The Queens - Women of Knowledge

Queen of Wands – Venus
Venus is an extremely inhospitable planet that has an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid, with temperatures hot enough to melt lead. This unfriendly environment seems at odds with the love-and-beauty image of Venus, but the mythological goddess also rules the passionate emotions that love engenders. These find an apt metaphor in the superheated, seething atmosphere of the planet. The Queen of Wands, like the Greek goddess, has gained a certain level of comfort with powerful emotions. She is the independent, forceful woman who has the courage to be authentic, not cowed by stereotypical notions of femininity. This Queen contains the fiery energy of Wands by being true to her own nature and to the boldness of her grand plan.

Queen of Cups – Andromeda
The constellation Andromeda is best known for containing the galaxy of the same name, which is the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way. The mythological Andromeda is famous for being rescued from the sea-monster Cetus by the heroic Perseus. Through no fault of her own she’d been chained to a rock as a sacrifice to Poseidon. Although as modern women we may not respond to this old-fashioned victim kind of archetype, it’s important to remember that sometimes enforced passivity is the only thing that makes us stop what we are doing and reflect. We live in a culture predicated on action and assertion and the Queen of Cups embodies qualities we tend to discount – the ability to be still, meditate, and introspect. This Queen contains the emotional qualities of Cups in a compassionate and tender way, allowing us to slow down and understand our feelings about ourselves and the world.

Queen of Swords - Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia is an easily recognisable constellation for those of us in the northern hemisphere, with its wide, flat W-shape. The mythological Cassiopeia was a bit of a troublemaker. She claimed that her beauty rivalled Poseidon’s sea nymphs, which enraged the unpredictable sea god. As a punishment Cassiopeia’s daughter Andromeda was chained to a rock at sea as a sacrifice to the monster Cetus. When she was rescued by Perseus, Cassiopeia plotted to do him in at their wedding. That’s gratitude for you! The Assyrians give Cassiopeia a rather better press, depicting her as a beneficent grain goddess. The Greek Cassiopeia gives a rather negative impression of the Queen of Swords – more like a permanently reversed version of the card. In most instances this Queen represents a woman who has gained wisdom through experience, and often suffering. She has honed the sword of her mind and gained the maturity to deploy it wisely. She can hold the mental energy of swords in abeyance, knowing when to speak what she knows and when to stay silent.

Queen of Pentacles – Earth
The Earth is unique within the solar system (and as far as we know so far the universe) in that it supports a multitude of life. 70% of it surface is covered by water and its atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. This combination of factors – especially the presence of water – is crucial to the Earth’s ability to support life. Our Earth is a series of incredibly complex interlocking systems that all conspire to create and maintain a comfortable environment for life to thrive. In many mythologies, the Earth takes the form of a mother-figure, such as the Greek Gaia. The Queen of Pentacles is a similarly nurturing, maternal figure, symbolising the endless fertility of the natural world. She represents a physical container for the earthy energy of Pentacles and acts as midwife and generous mother to all our ideas, plans and relationships.