Category: Minor Arcana
The Queen of Cups tarot card, within the Minor Arcana, embodies compassion, intuition, and emotional depth. She represents the nurturing energy of maternal love and kindness.
Join us as we delve into the upright and reversed meanings, as well as explore interpretations of love and muuuch more about the Queen of Cups.
Queen of Cups: Description
In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, the Queen of Cups is depicted as a serene and empathetic figure seated on a throne by the sea. She embodies compassion, intuition, and emotional depth. She appears deeply connected to her emotions, yet not overwhelmed by them.
The Queen holds a golden cup in her right hand, adorned with angelic figures. This cup symbolizes her connection to the realm of emotions and spirituality. Additionally, the closed nature of the cup suggests its association with the unconscious mind.
The Queen wears a flowing white gown adorned with intricate patterns of water lilies, symbolizing purity and fertility. Her throne is decorated with images of sea creatures such as sea-nymphs, fish, and scallop shells, further emphasizing her affinity with the emotional realm. Behind her, the sea is calm and tranquil, reflecting her inner serenity and intuitive wisdom. The sky above is a soft shade of blue, evoking a sense of peace and tranquility.
Here is the description of the Queen of Cups tarot card in the Rider-Waite deck, the most commonly used in English-speaking countries and definitely worth having. We also suggested this deck in our best tarot decks list – both for beginners and advanced.
Queen of Cups tarot card: Keywords
UPRIGHT: Compassion – Intuition – Emotional depth – Serenity – Empathy
REVERSED: Overly emotional – Moody – Imbalanced emotions – Escapism – Manipulation
Queen of Cups: Upright Meaning
In the upright position, the Queen of Cups heralds a time of deep emotional connection and intuition. She encourages individuals to embrace their compassionate nature and trust their instincts in navigating life’s challenges. She is nurturing, highly intuitive, empathic and caring.
The Queen’s presence suggests a need to listen to one’s inner voice and pay attention to subtle signs and messages from the subconscious. This card signifies a period of emotional depth and serenity, where one may find solace in introspection and self-reflection.
The appearance of the Queen of Cups in a tarot reading suggests the importance of trusting one’s intuition and embracing the flow of emotions – even when they may be difficult to navigate.
The connection between the Queen and her surroundings, such as the sea and the cup she holds, underscores the importance of emotional awareness and sensitivity. For example, someone drawing the Queen of Cups in a tarot reading may find themselves guided by their intuition in making important decisions or offering support and empathy to others in need.
Queen of Cups: Reversed Meaning
In the reversed position, the Queen of Cups may indicate emotional imbalance, hypersensitivity, or overreliance on intuition to the point of being disconnected from reality. This could lead to mood swings, irrational behavior, or difficulty in managing emotions effectively. The Queen’s nurturing and empathetic qualities may be overshadowed by emotional manipulation or passive-aggressive tendencies.
In tarot readings, the reversed Queen of Cups could suggest situations where one’s emotions are clouding their judgment, leading to misunderstandings or conflicts in relationships. For example, it may signify being overly idealistic in matters of love, overlooking red flags, or becoming overly dependent on others for emotional validation.
And it’s precisely with the love meanings of this card that we’ll continue…
Queen of Cups: Love meaning
In matters of love, the upright Queen of Cups represents deep emotional connections, compassion, and nurturing within relationships.
For couples, this card suggests a time of harmony, understanding, and mutual support. It indicates a relationship filled with love, empathy, and emotional fulfillment. The Queen encourages partners to trust their intuition and communicate openly, fostering a deeper bond built on trust and empathy.
For singles, the Queen of Cups indicates a period of self-reflection and emotional healing before entering into a new relationship. It suggests that now is a time to focus on self-love, self-care, and nurturing one’s own emotional well-being. The Queen reminds singles to trust their intuition and open their hearts to new possibilities when the time is right.
Contrarily, the reversed Queen of Cups, in love readings, may signify emotional imbalance, codependency, or manipulation within relationships, urging individuals to prioritize self-care and set healthy boundaries.
Queen of Cups: Key symbols
Here, we will explore some of the key symbols of the Queen of Cups tarot card in the Rider-Waite deck. Let’s observe the card deeper…
The Closed Cup
In the Queen of Cups card, the cup held by the Queen serves as a prominent symbol representing emotional depth, intuition, and spiritual connection. The ornate Gothic chalice is intricately designed, adorned with angelic figures and delicate patterns. It symbolizes the Queen’s profound connection to the realm of emotions and spirituality.
As noted in the description of the card, the cup is closed, symbolizing the Queen’s discretion in guarding her innermost feelings and intuitive insights. This closed nature suggests that she may be selective about whom she shares her deepest emotions with, keeping them private and protected. Let’s notice in the Rider-Waite deck, this is the only closed cup!
There are also a few other details to notice:
- The cup is not only closed but also has a cross at the top, reminiscent of a sacred chalice used in Catholic Mass to contain the sacrament.
- There is a red shining part, probably a jewel, perhaps a ruby since Rubies have been the gemstone of choice for royalty ever since their appearance along China’s North Silk Road as early as 200 BC.
- There are two angels on the cup, raising the question of whether they are connected to Christian angels, which is definitely possible.
The crown
The crown worn by the Queen of Cups represents her royal status, authority, and spiritual wisdom. It sits atop her head, adorned with intricate designs and embellishments, signifying her connection to higher realms of consciousness and divine guidance.
It also suggests her elevated status and leadership qualities, indicating her ability to navigate the depths of the subconscious with grace and dignity. The crown serves as a reminder of the Queen’s inner strength, inner nobility, and innate wisdom, guiding her in her quest for emotional fulfillment and spiritual enlightenment.
Crowns are quite often represented in tarot, particularly worn by the main figures in these Major Arcana: The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Chariot, Justice, and The Tower.
The Throne
Like the crown, the throne in the Queen of Cups card symbolizes authority but also stability and emotional sovereignty. It serves as the Queen’s seat of power, indicating her status as a ruler of the emotional realm. The throne provides a sense of grounding and support amid the turbulent waters of emotion. Depicted as ornate and majestic, the throne is adorned with intricate carvings or symbolic designs.
In particular, here are some of the significant designs on the throne:
- Decorated with shells, the throne symbolizes the connection with the sea in front of the Queen and, according to some interpretations, may represent the unconscious.
- The throne’s gray and imposing color signifies the Queen’s unbiased nature as she rules impartially for the ideal of aesthetic beauty and emotions, rather than for her egoistic self.
At the top of the throne, there are two cherub angels, and at the base, another cherub, all of which are half cherub and half mermaid. The cherub at the bottom also holds a fish, reminiscent of the Page of Cups, who holds a fish in his cup.
Queen of Cups: Does it mean Yes or No in a tarot reading?
When the Queen of Cups appears upright in a tarot reading and the question pertains to a yes or no inquiry, it signifies a yes. This affirmation suggests an encouragement to trust one’s intuition and emotional guidance, leading to favorable outcomes.
But, if the Queen of Cups appears reversed in a yes or no reading, it typically indicates a no. This reversal may suggest a need for emotional introspection or a warning against being overly swayed by emotions in decision-making.
Anyways, while some interpretations may suggest a definitive “yes” or “no” based on the presence or absence of the Queen of Cups in a tarot spread, the reality is more nuanced. Tarot readings offer insights into potential outcomes and influences but do not dictate predetermined futures. The true power of tarot lies in recognizing the impact of our choices and actions on shaping our destinies.
To learn more about yes or no tarot readings, read on “Is Yes and No Tarot Reading Accurate?”
Queen of Cups in Rider-Waite and Marseille Tarot decks
While the Major Arcana cards in the Marseille and Rider-Waite decks share similarities, they are not identical. However, the overall meanings and main symbols tend to align between the two decks. The situation differs when it comes to the Minor Arcana.
In the Rider-Waite deck, all the Minor Arcana cards feature figures, whereas in the Marseille deck, the cards from ace to ten of each suit (cups, pentacles, swords, and wands) are represented by geometric arrangements of the suit symbols. However, also in the Marseille deck, the Page, Knights, Queen, and King are depicted as figures.
Now, let’s examine the differences between the Queen of Cups in the Rider-Waite and Marseille decks. While the general depiction of the Queen seated on a throne and holding a cup is consistent, there are notable distinctions:
- in the Rider-Waite deck, the Queen only holds the Cup, while in the Marseille deck, she holds a cup in one hand and a white dagger with sinuous lines in the other.
- The sky in the Rider-Waite deck is light blue, whereas in the Marseille deck, it is white.
- The cups are represented differently and without the angelic figures in the Marseille deck.
According to A. Jodorowsky in his bestseller “The Way of Tarot” (Jodorowsky exclusively considers the Marseille deck as the purest form), the Queen of Cups represents familial love, kindness, and the good mother.
To discover more about Alejandro Jodorowsky, a pioneer in the contemporary use of Tarot, click here.
