The Queens
QUEENS – MINOR ARCANA
(TAROT COURSE - LESSON 13)
In the hierarchical structure of the Minor Arcana, queens appear just before reaching the kings. Queens are also the wives of the kings and individuals with a physical connection to them. Therefore, they remind us that we are very close to the summit, the king, and that there is one final step we need to take. In short, queens are the cards that appear on the brink of reaching the summit, and therefore, they may also represent that a great reward will be given to us in the near future.
Queens, while not as powerful or authoritative as kings, possess a hidden power that should never be underestimated. They are more gentle, softer, and more temperate. When you see a queen, remember the saying, "Behind every great man, there is a great woman." The wonderful woman right next to the king is the queen, and although she may not have the authority to give orders like the king, she is the one sitting closest to the king, exerting influence on him calmly and gently. This hidden power of the queens often goes unnoticed by others.
While kings are active and directive, queens are passive and receptive. The card you must visit to reach the king is undoubtedly the queen. Sometimes, they are the final obstacles to overcome and the essential last moves toward your goal. While queens may not be as authoritative as kings, they are strong in their own right and represent powerful individuals. They can sometimes appear as a motherly figure or a protective woman. Sometimes, they symbolize the most important woman in our lives.
In the context of the Minor Arcana, princes represent fire, knights represent air, queens represent water, and kings represent earth. Queens, represented by water, the element of emotions and the subconscious, tend to be more gentle and emotional than kings. In spreads where queens are abundant, emotions are likely to be heightened. Water, being the element of the subconscious, makes queens more introspective, passive, and receptive compared to kings. Water is not as rigid and solid as earth, so queens are individuals who are always gentle, temperate, and slower to act.
As previously mentioned in earlier topics, in court cards, gender distinctions have been made using three male figures (princes, knights, and kings) and only one female figure (queens). Therefore, when representing an individual, you should not place too much emphasis on gender, and male figures in court cards do not necessarily represent only males. When a queen represents an individual, she is most likely a spouse, mother, sister, caregiver, or nurturing female figure. Additionally, a queen is a high-ranking, career-oriented, educated, and independent woman. However, despite all these qualities, she can also represent a nurturing, feminine side or a highly motivated emotional man or a right-hand person sitting next to the king, such as a CEO's deputy.
Within the Minor Arcana, the four queens each have their distinct personalities. Interpreting these cards will be straightforward once you understand their unique characteristics. The wand queen, fueled by the energy of fire, is the most enterprising of all queens. Among the four queens, the wand queen possesses the greatest internal power and energy. While she may not have the material wealth and comfort of the cup queen, her inner strength and creativity allow her to undertake significant projects, establish large companies, and motivate employees. The wand queen is so highly motivated that her motivation can change not only her life but also the lives of those around her. The cup queen, on the other hand, is the queen of the emotional realm and the subconscious. Although the sword queen shares the emotional depth and gentleness of a queen, she will never hesitate to use her sword to remove obstacles to success and engage in battles with her enemies. Among the queens, the sword queen is the fastest thinker and the quickest to act. She is spontaneous and makes quick decisions. The coin queen is primarily concerned with the material and physical aspects of life. She values money the most and generously offers financial benefits to her loved ones. If someone says, "If this project succeeds, I'll give you this much money," that person is undoubtedly the coin queen. The wand queen, on the other hand, is driven by entrepreneurship and ambition. She always comes up with the brightest ideas.
Queens, in representing individuals, can embody all the women we encounter in our lives, starting with our mothers, and extending to all the women we meet throughout our lives. These women can sometimes be those who assist us and make our lives easier. However, they can also represent women who bring harm, malice, or negativity into our lives. In a spread, pay close attention to the queens. Where is the queen looking? What card is behind her? Which cards surround her? Doing this will make queens familiar to you, and you will understand who or what they represent in your life.
In a spread with multiple queens, it should be interpreted as an abundance of the water element. In such cases, the drought has come to an end, and a more fertile period should be expected. Additionally, considering the nurturing and feminine power of queens, having more women's influence in your surroundings is likely. Support from our mothers, positive developments in a man's relationship, pregnancy news, and any news related to a woman are under the rule of the queens. The absence of queens may signify drought or unproductiveness. Sometimes, it could mean the absence of women that should be present in your life or being abandoned by them. In short, the absence of queens represents a lack of a feminine touch, which can include a lack of care, nurturing, aesthetics, sexual intimacy, or loneliness.
Furthermore, when queens are compared to princes and knights, they represent mature figures. You won't find the youthfulness of princes and knights in queens. Queens represent processes of maturity, deeper understanding, and a sense of growing up. After princes start the process, acquire expertise with knights, and reach maturity with queens, the next step will be reaching the summit with kings.
Queens Reversed:
When queens appear reversed in a spread, they bring out the negative aspects of water. This can include the detrimental effects of excessive emotionalism on our lives, emotional floods, or emotions overriding logic. When one or more queens appear reversed, the individual may have started to think and act entirely based on emotions, leading to the possibility of making irrational decisions in life. In a spread where several queens appear reversed, it could mean that someone is either thinking overly emotionally and irrationally, unable to see the facts clearly or that the women in their surroundings are negatively influencing them or poisoning their lives.
In essence, queens, who sit right next to kings and have the power to influence them, can have negative effects when reversed. Therefore, reversed queens can also represent women who misuse their hidden powers and engage in unjust actions. Sometimes, when queens appear reversed, it can indicate that just as something is about to happen, a final obstacle appears due to a woman's ill intentions or hostile actions. In short, when queens appear reversed, they may symbolize the emergence of one last hurdle just when everything seemed to be going well.
When each group's queen appears reversed, they indicate different negative effects. The reversed wand queen is related to the absence or misuse of creative energy. The reversed cup queen signifies negative influences or setbacks in our emotional lives caused by a woman. The reversed sword queen can point to a move by a vengeful and combative woman. The reversed coin queen is associated with a woman's move that negatively affects the more physical or material aspects of our lives. If you see the reversed coin queen, it could mean that a woman might cause financial loss, debt, or the need to pay a penalty.