The Queens
Synopsis
If we look at the Tarot through Paul Huson's historical lens of European feudal life, the Majors are representative of the popular themes and teachings of the Church, especially through public events such as morality plays and festival theater. In this way, the Majors are associated with more "divine" provenience and social order--principles like Temperance, Fortitude, and Mercy. Even the human figures are larger-than-life and set apart by their divinity, such as the divinely-chosen Emperor and Pope, or the Hermit/Time on his solitary quest. The exception to this are the Fool and Magician, both associated with entertainers and commoners, yet even these are still set apart from the majority of commoners as they play a particular role in line with a sort of Trickster mytheme.
The more apparent worldly powers to the commoners were the nobility, represented by the Court cards. These are the people who actually made things happen in the commoner's lives, even if following or inspired by some sort of "divine directive". Viewed through this lens, the Court cards can be seen as the Minors that are active movers in a querent's life. These "movers" may be events or actual people that have the qualities represented by a particular card. In the Golden Dawn system, the qualities are primarily elemental (a quaternity--four elements, four court cards), then astrological.
As the Court cards are related to elemental qualities, they share some kinship with the Aces, which are the "root" or pure element of each suit. Rather than potentials (as the Aces are), however, the court cards are active forces in play with a personality. While I generally read all cards as having a personality, the court cards are closer to a human personality that we may recognize in ourselves or those around us. They may literally be a person connected to the reading, or an aspect of personality of the querent, or a quality describing a situation or event.
The Queens
The Queens are associated with elemental Water. Water is the undifferentiated All, often viewed as the numinous realm of feeling, emotion, connection, and intuition. Water is the ocean of possibility and patterns at play, and "just knows" in a way that is less distinct than that of analytical Air, but is no less powerful. Water relies on the connection of all things and their relationships rather than what makes each thing unique (as does Air). The Queens can represent what is needed or wanted in a situation by virtue of all things being interconnected.
Wands
- Elemental: Water of Fire
- Astrological: 20° Pisces (♓︎) to 19° Aries (♈︎)
The Queen of Wands is charismatic -- she emanates a feeling of power as creative force. She innately creates the desire to be near her, as doing so feels like the promise of fulfilling one's needs known and unknown. The Queen of Wands may appear to be a bit fickle, but charming nonetheless.
Cups
- Elemental: Water of Water
- Astrological: 20° Gemini (♊︎) to 19° Cancer (♋︎)
As the Watery part of Water, the Queen of Cups is near to the well of intuition. Her feelings arise from and as all possibilities and potentials. Thus, she may not have or offer a particular direction when queried, but is a fountain of all-knowing.
Swords
- Elemental: Water of Air
- Astrological: 20° Virgo (♍︎) to 19° Libra (♎︎)
The Queen of Swords has a keen mind that can weigh the practical merits of an action with an intuitive insight into the potentials and relationships connected to that action. She is fair, and wise. She may not take action herself, but can provide good and balanced counsel on what path to take when making a decision.
Disks
- Elemental: Water of Earth
- Astrological: 20° Sagittarius (♐︎) to 19° Capricorn (♑︎)
The Queen of Disks is the certainty of fruition, the knowledge that her works will one day bear fruit. Until then, she watches as the path unfolds before her and the lands ripen. She may provide counsel on long-term matters of making something manifest, or she may simply point the way along the certain path and one of least resistance.
