This post will be looking at understanding the Queens of the Tarot, who are next up after the Pages and the Knights in this series in Understanding the Court Cards of the Tarot. I think the Queens are easier to read than the Pages and the Knights in that we have much more concrete ideas about the role of a Queen and by now you will have gotten the hang of how to understand the meaning of the court cards. By linking the overall energy of the Queen with the element of the suit she belongs to, we can easily get a fuller picture of the message that she is trying to convey.
The Court cards do not always literally relate to someone of the same age, so it must be understood that the energy or age they show are in relation to life lessons and goals. Queens have a similar energy to the Empress which is strongly female. This is an older energy than the Knights and one that is certain about who she now is and is working towards achieving her goals. However, like Kings, a Queen can be any age when she ascends to her throne; all we really know is that she has achieved much and is a force to be reckoned with. Having said that, though, I do find the Queens generally represent older energies, and only once did I see a child come up as a Queen and this was because that child was basically running her household because the parents had given her that authority and power.
The Queen of Cups is the ruler of the emotional realm. If we see the Queens as having dominion over the suit she rules, then this Queen most certainly is full of emotions. As such, I always see her as being very affectionate and loving; she is a warm, caring and nurturing person. However, the downside of residing solely in the land of emotions is that what she feels is not always tempered by logic or practicalities. She feels and desires what she does, and this could not only lead to impractical dreams but mood shifts when these dreams are not realised. In my readings, the Kings and Queens more times than not relate to the astrological sign of the person in question, but when that is not the case, this Queen would represent a strong, emotional woman. If the other cards in the spread show relationship and love cards, then I know this Queen is looking for love and I caution her to be careful of romantic delusions, while looking at the other cards to help me guide her. If, on the other hand, there are cards not related to love and relationships, it usually shows that this Queen is feeling more emotional than usual. For example, she may have always stayed with her job because it was great on paper and paid well, but now it is affecting her emotionally and it may be that she is not happy, especially if she has cards showing she is feeling stuck, or the opposite could be true; she may not earn much but this Queen shows happiness at work. The important thing is to look at the emotional aspect as that is what she is pointing to and the other cards will help as markers to get to the root meaning of the reading.
The Queen of Pentacles is a practical and hardworking woman. I always see her as being good with money and having a good strong work ethic. Even if she does not have a job, I think she is good with finances and with the practicalities of life. I’ve seen this Queen show up for women that have too much responsibility. One lady had the Queen of Pentacles show up in her reading along with the Ten of Wands and that showed me that the responsibility for the financial stability and security of her family had been on her and her alone, which was causing her so much stress. This is a good sign for a woman in her work reading, but may show that she needs to have some fun or listen to her heart more if it appears in a reading about another area of her life. I always know I am dealing with a strong solid woman when this card comes up. But what if this Queen does not represent the person you are reading for but someone in his or her life? As always it depends on the question and on the other cards in the spread, but we know this could be someone that they work with; I once saw the Queen of Pentacles indicate a lady who worked in the accounts office at my clients company who had been causing her problems. A male client once had this Queen appear in his reading as his girlfriend; she was putting too much pressure on him to be more serious and to work harder for a promotion so they could buy a place together.
The Queen of Swords is so self-reliant and independent. If this Queen is not showing a Gemini, Libra or Aquarius woman, then it may show a woman who is alone. I’ve seen this Queen appear representing a widow or a strict mother-in-law. What we can be sure of is that the Queen of Swords knows her mind and she is not afraid to speak it either. She is very intelligent and she can sometimes come up representing a female friend who is all too willing to give advice; if the purpose of the reading is because your client needs help, tell them to look out for this woman, if they’re feel oppressed, it is also probably because of this Queen. She can also be a very hopeful sign in a reading. I had a client who was unsure of her future as she had just gone through a divorce, had moved home and she was returning to work after a decade; her confidence had taken a huge hit and she did not know what lay ahead. The Queen of Swords told me that she would be fine, that this feeling of uncertainty was temporary and that not only would she survive, but that she would thrive. I do try to urge all Queen of Swords that they do not need to hide their softer side beneath that tough, independent front; as much as they let their heads rule, they should not forget their hearts.
In general terms, if the Queen of Cups is the most mysterious and romantic, the Queen of Pentacles the most hard working and successful, and the Queen of Swords the intelligent and sometimes scary one, then the Queen of Wands is the most charismatic and lively. She is the one that oozes charm and fun and people, both male and female, may find themselves drawn to her. If she does not represent a fire sign or the person you are reading for, then you’re being shown someone who has energy, drive and confidence. One client had this Queen show up as a bossy, overbearing person that was making her life hell at work; the woman she represented was popular at work, but also lazy and capable of being quite hurtful. To end, here’s a very personal example; when I was very ill, I would invariably get the Queen of Wands as something that was causing me problems or something that I was striving for and this was because I had little energy and no social life and I needed some of the Queen of Wands energy in my life.
As always, if you have any questions about the Queens please do not hesitate to ask. Next time we will look at the mighty Kings of the Tarot.