Who are the Ladies in the Tarot? There are many female archetypes, but when I think of the Ladies of the Tarot I think of the four Queens. They are the nurturing, creative aspects of each of the suits, and function through the elemental quality of that suit. In a reading they can represent an inner aspect of t he Seeker (whether the Seeker is male or female), they can represent a person in the Seeker’s life, or they can represent something in the Seeker’s external environment. The Court Cards carry two aspects of elemental energy – that of their title, and that of their suit. For the title of Queen the elemental energy is Water.

When the Queen’s appear in a reading, it is generally a time in the Seeker’s life when they are manifesting and nurturing something that is important to them.

The Queen of Wands is Water of Fire. When this Queen appears in a reading, the Seeker is more than likely dealing with progression within their career, and placing the focus of their energy on their career and on making use of their leadership qualities. This Queen is very committed to her goals, and works hard to achieve them.

The Queen of Cups is Water of Water. When this Queen appears in a reading, the Seeker is either focused on family, and nurturing family, on nurturing a specific relationship, or on developing their psychic (intuitive) abilities. This Queen lives in the land of emotions!

The Queen of Swords is Water of Air. When this Queen appears in a reading, the Seeker is developing their ability to communicate in some manner. This Queen is very analytical, and can come across as the original “Ice Queen”.

The Queen of Pentacles is Water of Earth. When this Queen appears in a reading, the Seeker is placing the focus of their energy on the material things in their life, or on their work or home environment. This Queen is quite down to earth – the original “Earth Mother”.