T he court cards are considered their own set of wisdom within the desk. While the major arcana represents the defining, destined moments on our path, and the minor arcana are the situational and dynamic expressions, the court cards are the characters in our mythic life story who play out these destinies and situations. Traditionally, the court cards represent people—either aspects of ourselves or others in our life—but they also embody elemental expressions in human form. Court cards point us toward aspects of our personality, our inner elemental psyche, and human relations in our path. This section offers possible interpretations of the court cards both as people and expressive dynamic elements. As we now know, each suit is associated with an element; similarly, each court person is also associated with an element. For example, queens are associated with the water element, and swords are air, so the Queen of Swords is a relational dynamic of air and water we embody on the path or a person in our lives.
Humans are complex and are not limited to being represented by one court card. We may find that someone may manifest as the Princess of Cups in our life one year and then the King of Wands another. Instead of limiting people to a single court card role, it is more helpful instead to notice the expression of the person appearing in your life at a certain time and whatever is being evoked within you. A contemporary problem with the court cards is these more medieval figures’ gender and hierarchical associations. When we loosen our view a bit, we may discover that a male-bodied person can show up as the Queen of Swords in our life; a young woman can express as a knight or prince, and kings are not necessarily wiser than pages or princesses. With time and practice, you will come to associate certain people with certain court cards and recognize their energy when they appear in the reading as those people, someone similar, or a particular energy that is being called forth in our lives.
In the Waite-Smith deck, the four court cards are page, knight, queen, and king, while in Crowley they are the princesses, princes, queens, and knights. As they are covered, note that I offer alternative archetypes as a way to more creatively understand the nature of the cards. I also invite you to come up with your own versions of the court cards as people in your life, to extend the possibilities of the court cards beyond gender and ascribed roles.
Pages/Princesses
Pages (Waite-Smith) or princesses (Crowley) are often younger people in our lives. Other archetypes of pages/princesses are seed bearer, planter, fool or clown, and youth. They are similar to aces in that they are seedlike potentials of the suit; although not fully expressed, they carry the suit’s potentiated wisdom. They are connected to the element of earth which is the embodied energy of the form.
The pages/princesses are often youthful, idealistic, visionary, and expressive. Traditionally, these cards are associated with children or those who are strong but still need assistance in their path and walk. These people carry fresh ideas and thoughts, and have the excitement to share, but not necessarily the resources, wisdom, or patience to carry that energy forward. Pages, like the Fool, are androgynous and not really male nor female; simply, they are the elemental essence of their suit. Although the word “princess” evokes an inherently feminine quality, a princess can be someone who is very strong, dynamic, fierce, and perhaps more akin to the older definition of the word “virgin,” a woman unto herself. This quality is pure and wild, like a virginal forest—any type of human can certainly express it.
Page/Princess of Wands
The Page/Princess of Wands is the earthy element of fire in its brilliance, dynamism, energy, and creativity. This person carries the spark of a brand new idea or vision, and yet must be careful lest it burn out. The Page of Wands is often a younger or youthful person in our lives who has creative ideas and visions. This card may also indicate that you have been asked to attend to a particular project in your life. Perhaps you have received an insight, had an “a-ha” moment or creative idea—now is the time to tend to the spark until the opportunity to manifest it comes to pass.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the page holds the wand with care and reverence while tending to the ideas they are cultivating. Behind the figure is a vast blue sky indicating limitless vision and possibility. The page stands in the fiery desert, signifying the place of warmth, heat, and also visions. People often visit the desert when in need of divine guidance and inspiration. This card may indicate a time for you to embark on a kind of vision quest to deepen your understanding of your purpose in life. The page is cloaked in yellow with a lizard tunic, indicating the power of dreaming and listening. The lizard is symbolic of being between the worlds, a fiery animal that also has the potential to rest in its own heat and warmth.
The Princess of Wands in the Crowley deck is seen riding a wild wave of flame, holding aloft a sun-topped wand. The figure is naked, showing a golden and vulnerable body which is also powerful and awakened. Below her is a sleeping tiger symbolizing the imminent power of her path and the need to tend to our unseen helpers, which may appear in the form of animals or creatures. This is akin to the energy of an ember, an earthy manifestation of fire that has the potential to build into a dynamic vision.
At times, we may have a sense of these helpers who come to us in visions and dreams as well as during liminal states. They assist us in the practice of tending to our creative fires and visions. The pillar of fire is akin to the temple fires attended to by the priestesses of old who kept the flames burning over the course of hundreds of years to assist those on their journey. The princess is aided by her helpers and yet is a figure of solitude and strength.
Ceremony
Contemplate the magnificence of fire creating earth, the power of raw fire turning into earth. Acquire a piece of lava or volcanic glass and hold it in your hand and tune into the energy. This kind of stone has a magnetic or creative quality. State very loudly what you wish to manifest in your reality. When we call out what we are dreaming in we empower our lives more fully.
Page/Princess of Cups
The Page/Princess of Cups is the water as earth when it manifests in the forms of crystallization, such as ice and snow. These qualities are pure and clean, and each snowflake has its own pure signature imprinted by the emotive qualities that water absorbs around it. The Page of Cups is an offer of love, a potential new relationship, or even just the glimmer of an idea, a new creative interaction which may be romantic, or a friendship or a fun new coworker. Often the Page or Princess of Cups indicates a kind of nostalgia, reminding us of someone sweet from our past who evokes certain memories.
In the Waite-Smith deck we see a figure holding a cup with a fish poking its head out, symbolizing the qualities of dreams, romantic notions, and perhaps even superstitious thoughts. This person can at times be naive and possibly even foolish in their daydreaming as symbolized by their fanciful dress and saucy look in their eye as they gaze winsomely at the fish. Although we often discount daydreamers or those we perceive who have their head in the clouds, and although the Page of Cups may be seen as impractical, they often offer us a part of our magical self or soul that we long for. Behind the figure, water rushes past, a symbol of emotional energy and the connection between our hearts and the feeling realms. This card reminds us of the needed time to dream and vision, to sit by the rushing waters of the river or at the ocean’s edge, and let the mind settle for a while.
The Crowley imagery shows the Princess in a gown that fans out in a surrounding blue watery background. She is peaceful and emanates a quality of healing and quietness. The Princess holds a turtle which is a symbol of nourishment and our connection to the earth. This card often indicates a younger or youthful person in our lives who we are taking care of, or the dreamer and lover inside us that needs to be better honored and nourished. The lotus is a reminder that out of the heavy muck of life grows the beauty of enlightenment, that suffering and obstacles are the way of transformation. The earthy salt of our tears is found in this card, in the crystals on her gown, our connection to salt water, and the waters of the womb. This Princess, as all the princesses, may indicate a daughter or son we are taking care of, but also reminds us that the earth could be viewed not only as mother who nourishes and feeds us, but potentially as daughter, something to steward and care for.
Ceremony
Fill a glass bowl of with warm water to represent the heart overflowing with love and warmth. Take a few ice cubes and melt them into the bowl while watching the solid ice form melt into the liquid warmth of water. As the ice slowly melts, contemplate aspects of yourself that have hardened over time, such as painful memories or past relationships. Allow these thoughts to be surrounded by compassion and love, giving space for the innocence of healing and pure forgiveness carried by the Page or Princess of Cups.
Page/Princess of Swords
The Page or Princess of Swords card is the air forming into earth, which happens through the intelligence of plants absorbing air and turning it into leaves and plant matter. The wisdom of the air is transformed into thousands of plant and tree species offering their interdependent nature with our carbon dioxide in exchange for their oxygen. This is often a person thinking of a new kind of learning, envisioning going back to school, or who wants to deliberately deconstruct old mental beliefs and outdated thoughts in order to make room for something new. They may be bringing in a new menu idea at a restaurant, downloading new software, or offering a new lesson plan at school.
The Page of Swords in the Waite-Smith deck stands at attention with clouds behind the figure symbolizing thoughts and concerns. This person may have more doubts or concerns and feels the weight of the sword and the strength it takes to hold it aloft to the sky. The Page stands on uneven ground, showing the grit and deliberation it takes to maintain a sense of focus in a more challenging situation. The red boots show a sense of groundedness and yet the windswept hair may indicate being easily distracted. High above, several birds fly symbolizing messages being carried on the wind of information from the past into the future. This person is often a visionary in intellect and ideas, perhaps an engineer, creative business person, or magician. They can be singular in their ideas, and at times even forceful, but often have a very unique perspective.
The Princess of Swords in the Crowley imagery is dressed in brilliant vivid green and slashes the air in front of her. She is vibrant and strong and her movement suggests a clearing away of the old so as to make room for the new. She rises up on a smoky billow of clouds indicating the strength of air, communication, and the power of thought. She is firm in her beliefs and dedicated to her mission at hand. Her appearance indicates a need to clear out an old way of thinking and deliberately make room for new ideas and thought. She also reminds us to clear out our homes of clutter, which holds stagnant thoughtforms and sentiments.
Ceremony
Sit with a tree that you like and acknowledge its presence in your life. Spend time reflecting on the interconnectedness between you and the tree, breathing in the oxygen it offers and exhaling your breath as an offering back to the tree. Contemplate the idea that each plant and tree is an idea or thoughtform of the earth, manifest infinite forms and creations all over the planet.
Page/Princess of Pentacles/Disks
The Page/Princess card is the earth in its full manifestation. Here it is the fullness of a project that usually involves wealth, land, houses, buildings, and other resources that have taken full form. The Page of Pentacles may be a younger person in your life who is connected to the earth, likes to work in the yard or garden, and is strong and fit. They are somewhat grounded yet retain the innocence and openness of the page or princess role.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the Page of Pentacles stands calmly and offers up a pentacle as a clear and hopeful seed for the future. The land is green and abundant, and a soft blue mountain against a yellow background indicates the energy of creativity and growth. This figure suggests a new idea relating to business, wealth, and projects infused with the creative energy of fire. The red hat and scarf symbolize vitality and strength, perhaps virile energy that is potent and progressive.
In the Crowley deck, we see the Princess of Disks holding a staff topped with a crystal that is being plunged into the earth below. This symbolizes the seed of an idea being buried to receive the nourishment of earth in creative manifestation. The Princess also holds a shield, symbolizing protection and potentially the need to set clear boundaries in a situation. Her belly is slightly extended, which may signify actual pregnancy, the wish for a child, or the spark of a new creation in one’s life.
Ceremony
Collect stones and reflect on the passage of time in relation to the earth and its wealth of interdependent species. Find seeds and observe their differences and uniqueness. Notice the varied ways in which plants and trees propagate in the cycle of life.
Knights/Princes
Knights (Waite-Smith) or princes (Crowley) are people who act as messengers in our lives. They carry information, ideas, and thoughts. Other archetypes of knights/princes may be messengers, lovers, cowboys(girls), drivers, and young adults. Associated with the element of air, knights move across the land, the world, through relationships and jobs, and bring with them opportunity, change, and creation. Taking the fiery sparks, flames, and coals of the pages, knights blow these alive with wind and breath bringing ideas to life.
Knights are shown riding a horses, garbed in protective armor in the Waite-Smith deck and, as Princes in the Crowley deck, riding other creatures to symbolize their mobility and movement in the world. They are usually strong, vigorous, excited, and clear with their work; at times, it can seem as though they are assisted by unseen or almost magical forces. Often Knights are associated with traveling, communication, messages, and ideas. They can be so focused on a project or idea they may fail to see the bigger picture. This can indicate times in our lives when we need the drive and focus to push forward or the strength and courage needed to meet adversity or obstacles.
Knight/Prince of Wands
This is the element of fire on wind, like sparks moving quickly through the night or lightning flashing through the sky. Here, the seed of fire as found in its forms of pages/princesses is activated by the wind and movement. The Knight or Prince of Wands appears in our life to bring the message of creativity, illumination, and energy. There is a strong desire to move a project or idea into fully expressed creativity at this point regardless of doubts or obstacles. This person may show up as a project manager, marketing strategist, adventurer, generous friend, or a bold and fearsome lover. They may have good intentions yet are prone to rash and reckless behavior. They often have incredible and creative ideas but may struggle with putting them fully into form. As a visionary on your team, they can push forward any idea but may need help with financial or practical support. In extreme cases, they may be aggressive, edgy, pushy, and uncomfortable to be around.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the Knight of Wands rides a fiery red horse blazing across the heat of the desert with focus and intention. The figure holds aloft a wand, firmly and intentionally bringing a creative vision from idea to manifestation. The background is clear blue skies, excellent for riding. The peaks in the desert suggest the pyramids of ancient times, indicating a spiritual aspect to the knight. The figure wears a golden cape of lizards over the armor which symbolizes active dreaming or the ability to take the vision from the quest during the Page of Wands out into the world. This card may indicate a time to travel, adventure, or see new and different sites that inspire your creativity and sense of purpose.
The Crowley card shows a figure atop a flaming chariot being pulled by a fierce and focused lion. The lion is clearly a symbol of strength, courage, adventure, and energy. The prince expresses creative, fiery visions through communication, clear ideas, and bold insights. Positioned over the figure’s chest at the heart center is a round golden disk, symbolizing the energy of initiation and will of the heart to create spiritually through loving force. This person is often warm and generous, willing to give energy to a situation. The prince wears an eleven-rayed crown, a symbol of the solar energy of magic. These spiked crowns are found on powerful solar gods such as Horus of Egyptian mythology. They symbolize the powerful intentions of fiery spirit aloft on the currents of winds, creating and dreaming our world into being.
Ceremony
Acquire a paper lantern, the kind that are illuminated and set aloft into the sky. Write your creative intentions for what you are calling into your life on the lantern. At dusk, go to a high place where you live, or to the water’s edge, and release the lantern into the time of the vespers when the air is darkening. Envision your wishes coming true as you watch the illuminated lantern rise up into the sky, fire on the winds.
Knight/Prince of Cups
The Knight or Prince of Cups is the messenger or carrier of watery love and wisdom. This is the soft, gentle rain and mists that blow along on warm airs brushing against our skin and reminding us of the beauty of our temporary bodies. When illuminated by the sun, the mists create a rainbow, a classic symbol of affection and beauty embodied by the gentle nature of this person.
The Knight/Prince of Cups is usually romantic and somewhat idealistic, carrying a message of love and connection. This may be someone who asks you out on a date, proposes deepening a friendship into romance, or a relationship into marriage. This may also be a community offer to work with a group of people on something that you love to do, a generous gift from a family member, or an opportunity to visit a beautiful place. This card often evokes a sense of longing, romance, connection, beauty, and divine grace. Sometimes idealistic, this person may overly romanticize a situation or be unable to see the whole picture. They may not see the flaws or downside and end up abandoning ideas or projects if they become overwhelmed or unsure. In a more negative light, this person may also be secretive or moody, hiding behind their emotions with a tendency for melancholy and distrust.
In the Waite-Smith deck, a figure gently rides a quiet gray horse over a relaxed and calm landscape. The armor is soft and cloaked with a cloth covered in fish, evoking a dreamy countenance. He offers a cup in romantic or graceful hopefulness as a gesture of love and openness. The knight is about to cross over a stream, perhaps an indication that someone will soon be offering you a gesture of love that could change the way you think about them or relate to them. This card also indicates the importance of extending one’s loving feelings and thoughts, even at the risk of rejection. When we express ourselves fully, our hearts are able to grow in delight and beauty, allowing us to connect us to our souls’ divine aspects, indicated here by the knight’s winged helmet.
In the Crowley deck, the figure also wears a winged helmet, a symbol of divine grace and a sense of being in alignment with one’s hearted and true purpose. The prince carries a vessel positioned at the heart center from which a snake rises out of, indicating not only transformation and growth but also the depths of emotions that can be beautiful and joyous as well as dark and mysterious. Watery winds blow out from behind the prince, symbolizing communication through love and affection. The prince encourages us to express our love or be open to receiving love from others. A dove pulls the prince forward, a symbol of air over water, the communication of emotions, and a new event that affects our heart.
Ceremony
Acquire an essential oil mister or atomizer and play around with different scents. Aromatherapy is a healing tool that can help to energize or relax the nervous system. As the mists diffuse into the room, inhale the soft scents and invite their qualities to be more fully expressed in your life.
Knight/Prince of Swords
This card is the full of expression of air with air, the winds of movement and change blowing fiercely into your reading. Carrying with it the qualities of communication through sound, voice, letters, and contracts, this card indicates the need to be clear in one’s expression—particularly with other people. Swords carry the capacity to cut what is unneeded but always carry the ability to wound and pierce as well. This card may indicate the presence of legislators, lawyers, and editors. They can also be fighters—if possible, it’s better to have them on your side. They may be vengeful, ferocious, and prone to attacking others verbally if they feel wronged or provoked. In a reading, they strongly indicate the need to push forward without hesitation and follow intuition regarding toxic or negative situations. They may be someone younger who can assist with editing a document, drafting a contract, or carrying a message. They often show us our own shadow selves in their harsh or critical view, and it is best to note the reflections and see what is helpful and what is not.
The Waite-Smith imagery shows a figure in full armor riding fiercely on a gray horse over the land. Jagged clouds and bent trees indicate a powerful wind, symbolizing clear change, intensity, focus, and determination. This may indicate advancing in a job or career, or learning at school. This is the mind in its rawest form—here it has the capacity to discern situations and make use of powerful levels of intellect. In some readings, this knight may also symbolize aggression, ferocity, and anger in a situation. There could be a need to honor and set boundaries and be clear, or it may be a person who is hostile toward you who needs to be avoided. Either way, this card suggests awareness of a situation that is somewhat dire; don’t stay in denial any longer.
In the Crowley deck, the figure wears green armor, a symbol of protection and also vitality. The prince slashes away vigorously with a sword indicating the power to create and shape ideas through mental thoughtforms. In the other hand is a sickle, a symbol of death and the cutting away of what is no longer needed to make room for new ideas. Below the prince are smaller versions of himself pulling the chariot, indicating new thoughts coming into form—a manifestation that is energized by the golden spheres of luminescence and creativity.
Ceremony
On a breezy day, go outside and spend time watching the wind move through the trees. Contemplate the passing and changing shape of clouds and the mystery of being unable to see air or wind except through its connection to form. Practice making sounds out of words or singing a song to a tree, then listen to the wind again. Find your own way of communicating with the unseen forces around you and envisioning yourself as a divine instrument attuned to the natural forces on earth.
Knight/Prince of Pentacles/Disks
This card is the communication and message of earth. The rocks and stones around us bear the marks of wind moving across them over time. Unlike the other knights and princes, this card is much slower, deliberate, careful, and conscientious in its expression. The Knight or Prince of Pentacles or Disks brings news of earthy manifestations such as a new job, information about land or resources, or a contract regarding money or other material goods. Often this card represents a person who tends to land and projects in a slow and dependable manner who may also be somewhat stubborn or unyielding in their approach. The person may resist the advice of others at first but then slowly open if they see someone else set a good example. This person has good ideas about finance, budgeting, how to allocate resources, and building things and projects over long periods of time.
In the Waite-Smith deck, an armored knight stands at attention on a solid, earthy black horse. The figure offers a pentacle or disk symbolizing the offer of wealth and resources. The landscape is red and green and the sky yellow, indicating abundance, production, and well-thought-out plans. The armor and horse are sturdy and immobile symbolizing clear boundaries and perhaps an unwillingness to budge from a particular idea around the focus.
In the Crowley deck, the prince rides a chariot pulled by a bull, symbolizing the earth and being firmly rooted on the land. The figure holds a sphere, which has the potential to communicate earthly visions by way of thoughts but with the intention to firmly manifest and create wealth and abundance. The background is adorned with flowers and spheres symbolizing the different flora and fauna of the world and all its creations. The figure is looking down, indicating a focused sense of self which is less open to receiving the ideas and opinions of others.
Ceremony
Find a stone and hold it in your palm. Connect yourself to the story of the stone and where on earth it came from. What other stones did it live with? Try to find out how the stone formed whether through wind, fire, erosion, mudslide, or all of the above. Many cultures view stones as our ancestors, a kind of people who were here long before us and will continue to be on earth long after us. Blow a wish or intention into your stone and place it back on the ground.
Queens
Queens are the mature, creative, and emotive energies in our lives. Other archetypes of queens may be protector, guardian, healer, transformer, wisdom keeper, leader, priest(ess), adult, and parent. They are protectors of natural places on earth and the wisdom of our emotional bodies. Associated with water, queens offer the power of deep listening, the qualities of receiving or reception, and creating something new with the infusion of emotion, beauty, love, and joy. Although each court card certainly has their mastery, the Queens may very well hold the full potential in their level of wisdom combined with perfect clarity and heartedness. The queens are similar to the bodhisattvas of Tibetan iconography, spiritual warriors who have vowed to refrain from reaching enlightenment until all beings have reached enlightenment. We are comprised of mostly water, as is our planet; with the waters as their guide, the queens truly understand the limitless power of compassion.
Our emotions are often denied as important or relevant, but the queens remind us of the untapped power of our grief, deep love, joy, sorrow, shame, and even anger that teach us about our relation to our path. Emotions are our personal ecological climate and are reflected in turn by the elemental expressions in our weather and climate on earth. Queens are the patient people who nurture us in our lives—they are mentors, guides, and healers. They are also wise protectors of the vision set forth by the pages and communicated by the knights. They bring needed joy, expansion, and ferocity to convey ideas to other people. By nature, queens are relational and work with both humans and the natural world. Queens can emerge in any person—male, female, trans, and nonbinary—they go beyond the feminine and evoke the majesty of the waters.
Queen of Wands
This card is the embodiment of fiery water, the sunlight sparkling on the water’s surface. When the sun sets on the ocean, we are enchanted by the fiery pathway that glows from the water’s edge to the horizon. The Queen of Wands is like this—a vast body of water that also reflects the perfection of light and beauty. She is deep and unperturbed in her mastery of the fiery emotions. She has the ability to transform anger into clarity and fear into courage, having walked the difficult roads of pain and suffering. She has learned to work with her trauma instead of repress it, and she invites us to do the same. The Queen of Wands will show up as a fiery leader in your life, a mentor for creative projects, a spiritual teacher, class leader, or theater director. Though she may not be the easiest person to work with, she will challenge your ideas and help you to grow and transform quickly on your life path, especially in a creative and dynamic way. The Queen of Wands is fearless in her presence and firm in her abilities.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the Queen wears a golden robe of creative energy and is relaxed; open and strong, her legs rest on the ground. She looks off to the right, symbolizing the future with a sense of clarity and wisdom from hard earned lessons. The queen holds a sunflower, symbolizing the wealth of creative fulfillment, with the seeds of the future ready to be harvested and planted. At her feet is a black cat, symbolic of the magic and mystery of the unknown.
In the Crowley deck, the Queen of Wands looms majestic, adorned with fiery robes and a crown of rays connecting her to the divine solar wisdom. Her right hand rests on a golden jaguar with black spots. Similar to the black cat in the Waite deck, the jaguar symbolizes the mystery of the dark that still walks with the queen even in her radiance. Also shown in the card is the wisdom she has earned from passing through many trials and suffering, the courage she has gained to move into the beauty of fiery compassion. When she appears in a reading, she encourages us to face our trauma and difficulties and learn from them with an open heart instead of denial. The Queen of Wands appears when it is time to share our story in a creative manifestation. She is similar to Pele, the fire goddess of Hawai’i, who is able to make the fire run like a river down the mountainside, continuously creating new land through destruction. She reminds us to create, step into our spiritual majesty, learn from a mentor, and grow our creativity.
Ceremony
Visit a body of water on a sunny day and reflect on the light and how it moves across the water. If you are at the ocean, notice the thousands of points of light on the ocean waves and imagine that each one is one life on the vast sea of infinity. Watch as the lights appear and disappear just as we appear in form, then disappear like a flash into watery mystery.
Queen of Cups
This card is water in its pure essence and all its forms. The human body is mostly water, and this element carries the imprints of our joy and pain, love and suffering. Similarly, the surface of the earth is mostly water in its numerous oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes. Water is a great listener, a carrier of things in the physical realm such as salt, minerals, debris, toxins, pollutants, and it is a medium for our thoughts, emotions, musings, and dreams. The Queen of Cups is the holder and protector of the emotional realms, able to purely reflect our deepest dreams and wishes and transform the emotions of sadness and sorrow into beauty and gratitude. She is the deep drink of remembrance and offers healing and nourishment to our tired bodies and exhausted minds. The Queen of Cups is a needed balm in today’s world of so much fire and creativity and production—we instead need more reflection, quiet, receptivity, and healing. We see this need manifested directly in the toxicity of our oceans and rivers. This queen appears in our life as a master healer, storyteller, wisdom keeper, and elder. She may be a lover who embodies the qualities of nourishment and joy, reminding us to be playful and sweet and discover what enchants us.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the Queen of Cups is dressed in a flowing blue gown that runs down like water over her body into the river at her feet. She gazes downward into a golden goblet, a symbol of the treasures of the past and beauty which the queen beholds with grace and wisdom. She faces left, indicating memory and the healing that is possible for our personal and ancestral traumas. When she appears in a reading, the Queen of Cups reminds us the importance of practicing deep self-love and care; it is only when we love ourselves in this manner that we can offer healing to others from a nourished place. She is the sweetness of the heart and may indicate the appearance of someone who holds healing wisdom, a loving presence, and the reminder to discover beauty and gratitude.
In the Crowley deck, the Queen of Cups is a luminescent, watery figure who blends effortlessly into the background of watery spheres; a pool of water with lotuses is at her feet. Her form is almost impossible to see as it dissolves into the waters all around. This is reminiscent of a story about Quan Yin, where she appeared to assist a struggling midwife trying to reach a birthing mother in the middle of a snowy night. The goddess of mercy appeared and assisted the midwife, offering a light to help her find her way. But when the midwife looked back, she only saw her footsteps. At that moment, she knew that the helper must have been the bodhisattva Quan Yin, helping without care or need for approval or praise.
Ceremony
Water is believed by many earth-based cultures to not only be sacred to all of life, but also a carrier for and listener to all that surrounds us. We can create a flower essence to capture the beauty and sweetness of flowers in the water. Acquire pure, unfiltered water and set it out in a clean crystal or glass bowl where it will be undisturbed. Add a local flower that grows, being sure to pick ones that are less likely to have pollutions or toxins. Allow the essence to capture the sun’s rays and flower’s signature for an entire day. When night arrives, pour the waters into a bottle and then preserve it with two-thirds alcohol. You can use the flower essence to nourish and support your energetic body on a subtle level.
Queen of Swords
This card is the airy water of clouds and how they move through the sky carrying the wisdom of form, thought, and perception rising and falling away. Each cloud is unique and expressive, just as each of our thoughts is also unique. The clouds form over lakes and rivers, and then blow across the skies as rain, snow, sleet, and hail. People who can read weather learn how to watch the clouds for signs of what kind of weather is moving through. Similarly, the Queen of Swords is someone who has mastered the art of reading the weather, so to speak, or signs in relation to communication, thought, and ideas. She may be a someone involved in legislation or social justice, such as a lawyer or judge. She may be the CEO of a company that works with data, information, or intelligence. She may work in publishing, editing, media, or other communications.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the queen sits on a gray throne facing the right side of the card, an indication of a clear and directed look toward the future. She holds an upright sword in one hand indicating her power of presence and clear thinking and a raised open hand symbolizing peace and possibility. Clouds billow behind her, symbols of thoughts and mental activities. The Queen of Swords appears to help us grow our intellect, expand our minds, and overcome obstacles through law, rational thought, mental acuity, or awareness. Quick and mercurial by nature, she can assist us in communication, going back to school, developing legal contracts, and in our business and relations.
In the Crowley deck, the Queen of Swords sits calmly on a throne high in the clouds. She is half-naked, revealing her openness and willingness to bare her chest at all costs. A sword is held pointing downward in her right hand and the left hand holds an old man’s head, symbolizing her recent ending of the old ways of doing things. Above her is a child’s face emerging from a crystalline structure indicating mental agility, new ideas, and the value of truth and clarity. The Queen of Swords is often quick witted, thoughtful, and has an excellent memory. However, she may also be cruel either intentionally or unintentionally and sharp in her methods of communicating.
Ceremony
Lay out in the afternoon when there are clouds and watch them very closely as they drift by. Notice the different shapes they take and say aloud what occurs to you as the move and transform. Allow the clouds to speak to you showing you their patterns and movement as they cross the sky.
Queen of Pentacles/Disks
This card is contained water. Water, like love, will take the form and shape of whatever vessel it enters. In this way, it is formless and yet will directly reflect whatever form it enters. The Queen of Pentacles or Disks is the mature form of water contained and held in quiet contemplation. She is well resourced and manages the watery wisdom with careful deliberation remembering to save what is harvested for the future. The Queen of Pentacles is the owner of a small business, properties, land, or a master gardener. She is able to work well with finances and material resources, and she excels at time management. She appears in a reading when we need a mentor for longer projects that require careful tending to plans; when buying or selling land or property; or when we are in need of a teacher for our arts, crafts, or artisan projects. The Queen of Pentacles is determined and functional but may also be somewhat set in her ways and not always open to new ideas or patterns. She may resist the visionary aspects of other cards and prefer to take well-worn paths. For better or worse, she often uses her past experiences to define and predict her life course.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the figure holds a large golden pentacle on her lap signifying the fullness of embodiment. Often this card, along with the Page/Princess of Disks/Pentacles and Empress, may signify pregnancy or imminent birth of babies, projects, or ideas. She has been patiently tending to the energy of growth and is ready to release it into the world nourished by the resources that surround her. The landscape is lush and full, showing an abundant of wealth and support and she does not long for anything materially. She may indicate someone who can assist you in creating more resources in your life and also a healer who works with herbs and plants to support ailments in the body. She is very connected to the earth and the medicines of the land.
In the Crowley deck, we see an elegant figure reclining in her golden fullness surrounded by protective leaves that symbolize the Queen of Disks’ inner strength. She holds a sphere of potentiality, indicating the full embodiment of power and vitality while gazing upon a barren desert. She recognizes the difficult pathways of the past and reminds us that the hardships we have endured in life are often our greatest teachers. Although earthy and grounded, the Queen wears a headdress with enormous spiraling horns that connect her to divine wisdom and guidance. She appears in a reading as a leader, guide, or teacher who is capable of creating or connecting to a community of wisdom and resources that will help us feel more balanced and secure. She may indicate the need for a kind of support group, recovery mentor, or bodyworker to assist us on our path.
Ceremony
Gather several different types of vessels and pour water into them. Contemplate the wisdom that water is like love and takes the form of whatever vessel it enters. When we enter deeply into this concept, we realize it is impossible to judge another person as they are manifesting the perfection of their form. This does not mean we excuse toxic behavior—instead it reminds us that just as blockages in vessels create a lack of flow of water, so do blocks in humans limit full accessibility to love.
Kings/Knights
Similar to queens, kings are also mature in their development but in external, physical forms. Other archetypes related to the king may be the teacher, leader, owner, business person, ancestor, adult, and elder. Kings are well resourced and put energy into fully realized actions and projects. Associated with the element of fire, they are the spiritual embodiment of ideas, visions, dreams, and relations imagined and created by other court cards. Kings are associated with the essence of creative projects; entrepreneurial visions; and sparking relationships between people and their ideas, projects, land, and gardens. They are the people
in our lives who own or look after resources and teach us about using the impassioned spiritual light. With the help of kings, we may use the power of fire to embody the seeds formed within the pages/princesses, create and implement the strategies of the knights, and nurture connections formed by the queens.
Sometimes kings are more stubborn or attached to certain ideas and creations, having done things well many times already in their life. Like elders, they hold incredible wisdom and experience yet require a kind of surrender to the pages/princesses to allow for new realities to take form. Kings may also represent our ancestors (of any gender)—those who have crossed over and now offer a particular kind of guidance for the querent.
King/Knight of Wands
This card is the pure energy of fire, such as the sun in the desert, which holds the expansive energy of possibility. Dreams and visions have fully manifested into reality and are being launched into the world. The King of Wands is highly creative and visionary and may be a film director, manager of a retreat center, or spiritual advisor. This person oversees the connections between many people under a powerful vision that has the capacity to inspire others. The King of Wands may be fierce and unstoppable at times in the passionate focus of making sure a vision happens … even at the expense of others. He may sacrifice what he considers the weakest link in service to a mission or project’s greater good. This king may show up in our life as a unrelenting boss, visionary teacher, or well-known creator who, similar to the Queen of Wands, will push us spiritually and creatively to develop our gifts. This energy encourages us to see our life as a grand vision and not hold back our raw creative abilities. The King or Crowley’s Knight of Wands is on the precipice of magnificent manifestation in which a vision holds the pure spirited energy of fire.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the King of Wands looks out over a warm desert backed by a clear, brilliant blue sky. He looks left to the past, fiercely watching the completion and manifestation of his own visions. He holds a large wand effortlessly in his right hand with pure confidence and trust in his creation. His appearance in a reading indicates success and achievement in pursuits and the opportunity to share gifts with a wider audience or community. He wears fiery colored robes symbolizing creativity and dynamic energy, and his throne is decorated with lizards, indicating the power of dreaming one’s world into being.
In the Crowley imagery, we see the Knight of Wands decked in black gold armor riding a magnificent black horse. The knight rears up in bravado, courage, and fearless energy. The appearance of this card signifies a powerful creative person who blazes into your life and brings about dynamic change. This may be in the form of a lover, teacher, or creative collaborator. Fiery flames surround the knight, indicating the blazing power of creation and manifestation. He holds a huge red flaming torch ready to ignite those he meets, whether they are open to it or not. This card may also indicate a warning of someone who is overly zealous or passionate without discretion.
Ceremony
Acquire a small red candle and inscribe one word that you wish to evoke more strongly in your life, such as power, love, clarity, peace, truth, etc. Light the candle and sit with it. As your candle burns down, contemplate the energy of your chosen word. Write down thoughts, visions, and ideas as they occur to you. Allow the element of fire to teach you about its ability to transform through light and heat.
King/Knight of Cups
This card is the warm steam of hot water, water infused with fire. It is the nourishing feeling of drinking a hot cup of tea on a cold morning, when sick, or when feeling down or in need of support and love. The King or Crowley’s Knight of Cups is connected to emotions and the heart’s compassionate wisdom. This king wishes to share his discoveries with others and may be the owner of a gallery, a masterful healer, romantic partner, or patron of the arts. He often appears when we need loving support to bring a vision of beauty and love into form. He can sometimes be fanciful in his ideas or overly enthusiastic about creating a reality that is not fully possible or resourced. His tendency is to be open to new ideas and visions and is often less stubborn or stuck in his ways than the other kings or knights. Often empathic, he is able to feel others’ emotions and may at times be overwhelmed by their energy even as he maintains a certain sense of stability. When it comes to making decisions, he can be more suggestible and swayed by other’s opinions than the other kings.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the King of Cups rests calmly and gently on a gray throne surrounded by water, an indication of his connection to emotions and an artistic nature. He looks to his left, indicating romantic views of the future and creative hopes and wishes. He wears a fish around his neck, symbolizing fluidity and movement in thought and creations. In his right hand, he holds a cup as an offering, showing he is ready to be of service to his community. His appearance in a reading may indicate an imminent connection with a group of creative people or healers, or a romantic partnering. In his left hand is a golden scepter, a symbol of control and balance.
In the Crowley deck, the Knight of Cups wears green armor, symbolizing vitality, grace, and growth. He rides a white horse into blue waters. This knight is also adorned with huge wings on his back, indicating divine grace and guidance. This card symbolizes the need to trust in our loving, wise selves. He offers a golden red cup with the crab of Cancer, related to home, love, contentment, and connection with others. His offering can often indicate a time of service in our lives, when we discover personal gifts that can benefit others. It can also symbolize the appearance of a new, loving partner or the romantic offer of marriage or commitment from a current partner.
Ceremony
Fill a crystal glass with ice cubes and light a candle next to the glass. As the flames flicker behind the icy, watery forms, write down a list of things you love about life. Similar to a gratitude list, this ceremony encourages us to find what is beautiful and incredible about our paths no matter how mundane it may seem or how much suffering and pain we may be going through. Focusing on the simple beauty of life reminds us to stay present in love and awareness.
King/Knight of Swords
The King or Knight of Swords is the smoke of the fire, carrying the visions, ideas, and thoughts out into the world. Think of smoke signals used to communicate across distances and this king or knight as the carrier of those ideas. The King of Swords is a regal figure who manifests his thoughts and ideas into forms such as legislation, contracts, and agreements. He is the partner of a law firm, the CEO of systems management, an author, or media producer. The clarity of his ideas affects many people and informs them of directions and ways to move in their lives. At times this person may feel overbearing and authoritarian, often resistant to accepting the ideas of others. However, if approached carefully, he can be judicious—his aim is to be equitable and just. He is often psychic and will use his intuition to carefully choose who is allowed in his life and whom he relates to.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the King of Swords faces forward, clear, and full of direction. He holds no doubts and knows exactly the moves he wishes to take. This card signifies the support of mental visioning, planning, and careful execution. He wears a light blue robe symbolizing effective communication and clarity of thought in his approach. Behind him, puffy clouds move through the sky, indicating thoughts forming and resting along the horizon as they manifest. The appearance of this card in a reading shows that plans are well formed and supports the production of plans in the making. It may also indicate the need for mediated counsel in a situation that feels unstable.
In the Crowley deck, the Knight of Swords rides a golden horse traveling at light speed through a blue and white streaming landscape. He wears green and golden armor, symbolizing vital growth and maturation through communication such as media, the internet, speech, and writing. The appearance of this card indicates the way forward is strongly supported; movement and dynamic change are encouraged. The Knight has dragonfly wings, which symbolize the energy of light and rapid motion, an energy of flitting from one idea to another but with clarity, vision, and focus. He slices the air in front of him with well-aimed swords that clear his path. Nothing can stop the movement of the Knight of Swords and his ability to consciously create thoughts.
Ceremony
Burn a stick of incense and contemplate the slow curl of the smoke as it leaves the burning stick. Notice the curls and gentle current that the smoke catches as it drifts upward toward the sky. Offer a slow tone or simple song to accompany the smoke, turning into the breath as it moves through your body. Chant the word you inscribed on the candle of the Princess or Page of Wands to bring it alive with the power of sound.
King/Knight of Pentacles/Disks
The King/Knight of Pentacles/Disks is earthy fire, symbolized by warm coals. Once the dynamic fire of ideas and thoughts have burned down, we are left with the nurturing coals that can stay warm and embedded in sand for hours, overnight even. The coals or embers patiently hold and manifest the ideas and develop future visions. Coals can be as small as a tiny pebble and yet contain the potential to create a huge fire. The King of Pentacles is a retreat owner, landlord, retail business owner, or parent. This person is firm in his decisions and very well resourced. He is often stubborn and will not vary in his ideas or opinions in response to others. That said, he may be generous with others and willing to share his resources. He often appears when financial support is needed in our work to take it to the next level of benefitting others. The King of Disks is hiring others to enhance his business, investing in new lands, and harvesting his current resources in preparation for continued growth. He has a deep trust in both himself and the process and yet remains steadfast in his commitment to those close to him. He may indicate a deepening partnership, parenting, or shifting into elderhood with wise guidance.
In the Waite-Smith imagery, the King of Pentacles is draped in a luxurious robe printed with grapes symbolizing the harvest of abundance. He rests comfortably on this throne and holds a scepter in his right hand, indicating steadfast balance. In his left hand is a pentacle, symbolizing his own comfort with his wealth. He looks satisfactorily to the left indicating his trust in the future and a sense of knowing of his own prosperity. In a reading, this card indicates a good time to make investments, share resources, and readily accept help from a wise mentor. Behind him is a large castle, symbolizing the acquisition of land and property. This card could indicate buying or selling real estate, land, or other material wealth.
In the Crowley imagery, the Knight of Disks sits comfortably atop a brown horse who stands solidly in an abundant field of wheat harvest. He looks out over his fields, golden concentric rings indicating the manifestation of his visions and their continued growth. In a relaxed position, he holds a flail in his right hand and a large brass-colored shield in his left. This may symbolize the need to set clear boundaries in life and make firmer plans regarding your budget, resources, and money situation. He may indicate the importance of making a firm plan regarding land or property or wealth. Asking for help from a trusted advisor is recommended.
Ceremony
Allow a fire to burn down to coals and watch the pulsing vibrant energy of the fire in the wood. Feel the warmth of the coals emanating from the ground, and visualize this warmth entering your body and relaxing your nervous system. Take a moment to envision a new idea or project you are wanting to create in your life. Burn some dried cedar on the still warm coals while visualizing the project as it has manifested.