Queen of Cups: thoughts?

Phoenix_Down

I was wondering what you guys made of the queen of cups as depicted in the rider-waite...

-The cup she holds is unique within the suit of cups. No other card variates on the design of the cup so strongly; the cups in the 6 are described sometimes as oversized, and the king holds a scepter that is very cup-like in addition to the regular cup.

-The cup is lidded. It actually looks more like an urn than a cup.

-The cup is very elaborate when compared with the more simple cups on the other cards. On the two arms of the card you could almost say it was bladed.

-Rather than holding it between the stem and the bowl, like all the cups are held when they are being held (save the Ace,) she holds it with both hands. I get the impression that if she were to try to hold it one-handed from below (like the ace), it would fall.

-Her facial expression seems sad in the universal waite, or even angry in the original Rider-Waite.

-She sits before the ocean, but her concentration is fixed on the cup she holds.

-Many of you may have noticed, that none of the Queens and Kings in the deck have matching crowns. The design of the crown is probably a hint as to the meaning of the card.

-Her feet are crossed at the heel. Only one foot is showing.

-The clasp of her cloak... is it a rose?

-What at first appear to be cherubs on the throne, are actually mer-children. Two look down on her, and the third is crawling out of the ocean.

Conclusions I have made: With all the focus on the cup, the queen is investing a lot of energy into her emotions, or the vessel of her emotions, and she is not happy. The queen strikes me as being depressed or co-dependant. With the water theme of the deck, this may suggest alcoholism.

If the cup is an urn, then the Queen is here to spread ashes of a loved one out to sea. She has not, and instead sits and refuses to let go. The queen may be someone that needs to let go. In any event, the queen seems to have a lot of weight on her shoulders, but won't let go.
 

sagitarian

two cents :)

I used to use the Hanson Roberts deck, and I like her queen of cups much better. In any case, the queen of cups to me represents someone who has mastered their emotions, who understands them on a deep level, and is devoted to looking, analyzing, and living their life by concerning their heart (vs. the intellect) first. They live their life by what their heart tells them vs what logic or reason tells them. They tend to be more serious, and takes things seriously. They speak in a more meaningful depth of analogies then most, finding meaning in things that most don't see. B/c of this, they are often misunderstood, and classified as depressed, or other psychological problems. I don't find alcoholism in this card at all, more freedom of the rational/logical brain and listening to the ulterior ego. However, they are such caregivers that their ulterior ego tells them to help people even if they can't. The type of person that would give their shirt off their back, be there in 5 mins or less if you call them regardless that you haven't talked to them in 6 months or more, and usually have animals around them. Their very loving, and very devoted to family, and all other matters that deal with the heart. They just haven't seem to be able to get their life in control like the king of cups, and often their not sure of why. But that's for another study.
 

Chronata

My favorite explaination about the cup in the Rider Waite Queen of Cups is that it is a special vessel used for scrying. Filled with water, she can look into it to see the future...and the next "big thing".

She is the most sensitive, both in terms of emotions and of psychic abilities, due to her connection with the element of water.

For many centuries people have used different tools for scrying, including crystals, mirrors, bowls and cups.
This cup actually resembles the kind used by various parlor mediums, especially at the turn of the century.

(Somewhere I recall seeing a photo of Madame Blavatsky, the famous medium, with a cup that looks a lot like the one on the card...but I have a feeling she used it for more than just seeing the future!)
 

Adele

Queen of cups...

the Queen of cups, for me, represents someone who is sexual, psychic, emotional, loving, caring...but don't get on her bad side either! lol she is very in tune with her feelings and can often feel others feelings too. she looks deep into the heart of things. further, she can have sex with you one day and leave you the next! she is a bit unpredictable... I see her as cancer, the water sign.
 

firestorm

Adele: I see the queen of wands as the sexual one that could have sex with you one day and leave you the next.....the queen of cups seems to me more "clingy".....the type that wouldn't leave you even if she should!

Phoenix down: The clasp of her cloak looks like a shell to me.
 

Rusty Neon

In Wang's book _The Qabalistic Tarot_, you can see the RWS Queen of Cups next to the Golden Dawn deck's version thereof. It becomes apparent that the Queen's cup in RWS version of that card is very much based on the cup in the OGD Queen of Cups card, but in Waite's disguised way.

Referring to the GD card, Wang writes that there's a crayfish emerging from the cup. (In the RWS, you can make out the claws as disguised by Waite). Wang indicates that the crayfish relates to the Moon, the Moon indicating changing flows, consistent with "this totally watery card". For the OGD, the Queen of Cups is Water of Water (Queen = Water; Cups = Water).

About the Queen of Cups, Waite was rather poetic:

"Beautiful, fair and dreamy -- as one who sees visions in a cup. This is, however, only one of her aspects; she sees, but she also acts, and her activity feeds her dream."
 

Jewel-ry

Rusty Neon said:

Referring to the GD card, Wang writes that there's a crayfish emerging from the cup. (In the RWS, you can make out the claws as disguised by Waite). Wang indicates that the crayfish relates to the Moon, the Moon indicating changing flows, consistent with "this totally watery card". For the OGD, the Queen of Cups is Water of Water (Queen = Water; Cups = Water).



I have the Radiant Rider-Waite deck and the claws are obviously part of the cup. I never thought of the connection with the moon though. Thats great! Thanks

Whats just occurred to me whilst looking at this card is the smoothness of the pebbles. Again this symbolises a lot of emotional energy. Stones become pebbles by the fast energy of water.
 

Indigo Rose

In looking at the Univeral Waite Queen of CUPS, I analyzed the golden statue she is holding and I was immediately reminded of the Holy Ark of the Covenant of God, described in the Bible. Though it is not a replica, I do see similarities.
I see this queen as deeply spiritual. She is psychic, emotion ruled, and a lover of all. Her heart belongs to GOD and a higher wisdom. She is a seeker of truth and light. Hers is the water....deep, mysterious, and life-giving.
 

Mystic Zyl

Wow, I have never even seen half of the symbolism in the picture of the Queen of Cups that all of you have revealed! Maybe the Queen needs a twelve step program and anti depressants.
 

Indigo Rose

LOL!

GOOD ONE! ANYBODY as deeply emotional and psychic as this Queen needs some kind of help. Trust me I know!