Ancient Minchiate Etruria: Queen of Staffs

[Sophie-David]

The Ancient Minchiate Etruria Queen of Staffs has been a focal card for me lately since I recently drew her in commentary on my Heart chakra, the Heart itself being represented by the Six of Cups. In this context the card read:"The soul-body is beginning to adopt and believe in the nurture and expression of creative energy".

As the card of the week drawn yesterday she showed up again, this time in reversal: "What it comes down to is a period of imbalance as I valiantly but unsuccessfully resist transformation into heart centred consciousness... More than just a symbol of creative energy depletion and blockage... she actually represents the Creative Beloved who dwells in the Heart - the wonderful Green Lady."

So I thought it was time I examined this card more closely. Armed with a stout wooden staff which she grasps casually but delicately and intimately, as if she was playing a musical instrument, she looks with compassion and perhaps even longing off to her left, towards the realm of her creatively non-linear right brain. Her generously graceful long green cloak billows in sympathetic activity, blowing also towards the left domain. This green of fertility, also coincident with the colour of the heart chakra, is balanced by an underlying violet tunic, connecting her creativity to the royal and exalted oneness of her station, evoking also her crown chakra. Thus her physical golden crown is underpinned by an energetic one inflowing from above. From below, her loosely blue sandaled, not quite bare feet, connect her elegantly and dynamically to the energy from below, almost dancing beneath her even as she seems to rest. This Queen is a most worthy and inspirational mistress of my heart.

[MercyMe]

I love this Queen. She is so expressive. She, like most of the queens, has a dual nature. She is fire and water, passion and emotion.

Green is also a dualistic color. It can represent envy, evil, and trickery, and/or growth, renewal, and life, as lush vegetation. In Arthurian legend the green knight slew all who attempted to cross his bridge, until he was killed by Arthur. In this respect green can be seen as death's unbiased nature and the slaying of the naive.

Green is also representative of vegetation, earthly, growing things and, as you said Sophie-David, of fertility, Mother Earth, life, nature. It can also signify resurrection, permanence, and love, which was the color of Aphrodite, born from the green sea. It is usually a feminine color, but is also one of neutrality, passivity and indecision-- which can happen when her passions and her emotions conflict.

Purple is derived from the combination of RED and BLUE, it unites red's fiery masculinity with blue's cool femininity. Purple is often used to represent royalty, imperial power, justice, and/or truth. The purple not only represents her regal nature, but also the balance inherant in her dual nature and the power she derives from both elements.

And you're right, Sophie-David, her feet DO look like she is dancing! I hadn't noticed that!

[Sophie-David]

Very nicely put MercyMe! And so our Green Lady can represent an incarnation of the great circle of the Triple Goddess, bringing death, renewal and life.