The Queen of Cups is an invitation to connect to your unique self-expression, and to value value the results of your creative efforts.
To give you a bit of context whilst you reflect on your own relationship to the card, here are a few key things to know about the Queen of Cups:
In the Rider Waite Smith version of this tarot card, you see a queen perched on a throne at the edge of the shore. The sea surges forward to meet the queen's feet, where a collection of multicoloured pebbles lay. The quen's throne is ornate, decorated with cherubs and a clamshell motif, and their crown and cup are also particuarly fine. There's a sense of opulence here.
Unlike the rest of the vessels in the suit of Cups, the Queen's cup is richly and uniquely designed - it resembled ceremonial chalices from Catholic rites, and also takes on an almost humanoid shape. The Queen only has eyes for this cup - despite the stunning scene that surrounds the throne, she gazes directly at this artfully rendered vessel.
Symbolically, there are two important themes to consider in this card. First, the water that governs the entire suit of Cups plays an integral role here. That the Queen's bare foot makes contact with the tide is an invitation to not only stay connected to your own depths, intuition, and feelings, but to bring them to life on land through self expression. Here is a queen who thrives at sea and on land - because whichever element they find themselves on, they have the gift of expressing their full selves through feelings made manifest through art.
Second, but related, is the relationship between the Queen and the opulent cup in the image. The intimate, focused gaze captured in Pamela Coleman Smith's design invites you to gaze lovingly on your own creations, whether that's literal art work, the result. ofsome other hard work, your children, or anything else you've made. These pearls of you creation have been fashioned through your attention; never stop shining the full power your light on them.
In your tarot journal, you’re asked to reflect on what this card means to you, now, in this moment, and what actions and thoughts it inspires in you. As you journal, pay attention to what you’re personally picking up in the card, but also consider what the key themes in the card might be telling you. How can you wade into your own intuitive sea, and find meaningful opportunities for self-expression there? What creations deserve more of your praise and attention?
This mini tarot lesson was brought to you by me, Chelsey Pippin Mizzi, founder of Pip Cards Tarot.