One Deck Wonder: Queen of Cups

Thoth Tarot, Crowley & Harris

The first time I saw this Queen of Cups I didn't like her because, well, you can't see her! She's under there somewhere, but you really have to squint to see her. The more I think about it, though, the more apt this seems. The Queen of Cups is 'water of water'. Take a moment to consider the nature of water. Unless it is perfectly clear and perfectly still, you can't see through it very well, and even in those conditions, what you see is distorted. The slightest ripple, the slightest stirring up of silt or other impurities, you can't see anything at all. Nothing is clear. Water obscures. It has more of a tendency to reflect what is above it than reveal what is beneath the surface.


This seems so true of the Queen of Cups type, in both her positive and negative aspects. She is a creature of emotion, and feelings and relationships are very important to her. She may not ever reveal her true feelings about things, she may not even be aware of her 'true' feelings, but she feels things deeply nonetheless.She worries and broods over others. She might worry and brood over herself.  Because she wants so much to nurture relationships, she may tend to mirror--in other words, try to be what the people in her life expect her to be. She reflects back to them what they want to see. If they ever try to stir up the water to see who's under there, they may well get something like the image in this card. There's a woman there somewhere, but you can't make her out. In fact, if the Queen of Cups herself went searching for herself, she might find this image. Her feelings and emotions may make her a mystery even to herself. She may find that it's easier and simpler to return to being a reflection for others.

This is not a thing I've had much trouble with, at least not since I escaped a very codependent relationship by getting divorced years ago. Still, that old tendency can creep in, and is worth looking out for.

On the other hand, the Queen of Cups has positive aspects. She is very, very good at sensing the underlying emotions and climate of a situation. She is an empathetic listener and is patient and sensitive in her dealings with others. But again, if she's not careful, this can lead to selflessness and 'reflecting' again.

Perhaps this card is reminding me to be more sensitive to others today. But it's also a reminder to not get so caught up in the drama of others that I find myself taking on the burdens of their problems or seeking ways to rescue them. There's a balance between sensitivity and detachment.