Tag - what does the queen of cups mean in tarot

Queen of Cups

Queen of Cups

Suit: Cups
Element: Water
Function: Emotions, love, spirituality, imagination

A beautiful, elegant woman sits by the shore’s edge, dressed in white and blue, the colors of purity and the spirit and mind, respectively, holding an elaborate chalice. It has angels for handles. Her stone throne has a giant scallop at the top, reminiscent of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, coming out of the sea. There are merchildren carved into her throne too, symbolic of the inborn imaginative and emotional powers we all bring into the world as people. The queen rests her feet on stones, for there is some foundation under her.

And what is in that cup? Unlike the others, it’s not open. Is there water in it? Is it empty? What is the mystery of this cup? Why does it enchant her so? Or does know what the mystery is and is inviting the reader to figure out what the mystery is, to sit and contemplate the meaning of this great chalice? The Queen of Cups doesn’t offer any clues. She just looks and watches. Perhaps only she can see the details that are so enchanting.

Perhaps what she’s doing is sending her thoughts and feelings telepathically into the cup, sealed but also honored in the golden chalice. Or perhaps she has actually imagined the cup into reality. Perhaps the chalice is not the container, but the whole of her thoughts, intentions, and emotions now. She imagined it into reality just as easily as one may come up with a thought. She knows that thoughts and feelings can become real with intention, and that to be imaginative, and to be creative, means to form something new, regardless of whether it exists in thought or in tangible form. And all creation and imagination comes from a desire to make something so. She cradles this cup in her lap; she loves this thing.

Thus, the Queen of Cups is like Aphrodite, the goddess of love. She creates out of love, and she knows that emotions have power to make things happen. She’s supportive of others, and she’s willing to lend her heart and her ear. After all, she has enough emotional power for all needs; she is the queen of the ocean, and will never run out of life giving water.

When the Queen of Cups is Reversed:

When the Queen of Cups is reversed, the querent has difficulty expressing their emotions, imagination, or creativity. They may not be sympathetic, empathetic, or able to care for others. They may either feel disconnected from others or their own inner selves. They may not actual see any importance to having a rich inner life.

The Queen of Cups reversed can also indicate a querent who doesn’t control their emotions. One who cannot control their emotions doesn’t understand them. The querent may be moody or take their bad feelings out on others. They may project their bad feelings and shortcomings onto others, too. They may feel unloved and manipulate others to avoid abandonment, thereby ultimately creating their own emotional void, their own emotional empty vessel.

In a three-card reading, this card means…

Past: In the past, the querent found emotional fulfillment and expressed their imagination freely, which has brought them to the present moment.

Present: Currently, the querent is indulging their imagination and creative spirit, and exploring their emotions.

Future: In the future, the querent will have an emotional Renaissance and indulge their imagination.