← Encyclopedia of Tarot · lesson 35/121
Queen of Wands
The Queen of Wands is fire held steady: warm, confident, generous and full of life. As a person, she can describe someone vivid and sociable who draws people in and gets things done, often with a big heart and a strong will. As a situation, the card speaks of self-assurance, creativity and the courage to take up space.
The image
The Queen sits on a throne carved with lions, a staff in one hand and a sunflower in the other. More sunflowers stand behind her, and a black cat sits at her feet. Waite notes that the Wands are always in leaf, for this is "a suit of life and animation", and calls her "more magnetic" than the King. The sunflowers and lions are usually read as the Sun and Leo — warmth and pride — and the black cat as her intuition, or the shadow she is comfortable with.
Upright
It tends to describe confidence and warmth: leading with charm, nurturing others' talents, being energetic and independent. Waite's divinatory meanings include "friendly, chaste, loving, honourable", well disposed to those near her, and "a certain success in business". It can point to someone who keeps a household or a project glowing.
Reversed
Reversed, it is often read as confidence turned into demand or jealousy, burnout, or warmth that cannot find an outlet. Waite gives her as "good, economical, obliging, serviceable", but in certain neighbourhoods "opposition, jealousy, even deceit". Some readers do not use reversals.
Correspondences
A court card of the Wands, element Fire. In the Golden Dawn system, which most English-language decks follow, she is the Queen of the Thrones of Flame, Water of Fire — fire that is steady and receptive rather than explosive. The Golden Dawn gives her rule from 20° Pisces to 20° Aries.
In a reading
In the past it can show an influential, encouraging woman or a confident phase; as an obstacle, overbearing energy; as advice, to act with warmth and self-belief. With Strength it is often read as courage joined to kindness; with The Sun, radiant success.
In astrology
The Golden Dawn's correspondences, which most English-language decks follow (French, Marseille-based tradition differs for some Major Arcana).
Element: Fire — the element of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius