Queen of Cups: modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
Upright Queen of Cups Meanings
Keywords
Compassion, Intuition, Nurturing, Emotional Security, Empathy, Calm
Generally
The Queen of Cups represents emotional maturity, compassion, and a deep connection to the subconscious and intuition. She is the master of her own heart, a calm and loving presence who is highly attuned to the feelings of others. This card signifies a person who is gentle, caring, and emotionally secure. It represents a time of listening to your heart, trusting your intuition, and leading with kindness and empathy in all your dealings.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, the Queen of Cups is a wonderful omen. She represents a deep, loving, and supportive partnership built on emotional honesty and telepathic understanding. This card can represent a person (of any gender) who is the ideal partner: caring, faithful, and emotionally available. In an existing relationship, it points to a period of profound connection and mutual care. If you are single, it encourages you to be open-hearted and lead with your intuition to attract a kind and loving partner.
In a Money/Career Context
This card suggests bringing more compassion and intuition into your work life. It can represent a career in a caring profession, such as counseling, healing, or social work, or in an artistic field. The Queen of Cups advises you to trust your gut feelings regarding career decisions and to create a supportive and emotionally healthy work environment. She is a reminder that success can be achieved through kindness and emotional intelligence.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, the Queen of Cups signifies a highly developed intuition and a strong connection to the divine. She is a psychic, a dreamer, and a healer. This card encourages you to explore your spiritual gifts, particularly those related to empathy, clairvoyance, and dream work. It is a time for quiet meditation, listening to your inner voice, and trusting the guidance you receive from your subconscious.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Lead with your heart. Trust your intuition completely. Be compassionate to yourself and others. Nurture your emotional well-being.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
Emotional fulfillment. A deep and loving connection. A situation will be resolved with compassion and intuition.
As Obstacles
Being overly emotional or letting your heart rule your head is causing problems. A tendency to absorb the negative emotions of others.
As Hidden Energy
A deep, untapped well of intuition and psychic ability. A secret desire for emotional connection and security.
As Resources/Alliances
A compassionate and intuitive person. Your own empathy and emotional intelligence. A supportive and loving environment.
‘The Queen of Cups’ Reversed
Keywords
Emotional Insecurity, Co-dependency, Manipulation, Blocked Intuition, Neediness
Generally
Reversed, the Queen of Cups can indicate a struggle with emotional insecurity and instability. She may be out of touch with her intuition, leading to poor judgment and a tendency to be overwhelmed by her feelings. This card can represent neediness, co-dependency, or emotional manipulation. It warns of a situation where emotions are being repressed or are out of control, leading to unhappiness and a sense of being emotionally adrift.
In a Love Context
In love, this card reversed can point to a partner who is needy, emotionally manipulative, or prone to jealousy and sulking. It can signify a co-dependent relationship where boundaries are blurred. It may also represent a time of feeling emotionally insecure or disconnected from your partner. It is a warning against making decisions based on neediness rather than genuine love.
In a Money/Career Context
This can mean a work environment that is emotionally draining or toxic. It can also point to feeling insecure and unfulfilled in your career. Reversed, the Queen of Cups warns against letting your emotions negatively impact your professional life. It can also suggest that you are ignoring your intuition about a career situation, much to your own detriment.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, this card reversed suggests that your intuition is blocked, or you are afraid to listen to it. You may be feeling disconnected from your spiritual path or overwhelmed by emotional turmoil. It warns against spiritual escapism or becoming dependent on spiritual gurus instead of trusting your own inner guidance. It is a call to reconnect with your own heart and emotional truth.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Create healthy emotional boundaries. Don't let your emotions overwhelm you. Reconnect with your own intuition. Address your insecurities.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
Emotional turmoil and insecurity. A co-dependent situation. A decision made from a place of fear or neediness.
As Obstacles
Emotional insecurity is the primary hindrance. A tendency to be emotionally manipulative or a victim of manipulation. Blocked intuition.
As Hidden Energy
Deep-seated emotional wounds or insecurities. A secret fear of being alone or unloved.
As Resources/Alliances
The self-awareness that comes from recognizing unhealthy emotional patterns. The motivation to seek emotional independence.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Queen of Cups’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Queen of Cups
"Good, fair woman; honest, devoted woman, who will do service to the Querent; loving intelligence, and hence the gift of vision; success, happiness, pleasure; also wisdom, virtue. Reversed: The accounts vary; good woman; otherwise, distinguished woman but one not to be trusted; perverse woman; vice, dishonour, depravity." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 11911)
RWS Queen of Cups Symbolism
A.E. Waite’s Queen of Cups depicts a solitary queen seated on a throne at the edge of the sea. Her throne is adorned with carvings of cherubic sea-nymphs. She gazes intently at a large, ornate, and uniquely closed cup, which she holds with both hands. The cup, with its angel-shaped handles, represents her subconscious thoughts and feelings, which she contemplates deeply. Her feet rest on colourful pebbles just above the water, showing she is connected to the world of emotion but not overwhelmed by it. She is the embodiment of emotional mastery and intuitive reflection.
Meditations On The Queen of Cups
What is my intuition telling me in this situation?
Am I nurturing my own emotional needs and the needs of those I care about?
Where can I bring more compassion and understanding into my life?
