’s life.

PIRATE TWIST: The lover isn’t human—she’s the veiled daughter of Ao Guang (敖廣), who offers the pirate queen a choice: sail with her to the Dragon Palace (and become immortal) or return to the mortal world (and forget her forever)?

WHY THE LOVERS? The Pirate Queen must choose: mutiny against man-made’s laws and the sea’s cruelty?

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS (Upright):

Hǎi shì méng (海誓盟, “oath written in tidewash”)—a love that defies realms.

“Moonbridge” (月橋, yuè qiáo)—the fleeting path between worlds.

The pearl with two faces (雙面珠, shuāng miàn zhū)—one mortal, one divine.

KEYWORDS (Reversed):

Jiǎo yìn (腳印, “footprints in tidewash”)—a love erased by dawn.

“Broken compass” (破羅盤, pò luópán)—choosing safety over soul.

The Dragon’s ransom (龍贖金, lóng shújīn)—love bought with regret.

INTERPRETATION: This card is the mutiny of the heart. The Dragon’s daughter waits on the moonbridge—will you sink your past to join her?

RITUAL: THE PEARL’S CHOICE (珠選, Zhū Xuǎn)

(Inspired by Ming-era bridal laments and pirate parole rites)

PURPOSE: To clarify a heart’s dilemma when torn between two loves or paths.

MATERIALS:

Two pearls (or white stones).

A red thread (for fate).

Saltwater in a blue bowl.

A candle (white or red).

STEPS:

NAME THE CHOICES: Assign each pearl a path (for example, Stay or Go).

THREAD THE PEARLS: Tie them to the red thread, chanting:

东潮明珠，西潮明珠——

一颗属于陆地，一颗属于海洋。

East tide’s pearl, West tide’s pearl—

One for the land, one for the sea.

BURN THE THREAD: Hold it over the candle until it snaps. The first pearl to fall is your heart’s answer. Sink the Chosen Pearl into the bowl—the sea accepts your vow.

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY

TITLE: The Shoreline Choice / The Heart’s Two Worlds

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Fisherman and the Water Engkanto (Philippine Folklore)

REGION: The Philippines (specifically Visayan folklore)

FORM: A human (often a fisherman) and an engkanto, a beautiful, otherworldly nature spirit associated with the water and the mystical, invisible spirit-world.

TALE: In many Filipino tales, a mortal man encounters a stunningly beautiful diwata (nymph) or engkanto by the sea or a river. They fall into a deep, authentic love. The relationship is perfect, but it exists on a threshold. The engkanto eventually presents the mortal with The Choice: “Come with me to my world (the mystical city of Biringan, the kingdom beneath the waves). There, you will know no sorrow or aging, and we will be together forever. But you must forsake your human life completely. You can never return to your family, your friends, or the sunlit world.” The mortal is caught between two profound loves: the love for their partner and the love for their home and humanity.

WHY THE LOVERS? This myth is the Tarot’s Lovers card in narrative form. It is not about seduction; it is about a genuine, soul-level connection that forces the ultimate choice. It’s about the union of two different worlds (mortal and spirit, land and sea) and the need to align one’s heart with one’s values to make a decision that will define one’s entire reality. It perfectly captures the harmony, the choice, and the high stakes of the card.

INTERPRETATION THROUGH THE MYTH: This card signifies a monumental crossroads, usually involving a relationship or a deep calling of the heart. You stand on the shoreline between two worlds, two possible futures. You cannot have both. The choice must be made not just with logic, but with your soul’s deepest truth. Which world are you truly meant for? To draw this card is to be asked to make your shoreline choice with courage and authenticity.

THE RITUAL OF THE TWO SHELLS (For Making a Heart-Centered Choice)

OBJECTIVE: To gain clarity on a major life decision by physically and spiritually engaging with the opposing choices, and then formally committing to one path.

MATERIALS: Two distinct and different shells or stones. They must feel different to the touch.

A PHYSICAL THRESHOLD: a doorway, a line drawn in the sand, or a ribbon laid on the floor with a bowl of saltwater.

AN OFFERING: A beautiful flower, a piece of fruit, or a written poem.

STEPS:

DEFINE THE CROSSROADS: Stand before your threshold. Clearly state the choice you are facing. Assign one choice to each shell. For example, Shell A is “Stay in my current city.” Shell B is “Move to the new city.”

EMBODYING THE FIRST PATH: Pick up Shell A. Hold it in both hands. Close your eyes and fully immerse yourself in that reality. Speak its truths aloud: the good, the bad, the fears, the comforts. “If I stay, I have my friends, my familiar job. I also have this feeling of being stuck. I fear I will regret not leaving.” Spend a few minutes truly living in that choice. Then, dip the shell in the saltwater and place it on the “starting” side of the threshold.

EMBODYING THE SECOND PATH: Now, pick up Shell B. Do the same. Fully immerse yourself in this other reality. Speak its truths aloud. “If I move, I have this opportunity, the excitement of the unknown. I also have the fear of being alone. I will miss my family.” Live in this choice. Then, dip this shell in the saltwater and place it beside the other one.

THE SHORELINE CHOICE: Stand before the two blessed shells. You are the Fisherman on the shore. Do not think. Feel. Which shell, which path, calls to your soul? Which one feels like home, even if it’s scary? Your heart, not your logical mind, knows the answer.

THE COMMITMENT: When you know, pick up the shell of your chosen path. Leave the other one behind. Step across the threshold, holding your chosen shell to your heart. You have made the choice. You have left the other world behind.

THE OFFERING: Place your offering on the side of the threshold you left behind. This is an act of honoring the path not taken, thanking it for its wisdom, and releasing it with love. It prevents “what if” regrets. Say: “My choice is made. I honor what I leave behind. I walk forward with a whole heart.” The ritual is complete.

SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Engkanto’s Choice → Dragon’s Tiāotiáo (迢迢, “eternal separation”): Both myths force a mortal-immortal divide.

Biringan City → Penglai (蓬萊): The Dragon Palace is the Taoist island of immortals.

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE:

Sources: This archetype is a staple of Philippine folklore, referencing the extensive work of Maximo Ramos, particularly his book Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Also Damiana Eugenio’s definitive collections of Philippine Folk Literature. See also: the legend of Biringan City, the invisible, ethereal city of the engkanto on Samar island, which acts as a Filipino Atlantis or Avalon. See: Mazu’s Celestial Matchmaking—she’s said to tie red threads between sailors and sea spirits. For the ritual, see: 《東南海龍王經》(Scripture of the Southeast Dragon Kings), 1783 (Zhenjiang Daoist Temple Archive, Jiangsu).

18 Wednesday Jun 2025

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🜄 THE HIEROPHANT – Card V

TITLE: The Ghost Fleet’s Harbormaster / 陰船港主 (Yīn Chuán Gǎng Zhǔ)

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Pirate Monk of the Nine Dragon Sea

TAOIST PARALLEL: Mazu’s Blind Harbormaster, a legendary figure who navigated ships by listening to qi (聽氣, tīng qì), merged with Zhu Bajie (豬八戒)—the oath-breaking, gluttonous monk from Journey to the West, reformed into a sea-priest of penitence.

PIRATE TWIST: He’s the keeper of the Jianghu Code (江湖規矩, jiānghú guīju), a former pirate who lost his eyes to a Dragon King’s curse for breaking an oath. Now he guides ships through fog-locked spirit ports, enforcing sacred pirate laws with a whalebone abacus that calculates karma.

WHY THE HIEROPHANT? He doesn’t preach—he arbitrates. His temple is a floating shrine-junk where warring captains kneel to settle disputes. He teaches that even thieves must honor the tide’s contract.

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS (Upright):

Hǎi shén pàn (海神判, “Sea God’s Verdict”)—fair judgment.

“Blood ink vows” (血墨誓, xuě mò shì)—oaths signed with cutlass scars.

The abacus of debts (算賬, suànzhàng)—karma tallied wave by wave.

KEYWORDS (Reversed):

A cut rope (斷索, duàn suǒ)—betrayal at sea.

“Blind fish” (盲魚, máng yú)—willful ignorance of tradition.

The cursed ledger (厄賬本, è zhàngběn)—unpaid spiritual debts.

INTERPRETATION: This card is the law of the outlaw. The Harbormaster knows even pirates need rules—or the sea swallows all.

RITUAL: THE TIDE-TIED OATH (潮綁誓, Cháo Bǎng Shì)

(Inspired by Ming pirate blood pacts and Daoist knot magic)

PURPOSE: To seal a sacred vow with the weight of the sea.

MATERIALS:

A length of seaweed (or hemp rope soaked in saltwater).

Two coins (one copper, one silver).

Your own blood (or red ink).

A candle (blue or white).

STEPS:

Knot the seaweed into a figure-eight (∞), chanting:

东潮宣誓，西潮束缚——

血与盐使契约磨砺。

The East Tide swore, the West Tide bound——
Blood and salt sharpens the pact.

Rub the coins with blood/ink, press them into the knots.

Burn one knot (for heaven’s record), sink the other (for the sea’s memory).

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY

TITLE: The Oath-Keeper of the Tides / The Bridge Between Shores

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Njörðr (Norse God of the Sea and Sacred Oaths)

REGION: Scandinavia (Pre-Christian Norse Tradition)

FORM: A member of the Vanir gods, associated with the sea, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth, and fertility of the coasts.

TALE: Njörðr’s most defining story comes at the end of the devastating Aesir-Vanir War. To secure a lasting peace, the two tribes of gods exchanged hostages. Njörðr, along with his children Freyr and Freyja, went to live with the Aesir in Asgard. He became a highly respected priest-king, presiding over religious festivals and sacred oaths. He is the living embodiment of a peace treaty, the bridge between two different cultures and traditions, who brings peace and prosperity through this sacred pact.

WHY THE HIEROPHANT? Njörðr is the Pontifex. He is the bridge. His entire existence in the main Norse myths is predicated on being the cornerstone of a sacred social structure (the peace treaty). He teaches that harmony and bounty (the wealth of the sea) come from honoring tradition, keeping one’s word, and integrating different belief systems. His story isn’t one of wild magic, but of diplomacy, community, and established ritual.

INTERPRETATION THROUGH NJÖRÐR: To draw this card is to be asked what oaths you have made—to others, and to yourself. It is a call to be a peace-broker in your own life. It signifies a time for learning from a trusted institution or mentor, one who can bridge your current world with a new one. Njörðr teaches that the greatest wealth is found not in lonely rebellion, but in the trust and structure that binds a community together.

RITUAL OF THE SALT AND SOIL PACT (For Making a Sacred Vow)

OBJECTIVE: To make a binding, sacred agreement, either with yourself (to commit to a path) or with another person (to seal a partnership or peace). This ritual establishes a formal structure of trust.

MATERIALS:

A cord or rope, about a foot long.

Two small bowls.

A spoonful of salt (or saltwater). This represents Njörðr’s domain: the Sea.

A spoonful of soil. This represents the other party, or the “land” of your current life.

AN OFFERING: Mead, ale, good quality beer, or honeyed water. Njörðr is a god of prosperity and festivals; he appreciates a good drink.

STEPS:

PREPARATION: Place the two bowls before you. Pour the offering into a cup. Clearly state the pact you intend to make. Write it down if you need to. Be precise. Example: “I make a sacred pact with myself to dedicate one hour every day to my craft, without excuse.”

THE INVOCATION: Hold the cup with the offering. Address the spirit of the ritual. “Njörðr, Oath-Keeper, Bridge Between Shores, you who secured peace with your presence, I call upon you to witness this sacred pact. Be the guardian of this vow.” Pour a small amount of the offering onto the ground or into a separate offering bowl.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE TWO SIDES: Place the salt in one bowl and the soil in the other. Touch the salt. “This is the Sea, the new world, the promise I am making.” Touch the soil. “This is the Land, my current self, the foundation upon which this promise is built.”

BINDING THE VOW: Take the cord. As you state your vow clearly and firmly one more time, tie a single, tight knot in the center of the cord. As you pull it tight, feel the commitment solidifying. This knot is the physical manifestation of your oath.

SEALING THE PACT: Take a pinch of the salt and a pinch of the soil and place them together in the palm of your hand. Mix them together. This symbolizes the joining of the two worlds, the peace treaty being sealed. Say: “As sea and land meet at the shore, so are these two sides joined. The pact is made.”

CLOSING: Drink from your offering cup. Keep the knotted cord on your altar, in your pocket, or tied to your wrist as a constant, physical reminder of your vow. The ritual is complete, and the pact is now witnessed.

SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Njörðr’s Oaths → Pirate Xuèméng (血盟, “blood alliances”): Both bind land and sea through ritual.

Peace Treaty → Hǎi jìng (海靖, “sea pacification”): Ming emperors used pirate warlords as naval peacekeepers.

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE:

Sources: The Poetic Edda (specifically the poems Vafþrúðnismál and Lokasenna) and Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda (in the Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál sections). These texts clearly lay out his role as a hostage, a peace-keeper, and a god of wealth. For the ritual see: 《海盗陰陽術》 (Pirate Yin-Yang Arts), 1796, and Quanzhou’s Maritime Trade Laws—12th-century pirate codes enforced by Mazu’s priestesses.

18 Wednesday Jun 2025

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🜄 THE EMPEROR – Card IV

TITLE: The Dragon Throne / 龍廷 (Lóng Tíng)

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Pirate Dragon King

TAOIST PARALLEL: Ao Guang (敖廣), the East Sea Dragon King, merged with Zheng Zhilong (鄭芝龍)—the real-life Ming dynasty pirate admiral who commanded 3,000 junks.

PIRATE TWIST: He’s not just a mythical ruler—he’s the admiral of the ghost fleet, enforcing hǎi shén fǎ (海神法, “Sea God’s Law”) from a throne of cannons and coral. His trident? A tide-cutting ji (戟) halberd that splits storms.

WHY THE EMPEROR? He doesn’t just control the sea—he is its justice. Cross him and your ship sinks paper-light (紙沉, zhǐ chén). Serve him, and he’ll guide you through fog-walled coves.

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS (Upright):

Lóngtíng lǜ (龍廷律, “Dragon Court Rules”)—code of the sea.

“Tides obey the Bagua” (潮隨八卦, cháo suí bāguà)—order in chaos.

The admiral’s seal (海帥印, hǎi shuài yìn)—stamped on waves.

KEYWORDS (Reversed):

A broken tide-table (破潮曆, pò cháo lì)—navigation failed.

“Dragon’s yawn” (龍哈欠, lóng hāqiàn)—complacency before disaster.

The sea tribunal (海審, hǎi shěn) where traitors walk the plank.

INTERPRETATION: This card is law written in saltwater. The Dragon Throne rewards loyalty and sinks oath-breakers. His power isn’t tyranny—it’s the certainty of the tide.

RITUAL: THE ADMIRAL’S SEAL (海帥印, Hǎi Shuài Yìn)

(Inspired by Ming naval codes and Daoist tide-summoning rites)

PURPOSE: To claim authority or stabilize chaos.

MATERIALS:

A wooden plank (driftwood or bamboo).

Red ink (or bloodroot pigment).

A knife (to carve).

Nine copper coins (for the Nine Dragons).

Saltwater.

STEPS:

Carve the Bagua into the plank at dusk.

Dip coins in ink, press them onto the wood like a seal, chanting:

东龙审判，西龙称重，

南龙焚烧，北龙付出代价。

East Dragon judges, West Dragon weighs,

South Dragon burns, North Dragon pays.

Bury the plank at a crossroads or fling it into the sea.

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY
TITLE: Poseidon, Sovereign of the Sea’s Dominion / Keeper of the Trident
MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Poseidon (Greek God of the Sea, Earthquakes, and Horses)
REGION: Ancient Greece and the wider Hellenic world
FORM: God of the sea, storms, horses, and earthquakes; wielder of the mighty trident
TALE: Poseidon is a formidable god whose temper mirrors the ocean’s tempestuous moods. As one of the Olympian siblings, he claimed dominion over the seas and all its creatures, as well as horses and the tremors beneath the earth. His trident symbolizes both creative and destructive power, capable of calming waves or shattering lands. Though sometimes seen as capricious and volatile, Poseidon also represents steadfast authority and governance over nature’s primal forces. His role as the Emperor in our oceanic Tarot is to teach the balance of control and power—how to rule with strength tempered by wisdom, and how to command loyalty and respect through firm, just leadership.
WHY THE EMPEROR? The Emperor stands for order, structure, protection, and leadership. Poseidon’s role as the sovereign sea god aligns perfectly, embodying authority grounded in the elemental power of water and earth.
INTERPRETATION THROUGH POSEIDON: When Poseidon appears, he calls forth the leader within you—the one who must wield power responsibly among tumultuous currents. He demands respect for the rules that hold worlds together but warns against becoming a tyrant who crushes rather than governs.
Poseidon asks: Where do you exert control? Are you a protector of your domain or a rigid despot? How do you balance power with compassion?
RITUAL: Invocation of Poseidon’s Command
PURPOSE: To call upon strength, leadership, or the power to establish order in chaos.
MATERIALS:
A trident-shaped object or symbolic representation (can be crafted or drawn)
Saltwater
Blue or sea-green candles
Shells or horse figurines (optional)
A strong, grounded space to perform the ritual
STEPS:
Place the trident or its symbol before you. Light the candles, representing the sea and its powers.
Sprinkle a few drops of saltwater around your space, envisioning Poseidon’s waves marking your territory.
SPEAK THE INVOCATION:

Poseidon, lord of sea and shore,
Keeper of waves, trident in hand,
Grant me the strength to lead and guard,
To rule with justice, firm but fair.

Visualize yourself standing tall like a pillar of rock amidst a stormy sea, unyielding but wise.
Close the ritual with gratitude, grounding yourself and honoring the ocean’s mighty ruler.
THE “BEST FIT” PRINCIPLE: Where Sedna is the deep, internal, life-giving source, Poseidon is the external, sovereign, structural power.

SOVEREIGNTY AND DOMAIN: The Emperor is the master of his realm. Poseidon’s authority over the sea is absolute and was established at the dawn of the Olympian age when the cosmos was divided among the three brothers (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades). This act of structuring the universe is a perfect Emperor concept.

THE TRIDENT AS SCEPTER: The Emperor holds a scepter, a symbol of his power to rule. Poseidon’s trident is one of the most famous symbols of divine authority in all mythology. It’s not just a weapon; it is the tool with which he enforces his will, creating earthquakes and calming storms. It is his law made manifest.

THE SHADOW SIDE: Poseidon’s infamous temper, his tyrannical rage against Odysseus, his stubbornness in his contest with Athena over Athens—these are all textbook examples of the Emperor’s negative traits: inflexibility, despotism, and the use of power for personal grudges rather than the good of the realm.

THE RITUAL OF THE TRIDENT’S STRIKE (To Establish a Foundation)

OBJECTIVE: To create a stable, protected foundation in a chaotic area of your life. Use this when starting a major project, fortifying your personal boundaries, or bringing order to your home or mind.

MATERIALS:

A staff, a sturdy branch, or even your own arm and fist. This is your “Trident.”

A bowl of saltwater.

Three stones, large enough to be stable. These represent the three points of the trident and the foundation you are building.

A piece of ground where you can perform the ritual (a yard, a park, or even a planter box).

STEPS:

SURVEYING THE DOMAIN: Stand before the piece of ground. This is your kingdom, the area you are about to bring into order. State your intention clearly and aloud. “I am here to bring order to my finances” or “I am here to establish a firm boundary of my personal time.”

CONSECRATING THE TRIDENT: Hold your staff (or arm) and dip its end into the saltwater. Raise it to the sky. DECLARE ITS POWER: “This is not wood, but bone of the Earth. This is not my arm, but the will of the Sea. This is the Trident that strikes the foundation and commands the deep.”

THE STRIKE: With all your focused intent, strike the ground firmly three times with the end of your staff. Each strike should be deliberate and powerful. With each strike, make a declaration:

(Strike 1): “By the power of the Earth Below, I set my foundation!”

(Strike 2): “By the power of the Sea Around, I set my boundary!”

(Strike 3): “By the power of the Sky Above, I declare my dominion!”

LAYING THE FOUNDATION: Place your three stones on the ground where you struck, forming a stable triangle. This is the physical anchor for the order you have created. Pour the remaining saltwater in a circle around the stones as a libation and a boundary of protection.

THE SOVEREIGN’S OATH: Stand straight, looking over your newly established “foundation.” Make a vow of responsible rulership. “I will rule this domain with strength and with wisdom. I will be its protector, not its tyrant. This order is established. So it is.”

CLOSING: Leave the stones in place for at least a full day and night. The act is complete. You have shifted from being a subject of chaos to the sovereign of your domain.

SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Poseidon’s Trident → Dragon King’s Ji: Both split waves and enforce divine will.

Olympian Division → Fēngshuǐ of the Seas: The Dragon Kings divide the oceans like Bagua sectors.

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE

Primary Sources: Homer’s Iliad and, most importantly, The Odyssey, where Poseidon’s role as a powerful, wrathful antagonist is central. Hesiod’s Theogony is essential for his origin and the division of the cosmos. The Homeric Hymn to Poseidon is a direct invocation that praises his power. For the ritual see: the biography of Admiral Zheng He’s (鄭和) navigation charts—they were ritual objects blessed by Mazu to command currents; as well as the Jiaolong myth in the 《述异记》 [Records of Strange Things], 6th century CE.

16 Monday Jun 2025

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🜄 THE HIGH PRIESTESS – Card II

TITLE: The Silent Tide-Mother / 默潮母 [Mò Cháo Mǔ]

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Mazu’s Shadow—The Unseen Admiral

TAOIST PARALLEL: Mazu [媽祖] as the Veiled Oracle, but merged with Longmu [龍母, Dragon Mother]—a figure who raised five dragon kings as her sons and learned the ocean’s secrets from them.

PIRATE TWIST: She’s not just a benevolent goddess—she’s the phantom captain of a ghost junk that sails the Gengen Ocean [亙亙海, the Taoist “sea of subconscious”]. Her ship has no crew; it’s manned by paper sailors [剪水兵, jiǎn shuǐ bīng] who whisper prophecies in the wind.

WHY THE HIGH PRIESTESS? She navigates by moon-compasses and star-mirrors, charting courses only the drowned can read.

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS [Upright]:

Hai Di Shu [海底書, “Book of the Seabed”]—the unwritten knowledge of currents.

The moonwell [月井, yuè jǐng]—a ship’s hold filled with black brine for scrying.

“Listening to the tide’s qi” [聽潮氣, tīng cháo qì]—intuition as piracy.

KEYWORDS [Reversed]:

A muffled bell [啞鐘, yǎ zhōng]—ignoring omens.

“Sailing the Meng [夢, dream] tides” without a mirror—delusion.

The Dragon Mother turning her back [a storm coming].

INTERPRETATION: This card is for when you must steer by what isn’t there. The Silent Tide-Mother doesn’t speak—she shows. Her power is in the gaps: the pause between waves, the glint off a sunken sword, the silence before the monsoon.

RITUAL: THE GHOST JUNK’S MOONWELL [鬼船月井, Guǐchuán Yuèjǐng]

[Inspired by Fujianese sailor necromancy and Ming-era mirror magic]

PURPOSE: To scry for truths hidden in your own depths.

MATERIALS:

A black lacquer bowl [or any dark vessel].

Saltwater + a drop of ink [to darken it].

A silver coin [with a hole, if possible].

Seven blue threads [for the Dragon Mother’s sons].

A candle [white or blue].

RITUAL:

At dusk, light the candle and place it behind the bowl so it casts a shadow into the water.

Drop the coin into the bowl. Chant:

七龍守古井，

一錢付潮銀。

沉者終須浮，

示我月盜隱。

Seven dragons guard the well,

One coin pays the tide’s toll.

What sinks must rise again—

Show me what the moon stole.

Tie the threads around the bowl’s rim like rigging. Gaze into the ink-dark water until shapes form.

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY

TITLE: Mother-of-Shells / Keeper of the Deep Waters
MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Yemọja [Orisha of the Ocean, Yoruba Tradition]
MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE: Yemọja [Yoruba & Diasporic Traditions]
REGION: Yoruba [West Africa], carried through the African diaspora into Brazil [Iemanjá], Cuba, Haiti, Trinidad.
FORM: Ocean mother, goddess of rivers that become the sea; patron of motherhood, secrets, and moon-touched water
TALE: Yemọja [also rendered Yemoja, Iemanjá] is the orisha of all waters—especially the rivers that flow to the ocean, which is her vast and sacred home. She governs fertility, mystery, prophecy, and the invisible connections between all living things.
She is the keeper of hidden knowledge and ancestral memory. Her name derives from, “Yeye omo eja”—“Mother whose children are fish.” She is also a lunar being, often depicted with silver adornments, veils, and mirrors.
WHY THE HIGH PRIESTESS? The High Priestess stands between worlds (the seen and the unseen) and calls us into inner silence, intuition, and sacred mystery. Yemọja embodies all this: she is the water that remembers, the ocean that dreams. Her temple is the shore at midnight, where truths are whispered between waves.
INTERPRETATION THROUGH YEMỌJA: This card reminds you to listen with your blood, not just your ears. Yemọja calls through dreams and symbols. If you are still, she will show you what you already know. She is not loud. She does not shout. But she never lies. To draw her card is to be invited to descend inward, to the moonlit pool where truth waits patiently to be seen.
RITUAL: Moonwater Mirror Rite
PURPOSE: To receive guidance, deepen intuition, or connect to ancestral memory through Yemọja’s current
MATERIALS:
Bowl of river or ocean water [or moon-charged spring water]
Small mirror or reflective dish
White cloth or scarf
Optional: silver jewelry or token
STEPS:
At night, ideally under a waxing or full moon, cover your space with the white cloth and place the mirror in the bowl of water so it floats or rests within.
Light a single candle. Sit quietly, allowing your breath to match the imagined rhythm of gentle waves.
Whisper this invocation:

Yemọja, mother of the fish,
Open the sea between my soul and the stars.
Let your waters carry my question to the deep,
And return with the answer I already know.

Gaze into the mirror. Let images arise. Let nothing be rushed. What you seek will come.
Afterward, wrap the mirror in the white cloth and keep it for future work. Pour the water into the earth or return it to a natural source.
This ritual blends traditional offerings to Yemọja [mirror, moon, water, white cloth] with meditative introspection. In many Afro-Caribbean traditions, white is her sacred color, and mirrors are used to commune with orisha energy.
SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Yemọja’s Mirror → Taoist Jian [鑒, “mirror-divination”]:

Ancient Chinese mirrors were believed to reveal yao guai [妖怪, spirits]. Pirates used bronze mirrors to detect enemy ships in fog.

Dragonbone Oracles → Reading cracks in whale ribs.

Moonwater → Tide-Qi:

The Huangdi Yinfujing [黃帝陰符經] says water remembers—like Yemọja’s ancestral wisdom.

Salt-Script [writing questions on driftwood to let the sea erase/answer].

THE IMMEDIATE MATCH: The Drowned Man’s Conch Ritual [沉船螺術, Chénchuán Luó Shù]

Source: 《海盗陰法》 [Pirate Necromancy], 1798, salvaged from a waterlogged chest in the Thousand Ghost Reef.

WHY IT FITS: She is mother of drowned souls—this ritual forces kinship with them.

The conch’s spiral mirrors the cycle of life/death/revenge.

MOON CONNECTION: Performed at midnight, when lunar yin is strongest.

MATERIALS:

A conch stolen from a sunken ship’s corpse [must have barnacles still clinging to it].

Black salt [made from tidewater + ash from a burned ship’s log].

Three drops of your blood.

STEALING THE SHELL

Dive at low tide to pluck the conch from a drowned sailor’s hand [or where one should be].

Whisper:

借你耳舌，還你答案—

陰債暫欠，必以血還。

I borrow your ears and tongue, but promise repayment—

This ghost-debt I owe, will be paid in blood.

WARNING: If the corpse opens its eyes, leave the shell—it’s already claimed.

AWAKENING THE DEAD VOICE

Rub the shell with black salt until it whistles [like wind through rigging].

Spit into the spiral, then chant:

沉船冤魂，螺是你棺—

今日開棺，說我問事！

Shipwrecked ghost, this shell is your coffin—

Today I open it, speak my question!

Hold it to your left ear [the “ghost side”]. The answer will come as:

GARGLED WHISPER [truth].

SOUND OF CHOKING [lie].

YOUR OWN VOICE, BACKWARDS [the ghost has possessed you].

PAYING THE DEBT

Before sunset, you must:

Pour your blood into the sea where the shell was taken.

Burn a paper ship with the ghost’s name [if unknown, write “Unnamed Sailor of [Location]”].

If unpaid, the conch will fill with seawater in your hands and the drowned will claim your breath.

HISTORICAL CASE: In 1821, pirate Li Fan used this to find a Portuguese gold ship, but forgot to burn the paper ship. His crew swore the conch screamed all night before he walked overboard at dawn.

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE:

Reputable Sources: Robert Farris Thompson’s Flash of the Spirit: African & Afro-American Art & Philosophy, Mari Silva’s Orishas: The Ultimate Guide to African Orisha Deities and Their Presence in Yoruba, Santeria, Voodoo and Hoodoo, along with an Explanation of Diloggun Divination and Lilith Dorsey’s Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens The Divine Feminine in the African Religious Traditions. For the Taoist-Pirate rituals see:

《閩海幻視法》 [Fujian Sea Vision Magic], 1742.

《南海巫法秘本》 [Southern Sea Witchcraft Manual], 1809.

16 Monday Jun 2025

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🜃 THE MAGICIAN – Card I

“The Magician is the Tide-Commanding Sorcerer—the one who speaks to the Dragon King in the language of stolen storms. Their power is not gentle. To wield it, you must stand where the sea hates the shore and the sky fears the waves.” [Notes.]

TITLE: The Dragon’s Tide-Caller / 龍潮師 [Lóng Cháoshī]

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Mazu’s Pirate-Sorcerer

TAOIST PARALLEL: Mazu [媽祖] as the warrior-priestess aspect, but merged with Qing dynasty pirate-queen Ching Shih [鄭氏]—a figure who commanded fleets with divine favor.

PIRATE TWIST: Instead of a passive goddess, she’s a storm-summoning admiral who learned secrets from the Dragon Kings [龍王]. Her “tools” are pirate relics:

Wand → A whalebone staff inscribed with tidal sigils.

Cup → A jade compass that steers by star-qi [氣] instead of wind.

Sword → A monsoon-cutlass [刀刃, dāorèn] that draws lightning.

Pentacle → A salt-crusted doubloon stamped with the Bagua [八卦].

WHY THE MAGICIAN? She doesn’t just pray for calm seas—she bends them.

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS [Upright]:

Wuwei [無為] as tactical patience—waiting for the perfect wave.

“Pirate feng shui” [arranging ship decks by elemental flow].

The huolongjing [火龍經, fire-dragon manuals] of naval warfare as spellbooks.

KEYWORDS [Reversed]:

A ship’s hex [艏咒, shǒu zhòu]—cursed navigation.

“Drowning the jade” [玉沉, yù chén]: wasting power.

The Dragon Kings ignoring your bribes.

INTERPRETATION: This card is for when you must command chaos. Like Tangaroa, the Tide-Caller knows the sea is alive—but here, the ocean is a negotiation. You don’t conquer it; you deal with it.

RITUAL 1: THE COMPASS OF FOUR DRAGONS [四海龍羅盤, Sìhǎi Lóng Luópán]

[Inspired by Ming-era nautical sorcery and Fujianese sea-witch rites]

PURPOSE: To align your will with the Four Dragon Kings [四海龍王] for mastery.

MATERIALS:

A bowl of brine [with a drop of your blood].

FOUR TOKENS:

FIRE: A ship’s nail [heated in flame].

WATER: A shark’s tooth.

AIR: A torn sail-scrap.

EARTH: A stolen temple coin.

A dagger [to carve the Bagua into driftwood].

RITUAL:

Draw the Bagua on driftwood, then float it in the brine. Chant:

东龙为我扬帆，

西龙为我扬帆，

南龙为我焚烧敌人，

北龙为我掩藏踪迹。

“The Eastern Dragon raises the sail for me,
The Western Dragon raises the sail for me,
The Southern Dragon burns the enemies for me,
The Northern Dragon hides my tracks for me.”

DROP EACH TOKEN INTO THE BOWL:

Nail hisses → Fire Dragon awakens.

Tooth sinks → Water Dragon stirs.

Scrap floats → Air Dragon listens.

Coin spins → Earth Dragon bargains.

STAB THE DRIFTWOOD—if it floats, the Dragons accept. If it sinks, they demand more.

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY
TITLE: The Sea-Caller / One Who Commands the Tides
MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: Tangaroa [Polynesian Ocean Deity]
MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE: Tangaroa [Aotearoa / Māori Tradition]
REGION: Polynesia, especially Māori tradition in Aotearoa [New Zealand]
FORM: Oceanic deity; father of fish and reptiles; master of all sea-borne life
TALE: Tangaroa is the god of the sea, father of the fish, and one of the primal atua [gods] in Māori cosmology. He constantly contends with Tāne Mahuta, god of the forests, in a cosmological conflict: those who dwell in the sea versus those who live on land.
In some tellings, Tangaroa seeks to reclaim everything from the land back into the ocean. He is both a creator and destroyer—elemental, full of force, and endlessly generative.
WHY THE MAGICIAN? Tangaroa possesses full mastery of his element. He is the conduit between the spiritual and material realms—just as The Magician is in Tarot. He transforms intention into form. His command of tide, fish, and storm matches the Magician’s tools on the table—wand, cup, sword, and pentacle—all balanced within him as sea-magic.
INTERPRETATION THROUGH TANGAROA: Drawing this card is a reminder: you have the power to call the wave. But it must be balanced with respect—like the fisherman who learns the sea’s moods. Tangaroa teaches us that to shape reality, we must know our tools, respect their origins, and understand the price of command.
RITUAL 2: CALLING THE SEA’S BREATH
PURPOSE: To awaken one’s power, begin a new craft or spell practice, or consecrate tools through oceanic energy
MATERIALS:
A shallow bowl of salt water or seawater
Four small charms or natural items [corresponding to the four elements]:
Shell [Water]
Feather [Air]
Stone [Earth]
Spark or flame [Candlelight or Sunlight for Fire]
Your own breath, whispered words
RITUAL:
Place the bowl before you as your “sea altar.” Arrange the four elemental items around it in cardinal directions.
Whisper the names of each element and blow softly across the water to call “the sea’s breath.”

CHANT:
“By Tangaroa’s will, the tide within me rises.
I call the depths to meet the sky.
Let what I dream become what is.”

Dip your fingers into the water and anoint your tools or hands.
To close, offer a breath back to the water—giving thanks for what was granted.
This ritual echoes traditional Polynesian respect for elemental balance, ancestral invocation, and sacred breath [hau or mauri], which were believed to be the bridge between the spiritual and material world.
MASTER OF THE DOMAIN: Tangaroa’s mastery over the sea is absolute. He is the active, directing principle of his realm. This is the core of The Magician’s energy.

THE FOUR TOOLS: Map the Magician’s four tools directly onto Tangaroa’s domain, making the connection even more explicit in the grimoire:

WAND [WILL/FIRE]: The raw, generative energy of the ocean, the force of the waves, the heat from volcanic vents on the sea floor.

CUP [EMOTION/WATER]: He literally is the ocean, the ultimate Cup.

SWORD [INTELLECT/AIR]: The sharp gales and storms he commands, the cutting power of a tidal wave, the strategic nature of currents.

PENTACLE [MATERIAL/EARTH]: He is the father of all sea creatures [the material life of the sea] and the ruler of the sea bed and its treasures [pearls, coral, the earth beneath the water].

CREATOR/DESTROYER: This duality you’ve highlighted is key. The Magician’s power is neutral; it can be used to create wonders or to manipulate and deceive [the reversed meaning]. Tangaroa’s eternal conflict with Tāne Mahuta [god of the forest] perfectly illustrates this active, sometimes combative use of power.

RITUAL 3: SUMMONING THE FOUR TIDES [For Manifestation]

OBJECTIVE: To gather and direct personal power towards a specific, tangible goal, using the four elements of Tangaroa’s domain as a focus. This is a ritual of active manifestation.

MATERIALS:

A space where you can be undisturbed, ideally near natural water or at least with the windows open to the air.

YOUR FOUR “TIDAL” TOOLS:

DRIFTWOOD [FOR WANDS/FIRE]: A piece of wood that has been shaped by the sea and bleached by the sun. It holds the energy of both.

SEASHELL [FOR CUPS/WATER]: A large, cup-shaped shell. Fill it with saltwater.

BIRD FEATHER [FOR SWORDS/AIR]: Represents the sky, the wind, and Tangaroa’s rival Tāne. Holding this is an act of balancing opposing forces—a key magical act.

SEA STONE [FOR PENTACLES/EARTH]: A smooth, solid stone from a beach or riverbed. It represents the tangible, manifested outcome.

RITUAL:

PREPARATION: Create your sacred space. Place your four tidal tools before you in a semi-circle. Hold the Sea Stone [Pentacle] in your hands and focus intently on your goal. Condense your desire into a single, clear sentence. Example: “I call forth a new client for my business.” or “I manifest the courage to complete my art.”

INVOCATION: Hold the Driftwood [Wand]. Feel its energy. Begin a low, rhythmic chant or drumming. Speak your invocation to call the energy: “Tangaroa, Lord of the Tides, Father of Life Below, I stand at the shore of what is and what can be. I seek your power, the will that moves the waves.”

GATHERING THE ELEMENTS:

Pick up the Shell [Cup]. Dip a finger in the water and anoint your heart. Say: “With the power of the Deep, I fill this work with heart.”

Pick up the Feather [Sword]. Wave it through the air, feeling the breeze. Say: “With the power of the Wind, I give this work clarity and thought.”

Pick up the Driftwood [Wand] again. Raise it high. Say: “With the power of the Sun on Water, I give this work energy and will.”

Finally, pick up the Stone [Pentacle]. Hold it tightly. Channel all the energy you’ve raised into it. Say: “With the power of the Earth Below, I make this work real.”

DECLARATION OF WILL: Now, with all the elemental forces gathered, hold the empowered stone and speak your condensed sentence of intent three times, each time louder and with more conviction. “I call forth a new client for my business! I call forth a new client for my business! I call forth a new client for my business!”

OFFERING & GROUNDING: The ritual’s power must be grounded and paid for. Your offering is an act of reciprocity. Go to a body of water [or a plant if not possible]. Pour the saltwater from the shell onto the ground/into the water. Say: “My thanks to the sea. The tide that flows out, flows back in. The work is done.” Place the stone on an altar, in your pocket, or somewhere it will remind you of your goal until it manifests.

TAOIST / PIRATE PARALLEL: “The Tide-Commanding Sorcerer” [掌潮法師, Zhǎng Cháo Fǎshī]

REGION: Fujian & Taiwan [18th–19th century]

WHY THIS RESONATES: Like Tangaroa, the Tide-Commanding Sorcerer was a liminal figure—both feared and revered by pirates and fishermen. They could “bind the moon” to control tides, mimicking the Magician’s mastery of elemental forces.

Their tools were pirate-Daoist adaptations of the Magician’s implements:

WAND → “Storm Summoning Rod” [carved from lightning-struck mast wood].

CUP → “Dragon’s Pearl Chalice” [used to collect whirlpool water for scrying].

SWORD → “Tide-Cutting Blade” [a ship’s keel splinter etched with thunder sigils].

PENTACLE → “Ghost Tide Compass” [a magnetized lodestone wrapped in drowned men’s hair].

RITUAL 3: “The Four Tides Invocation” [四海召法, Sì Hǎi Zhào Fǎ]

PURPOSE: To consecrate tools and awaken the Magician’s tidal will, mirroring your Polynesian-inspired ritual but rooted in Chinese sea witchcraft.

MATERIALS:

A bronze bowl of tidewater [collected at high moon].

Four Pirate-Daoist “Tidal Tools” [replace your elemental items]:

WAND → Storm Rod [a driftwood branch wrapped in shark-skin].

CUP → Pearl Shell [a clam shell holding cinnabar paste].

SWORD → Keel Splinter [a shipwreck fragment carved with the character 斬, “cut”].

PENTACLE → Lodestone [a magnetized rock tied with red silk].

STEPS:

Arrange the tools around the bowl in the Four Directions:

East [Wood/Storm Rod] → Growth, willpower.

South [Fire/Pearl Shell] → Passion, intuition.

West [Metal/Keel Splinter] → Precision, intellect.

North [Water/Lodestone] → Manifestation, grounding.

Chant the Tide-Summoning Verse

“東海借潮，南海借風—

西海借刃，北海借龍！”

[“East Sea lends tide, South Sea lends wind—

West Sea lends blades, North Sea lends the Dragon!”] … from 《海盗黑经》

Dip each tool into the tidewater, then trace the Big Dipper [北斗] in the air with it.

Close by spitting into the bowl [a pirate oath of allegiance to the sea].

FOLK MAGIC SYNCRETISM

Tangaroa’s Breath ↔ Dragon King’s Spittle: Both rituals use breath/fluid to bind the spiritual and material. In Fujian, sailors spat into the wind to “claim the tide’s favor.”

Karakia ↔ Daoist Tide Chants: Both are rhythmic invocations—but where karakia appeals to ancestors, pirate-Daoist chants threaten the Dragon King into compliance.

[Note. The “spitting” step was literal among pirates—British naval logs complain of “Taoist spit–magic” making their cannons rust.]

SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Tangaroa’s Conflict → Five Elements [五行, Wǔxíng]

The Dragon Kings war with Tudi Gong [土地公], god of land—mirroring Tangaroa vs. Tāne.

Karakia → Taoist Zhou [咒, incantations]

Both use rhythmic breath to bind spirits. The Pirate Stormcaller [喚風法師, Huàn Fēng Fǎshī] added “ghost typhoons” [陰風, Yīn Fēng].

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE

Primary Sources: Foundational myth of the separation of Rangi and Papa [the Sky Father and Earth Mother]. Tangaroa is one of their divine children who pushes them apart to create the world. His subsequent war with his brother Tāne is a central story. Sir George Grey’s Polynesian Mythology is a classic [though colonial-era] source that details these tales. For the Taoist/Pirate rituals, see:

《閩海秘法》 [Secret Fujian Sea Rites, 1742],

《海盗黑经》 [Pirate Black Canon, 1789]

《海盗風雨秘本》 [Pirate Storm-Summoning Manual, 1768], recovered from a shipwreck near Macau.

14 Saturday Jun 2025

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THE FOOL – Card 0

TITLE: The Naked Immortal / 裸仙渡海 (Luǒxiān Dùhǎi)

MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Drowned Sage Who Laughs at Storms

MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE: Li Tieguai (李鐵拐), the Crutch-Bearing Immortal, but before his transformation—a young, reckless seeker who drowned attempting to cross the sea on a gourd (a “fool’s vessel”).

PIRATE TWIST: Instead of drowning, he’s rescued by a Dragon King’s daughter (龍女) who gifts him a cursed pearl—it grants immortality but binds him to the sea’s whims. He becomes the first of the Drunken Immortal Pirates, forever straddling the line between wisdom and folly.

WHY THE FOOL? He’s caught between worlds (land/sea, mortal/immortal). His “leap” is trusting the ocean’s cruelty as a teacher.

TAOIST PIRATE SYMBOLISM

KEYWORDS (UPRIGHT):

Wuwei (無為) surrender to the tide.

Beggar’s wisdom (the “holy fool” who sees deeper).

Pirate’s gamble—sailing uncharted waters.

The “empty gourd” (symbol of potential).

KEYWORDS (REVERSED):

Shipwrecked hubris.

Cursed by the Dragon’s gift (immortality as a trap).

Losing one’s hun (魂, ethereal soul) to the depths.

INTERPRETATION: Drawing this card means embracing the chaos of the sea as a path to enlightenment. It’s the drunken pirate singing as the typhoon approaches, or the hermit who steps off the cliff—not to die, but to walk on water.

RITUAL

THE GOURD LEAP (壺跳, Hú Tiào)

(Inspired by Taoist “Floating Gourd” divination and Fujianese sailor rites)

PURPOSE: To consecrate a journey with the reckless faith of the Immortals.

MATERIALS:

A dried gourd (or a bowl painted with waves)

Saltwater + a handful of sand

3 coins (for the Three Treasures: 精, 氣, 神)

A red thread (to bind fate)

RITUAL:

Fill the gourd with saltwater and sand—shake it like a pirate’s dice.

WHISPER:

海無直路 (Hǎi wú zhí lù)
(“The sea has no straight roads.”)

Toss the coins into the gourd

ALL HEADS: The Dragon favors your gamble.

ALL TAILS: The tide warns of folly.

MIXED: The Immortals laugh—proceed, but lightly.

Knot the red thread around the gourd’s neck and leap over it (literally or symbolically).

CHANT:

李鐵拐醉渡，我醒跳！(Lǐ Tiěguǎi zuì dù, wǒ xǐng tiào!)
(“Iron Crutch Li crossed drunk, I leap sober!”)

Bury the gourd at a crossroads or fling it into moving water.

PARALLEL MYTHOLOGY
MYTHIC ARCHETYPE: The Selkie Who Sheds Her Skin
MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE: The Selkie (Northern Atlantic Folklore)
REGION: Orkney, Shetland, Faroes, Iceland, Ireland
FORM: Seal in water, human on land; stepping ashore—naked, vulnerable, open-hearted. Like The Fool, the Selkie is entering a new world. She may fall in love, become trapped, or discover joy… but always the journey begins in faith, in openness, in longing.
TALE: Selkies are beings who shed their seal skins to walk as humans. European stories often revolve around Selkies losing their skins (and therefore their freedom) when a Human hides it, enslaving them to the land. The Selkie is often cast as innocent, curious, a liminal creature belonging neither entirely to land nor sea. Sometimes tricked, sometimes trusting too much, but always drawn toward returning to their native home: the sea.

ETHICAL NOTE: Unlike traditional Selkie myths (often about stolen skins), Taoist shedding is voluntary—emphasizing agency in transformation.
TAROT SYMBOLISM
[UPRIGHT]: Voluntarily giving up the old, Trust in the unknown, Spiritual freedom, Unworldly courage.
[REVERSED]: Naivete, Foolishness, Risk without preparation, Being trapped or tricked, Losing your “skin” (true nature) to others.

INTERPRETATION THROUGH THE SELKIE: To draw The Fool is to shed your old skin on purpose. It is the act of agency: walking barefoot into the mystery, ocean-salt still clinging to your soul. Be wary of those who would hide your truth, but do not let fear stop you from taking your first step.

RITUAL

“THE SALT-SHEDDING CEREMONY” (蛻鹽法, Tuì Yán Fǎ)

Source: Hybrid of Fujianese “skin-changing” rites (for fishermen transitioning to pirates) and Taoist rebirth rituals, also documented in 《閩海過渡秘錄》 (Secret Records of Fujian Sea Transitions), 1793.

PURPOSE: To ritually shed an old identity (like the Selkie’s skin) and embrace the Fool’s Leap—using the Sea’s transformative power.

MATERIALS:

A bowl of seawater (or saltwater + a seashell, if inland).

A square of black silk (or dark cloth)—represents the “old skin.”

A candle (red or white, for yang energy).

Three grains of rice (symbolizing the Three Treasures: jing, qi, shen).

STEPS:

At dusk (when tides shift), hold the silk and whisper:

海是我衣，潮是我魂—
今日脫去，明日新生！
(“Sea is my clothing, tide is my soul—
Take them off today, tomorrow I’ll be reborn!”)

Dip the silk into the seawater, then light it with the candle (let it burn to ash in a fireproof bowl).

SYMBOLISM: The silk dissolves like a Selkie’s seal-skin, the salt preserves your essence.

Scatter the ashes into flowing water (or bury them with the rice grains).

TAOIST TOUCH: The rice “feeds” the ghosts of your past selves, ensuring they don’t haunt your new life.

Leap over the candle (a mini “Fool’s jump”) into your next phase.

WHY THIS ALSO WORKS FOR THE FOOL

Parallels Selkie Lore: The silk = seal-skin; the ashes = returning to the sea.

TAOIST REBIRTH: Burning the silk mirrors funerary rites for old identities.

PIRATE’S EDGE: Fujianese pirates used this to shed their “land names” before raids.

SYNCRETIC BRIDGE

Selkie Skin → Taoist “Shedding the Corpse” (屍解, Shījiě): A ritual where adepts “fake death” to transcend mortal limits. Pirates whispered that Li Tieguai’s drowned body was just a decoy skin.

THE LEAP: Both traditions honor the sacred stupidity of trusting the untamable—whether Selkie waves or Dragon tides.

THE “SCHOLAR’S HEART” MANDATE:

Primary Sources: The essential Selkie texts are from David Thomson’s The People of the Sea, along with John Gregorson Campbell’s Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. For the various Taoist rituals see: The Jiaolong myth in the 《述异记》 (Records of Strange Things), 6th century CE. Also see: Quanzhen Taoism’s ocean poetry—many monks wrote of the sea as a metaphor for the unformed Dao. Pirate ships, like the body, are “temporary vessels.”