Queen/Cultivator of Cups
Cultivator
of the seed of emotion
The Queen of Cups sits upon the pillar of Boaz in the realm of water and gazes down upon their loyal knight. They receive and accept their offering of raw emotion and gently cultivate it. A first-quarter moon hangs in the sky, representing its half fulfilled potential. They sit above still, reflective waters, at peace and in tune with their emotions and intuition. In the Hermetic Tarot this card is known as the “Queen of the Thrones of Waters.”
The alchemical symbol for water is associated with the Queens.
In a reading, this card may represent a loving, spiritual, or empathetic person. They may be a caretaker who is motivated by a maternal instinct to care for the emotional needs of others. They are grounded, nurturing, creative, and receptive. The Queen of Cups may represent that same energy within you. They are an invitation to get in touch with your emotions, intuition, and creativity. Allow yourself to feel, but remain grounded in your power. Let kindness and empathy be your strength instead of a weakness.
The reversed may represent someone whose empathy is being taken advantage of or misplaced. It is a reminder to take care of your emotional well-being before that of others. You must fill your own cup first. In the same vein, it sometimes indicates unhealthy codependency. It may also represent a lack of emotional control or the bottling up of emotions that need to be released. It is an invitation to spend some time alone to connect with your feelings and intuition so that you may find the emotional balance and poise of a queen.
