The Meaning Of The Kings In The Tarot

Following on from the Queens, we are now completing our court card explorations with the Kings in the Tarot.

Both the Queens and Kings are the masters and authorities of the court card families, but they specialise in different areas.

Whereas the Queens focus on yin aspects including feelings, care-giving, slowness and receptivity, the Kings embody yang aspects such as being pro-active, providing, dominant and restless.

Kings are linked to the element Fire, and as such they display Wands qualities in varying degrees according to their suits.

Kings tend to represent men, but they can also represent women, who display masculine traits or need to develop some of them for personal growth.

Just like the Queens, the Kings in a reading can also represent another person or an energy surrounding the querent, something they need to pay attention to.

King of Wands

Esoteric Title: The Lord of the Flame and Lightning. The King of the Spirits of Fire.

Astrological attribution: Leo

Elemental association: Fire of Fire

Characteristics and personality traits: dynamic, energetic, ambitious, decisive, powerful, confident, generous, honourable, risk-taking

Negative traits include domineering, forceful, arrogant, self-importance, hot-tempered, power-hungry, aggressive, crushing

King of Cups

Esoteric Title: The Lord of the Waves and the Waters. The King of the Hosts of the Sea.

Astrological attribution: Scorpio

Elemental association: Fire of Water

Characteristics and personality traits: compassionate, keeps feelings under control, emotional intelligence and balance, caring, kindness

Negative traits include moodiness, self-pity, weak, wimpish, hen-pecked, sentimental, hypersensitive, passive-aggressive

King of Swords

Esoteric Title: The Lord of the Wind and the Breezes. The Lord of the Spirits of Air

Astrological attribution: Aquarius

Elemental association: Fire of Air

Characteristics and personality traits: logical, intelligent, problem-solving, eloquent, fair, detached, calculating, firm, sharp-witted

Negative traits include ruthless, dismissive, goal-orientated, cutting, merciless, cold-hearted, cruel

King of Pentacles

Esoteric Title: The Lord of the Wild and Fertile Land. The King of the Spirits of Earth.

Astrological attribution: Taurus

Elemental association: Fire of Earth

Characteristics and personality traits: responsible, industrious, productive, dependable, paternal, efficient, steady, sensible, prosperous

Negative traits include conventional, stubborn, dull, over-cautious, stuck in a rut, inflexible, unadventurous, lack of imagination

The Cosmic Faery Tarot is available as a digital copy as part of the Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

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Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Mars Cards In The Tarot

Moving on from the Venus cards, we are now looking at how the energy of Mars is reflected in the Tarot.

In the Major Arcana, Mars is primarily linked to the Tower, and because this planet rules Aries, it also has an influence on the Emperor.

Mars, the "God of War", isn't just about disaster and destruction. Mars in the Tarot can also indicate beneficial energies such as drive, competition and ambition, which are vital to pursue progress and growth thus avoiding stagnation.

Let's take a look at the cards that are influenced by Mars in more detail:

The Tower's image is pretty clear about the malefic aspect of Mars; what we see isn't pretty, and we can only cling to the hope that any damage caused can be limited or lead to the creation of something better.

The Emperor can demonstrate a range of martian personality traits, from the aforementioned ambition (in terms of the urge to conquer) and leadership abilities right through to dictatorship and tyranny.

Other martian characteristics include competitiveness, hot-temper, anger, obsession and infatuation, over-controlling, jealousy, ruthlessness and aggression.

Two of Wands (Mars in Aries) - This card is a harmonious link to the Emperor. Here, we see him as a visionary, inspired by his urge and enthusiasm to conquer the world.

The Mars aspect provides the drive, energy and sense of restlessness he needs to make a start towards his goal.

Mars may also indicate the need to dismantle old and outdated structures to create something new.

Seven of Wands (Mars in Leo) - Mars is reflected in a high-energy, stressful situation. If not careful, there is a danger of pressing the self-destruct button by over-exertion or tackling a situation too aggressively.

Mars may also indicate the need to gather up all your energy to get through a difficult period of time.

Five of Cups (Mars in Scorpio) - Mars has created mayhem in the realm of feelings and emotions. A loss, feeling devastated or destroyed. Inner turmoil. Something has been damaged, but just like the image of the Tower, the Five of Cups also indicates that something is still intact and can be built on.

The figure in the Five of Cups needs the forward-propelling survival energy of Mars to cross that bridge in the distance.

Ten of Cups (Mars in Pisces) - Happy families, or are they? Something may be brooding underneath the surface. A dormant volcano.

We know that sooner or later happiness gives way to more challenging times, and Mars offers a little warning sign to watch out and not take your happiness for granted.

Nine of Swords (Mars in Gemini) - Damaging and destructive thoughts; fears and anxiety based on the need to control what cannot be controlled. Fear of failure; fear of success; self-sabotage. Mars shakes up an otherwise balanced mindset into one of chaos and despair.

Three of Pentacles (Mars in Capricorn) - Friction and power struggles at work or in a relationship. However, Mars is also a driving force that unites people to reach a mutual goal. If they have the same vision of what they want to achieve, then they can also overcome challenges along the way.

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking about how Mars can influence card meanings. Here's an exercise you can do:

Take all the cards linked to Mars from your deck and explore the connections and similarities for yourself. How do the Tower and Emperor influence the meanings of the pip cards?

⭐Grab the FREE printable exercise I have created from my Starlight Tarot Astrology course page⭐

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

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Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

Tarot Guidance In 4 Words

"Put your foot down." #tarotguidancein4words - Tarot Nova

There are many fun and creative ways to connect with the tarot and develop your reading skills, and here's a little Tarot game you can play.

Let's play Tarot Guidance in 4 Words - #tarotguidancein4words

How it works:

Shuffle your deck and pull a card.

Come up with a meaningful message in just four words that relates to the card. It should be a phrase or sentence, not just a set of keywords.

You can also apply this reading method to spreads, and in order to demonstrate it, I have used the Celtic Cross:

Present Situation - The Tower: Break down, break through.

What is crossing it - King of Cups: Be kind to yourself.

Heart of the Matter - The Emperor: Put your foot down.

Past influences - Knight of Pentacles: Persevere despite slow progress.

Attitudes and Beliefs - Seven of Swords: Watch out for dishonesty.

Near Future - Three of Swords: Heal your broken heart.

You as you are - Ace of Cups: Embrace love around you.

How others see you - Five of Pentacles: In need of help.

Advice - Two of Wands: Take a new direction.

Outcome - The Empress: Create your dream life.

Despite its brevity, a 4-word message can offer great insight, which is useful for daily journaling.

And perhaps at the end of the month your daily guidance messages connect and tell a story…

Here are some more ideas for the High Priestess:

• Still waters run deep
• Listen to your intuition
• Don’t rush, be patient
• Turn away from noise
• Silence reveals what’s hidden

And here are some for the Wheel of Fortune:

• Time to be flexible
• Change will bring growth
• Go with the flow
• Win some, lose some
• Your luck will change

I could go on as I’m having fun with this exercise, but now it’s over to you.

Please do share your #tarotguidancein4words with me on social media. I’d love to see your interpretations.

Share your ideas on social media (works great on Instagram) with #tarotguidancein4words and tag me @cosmicfaery

You can also use your oracle cards #oracleguidancein4words

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Meaning Of The Queens In The Tarot

The Queens in the Tarot are the mothers of the court card family.

They often represent women, but they can also relate to men, who display feminine traits (e.g. nurturing and caring) or need to get more in touch with their feminine side.

Together with the Kings, the Queens in the Tarot have authority and lead by example.

They are the ones, who take care of the emotional and nurturing aspect of their leadership, as they are linked to the element Water.

Other characteristics include maturity, experience, stability, confidence.

In a reading, the Queens may indicate people, such as a person surrounding the querent or the querent him/herself.

They can also suggest an energy surrounding the querent or character traits that need to be developed or avoided.

Queen of Wands

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Flame

Astrological attribution: Aries

Elemental association: Water of Fire

Characteristics and personality traits: passionate, enthusiastic, exuberant, creative, energetic, active, extrovert, fun-loving, sociable, generous

Negative traits include vanity, tyranny, jealousy, egotism, domineering, catty, pushy

Queen of Cups

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of the Waters

Astrological attribution: Cancer

Elemental association: Water of Water

Characteristics and personality traits: sensitive, compassionate, imaginative, intuitive, reflective, introvert, quiet, observant, artistic, calm, receptive, emotional

Negative traits include depressive, emotional overwhelm, irrational, fearful, apathy, inertia, smothering, impractical, clingy

Queen of Swords

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Air

Astrological attribution: Libra

Elemental association: Water of Air

Characteristics and personality traits: witty, clever, diplomatic, firm but fair, objective, stoic, stiff upper lip, sensible, perceptive, independent, outspoken

Negative traits include coldness, deceitful, impatience, bluntness, heartless, bitterness, calculating, devious, lonely, vindictive, unapproachable

Queen of Pentacles

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Earth

Astrological attribution: Capricorn

Elemental association: Water of Earth

Characteristics and personality traits: practical, down-to-earth, crafty, sensual, homely, resourceful, industrious, striving, health-conscious, nature-loving, frugal, thrifty, conservative

Negative traits include miserliness, stinginess, neglectful, sluggishness, dullness, greediness, overbearing, timid, possessive

The Cosmic Faery Tarot is available as a digital copy as part of the Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

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Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Venus Cards in the Tarot

The journey through our solar system continues from the Mercury cards to the Venus cards in the Tarot.

Here, you'll discover which tarot cards are linked to Venus and how this planet's energy can influence and enhance the meaning of each card.

Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

No wonder it has been linked primarily to the Empress, who encompasses the typical Venus characteristics of love, nurture, affection, passion, indulgence and beauty.

The astrological glyph for Venus is depicted on the heart-shaped shield, and her flowery symbol is the rose (red, pink and white).

Learn more about Venus in her role of Roman goddess, and you'll gain a deeper understanding of the Empress.

Venus in astrology is ruler of Taurus and Libra, so we can see a connection to the Hierophant (Taurus) and Justice (Libra).

Some Venus aspects of the Hierophant are those of security, stability and aeasthetics.

Venus loves to be part of a family, a collective, surrounded by people who adore her, which is reflected in the pope-like figure of the Hierophant. 

There is little room for change as symbolised by the stone pillars and dominant figure preaching to his acolytes.

There is also a sense of vanity and arrogance surrounding the Hierophant - elaborate robes and rituals together with grandeur interiors (e.g. cathedrals) can be signs of guru-syndrome.

However, the Hierophant's positive connection to Venus lies in his association with community, and the love, care, and support it provides to its members.

As a ruler of Libra, Venus's energy is also reflected in Justice. Her diplomatic abilities are mainly based on female charm, such as seduction and allure, which are meant to temper her masculine counterpart Mars, God of War (The Tower).

So, Libra reflects Venus's drive to create harmony and balance, especially in relationships and at home.

Interpreting Justice with Venus in mind, consider making decisions based on feminine strengths and characteristics, especially when trying to alleviate disarray or damage caused by masculine traits.

How is Venus reflected in the pip cards? Here are some suggestions:

Four of Wands (Venus in Aries)

The RWS-based image depicts a couple celebrating under a flower canopy. There is celebration, joy, love and a sense of achievement.

Venus heralds good fortunes, which are reflected in this card. So far things have run smoothly, and all is set to continue this way.

More examples: turning a house into a home, a winning partnership, creative / artistic achievement

Two of Cups (Venus in Cancer)

Attraction, desire, confidence, harmony, cooperation, partnership, trust, emotional balance

Seven of Cups (Venus in Scorpio)

Desire of many things, especially those that give pleasure; creative imagination; flights of fancy; pursuit of beauty; artistic ambitions

In Roman mythology Venus also embodied victory and prosperity, traits which are embedded in the Five of Swords and Nine of Pentacles.

Even though the victory of the Five of Swords (Venus in Aquarius) seems hollow or indicates a lose-lose situation, the Venus energy offers a sense of benevolence and goodwill. Something good can emerge from this scenario despite despair or pessimism.

This card also shows how badly love can go wrong: love turned sour; a nasty break-up; control issues within a relationship; abuse; lack of empathy; the upper hand.

Nine of Pentacles (Venus in Virgo)

Luxury, beautiful surroundings, enjoying the riches of life, security, self-reliance, self-care, nurturing and bonding with animals / pets.

Exercise:

Take all the cards linked to Venus from your deck and explore the connections and similarities.

You can use the journaling sheets I have created by downloading them from my Ko-fi page.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

How To Supercharge Your Daily Tarot Card Draw

When you start learning the Tarot, most books and more experienced readers recommend pulling a daily tarot card in order to familiarise yourself with your deck and the images.

At this stage there is no pressure to come up with a relevant interpretation; just record the name of the card on a sheet of paper together with a note of the day's events to compare.

The next step is to ask a question before you draw your card, such as "What do I need to pay attention to today?" 

Quicker than my more detailed one-card reading approach, the random question technique offers you new insights every day.

Asking a question will help you focus and make your daily draw a little more specific. Even better when you ask a different question every day.

For this purpose, I have compiled a list of questions you can ask at random:

1. What do I need to do differently today?
2. What do I need to embrace?
3. What do I need to avoid?
4. How can I invite positive change into my life?
5. What will be my strength today?
6. How can I tackle a challenge today?
7. What new opportunity do I need to look out for?
8. How can I be more positive today?
9. What new potential will be emerging?
10. How can I nurture new growth?
11. What do I need to let go of that prevents new growth / opportunities?
12. What can I be grateful for today?
13. How can I nurture myself?
14. How can I help others?
15. What can I let go of without losing anything?
16. How can I simplify my life today?
17. How can I increase abundance in my life?
18. What can I do to have a good day today?
19. What lesson will I learn?
20. What is happening in my life that I am not aware of?
21. What step can I take today to reach my goal?
22. How can I raise my confidence / self-esteem today?

Over time, you can add more questions to this list to expand your self-exploration.

And here is a cool way to choose a random question to answer each day:

✨Make your own question cards✨

Here's how:

Use old greeting cards you received (e.g. Birthday, Christmas, etc.) and cut them into mini size cards (mine on the image above are approx. 45 x 75 mm). Write a question on the back of each card.

Mix the cards and lay them face down. Pick a card and hey presto, you've got your question for the day.

As I mentioned before, you can extend your card set when you think of new questions you would like to add.

Take a look at what I have created:

Random questions are a great way to add variety and depth to your daily tarot card draws, and hopefully you are inspired to create your own set of questions cards 😃

For more journaling ideas, click HERE and follow me on Ko-fi for more inspo⭐

Also check out my latest ebook Cosmic Journaling Through The Year, which includes printable cards with above questions (and some new ones), healing cards and much more...

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Mercury Cards in the Tarot

Building on our exploration of the sun cards, we're now delving into Mercury in the Tarot and examining how this planet influences the cards it is associated with.

As God's Messenger, Mercury is linked to communication, reason and self-awareness.

Other areas of influence are languages, travel, transport, logic and intellect.

In the Tarot, Mercury is linked directly to the Magician, and it may seem obvious why.

It is the Magician, who symbolises the power of communication, presenting ideas, arguing a cause, making a winning sales pitch and so on.

The Magician creates Magick with words, including spells, mantras and affirmations. He is influential but can also be manipulating.

Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo; therefore there is some indirect influence on The Lovers and The Hermit.

The pip cards Mercury is linked to are:

• Eight of Wands (Mercury in Sagittarius)
• Three of Cups (Mercury in Cancer)
• Five of Pentacles (Mercury in Taurus)
• Ten of Pentacles (Mercury in Virgo)
• Six of Swords (Mercury in Aquarius)

How is Mercury's energy reflected in these cards?

Here are some suggestions:

Eight of Wands - movement, travel, quick thinking, living life in the fast lane, seizing an unexpected opportunity, taking a calculated risk, gaming, travel by air

Three of Cups - communication (social), travelling in a group, building friendships, bonding (also at work), witty conversations, social networking, internet dating

Five of Pentacles - Asking for help, trying to make sense of a negative situation, bad news, mental overwhelm / meltdown, travel delays, being stranded, lost for words, looking for inspiration, learning difficulties

Ten of Pentacles - good organisational skills, nurturing a network of friends/ family / support, being established as an influencer / speaker / advisor, clever with money and long-term investments

Six of Swords - Travel, a new direction will bring clarity, a decision to leave something behind is based on reason and knowledge, fickleness, travel by sea

If you are reading reversed cards, consider thinking Mercury retrograde, when these cards show up upside down.

And if a Mercury retrograde is actually taking place while these cards come up in a reading, you can also take that into account.

Here's an interesting exercise you can do: 

Pick out all the Mercury cards from your deck. Which of the pip cards would you assign to which Major Arcana card?

You can look out for visual clues but also take similar meanings into account.

For example, I see the Six of Swords linked to The Hermit and the Three of Cups with The Lovers.

But it is perfectly fine, if you have different ideas. How do you see the Mercury cards connected with each other?

For this exercise I have created journal sheets, which you can download from my Ko-fi page.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

22 Signs You Are A Professional Tarot Reader

There are many tarot readers out there advertising and charging for their services, but are they true professionals?

If you are thinking of starting your own tarot business, you can use this checklist based on the Major Arcana to find out what it takes to be a professional tarot reader:

0. The Fool

You never assume anything and treat each reading like a blank sheet of paper. You know nothing about your client, looks can be deceiving, and you are open to all possibilities.

1. The Magician

Before you carry out the reading, you communicate clearly with your client about how much you charge and the type of reading you provide.

2. The High Priestess

When interpreting the cards, you trust your intuition. You listen carefully to what your client has to say and observe body language. You may even have had some formal training in counselling.

3. The Empress

You nurture your clients by making them feel comfortable and giving them your full attention and compassion.

4. The Emperor

You are clear about your boundaries and stay in control of the reading. You are not pressured into answering questions you feel uncomfortable about, e.g. financial advice, pregnancy, medical conditions etc.

5. The Hierophant

Rather than being set in your ways, you are open to learning more and enhance your skills. You may be familiar with the cards, but there is always something new to discover. You enjoy using different decks, read new books and articles on Tarot to avoid stagnation.

6. The Lovers

You strive to encourage your clients to make their own choices based on love and knowledge.

7. The Chariot

Difficult readings can be a challenge, but you persevere and do the best you can. Most of the time you will succeed. Occasionally, you will need to bow out gracefully. Learn from it and move on.

8. Strength

You empower your clients with gentle guidance and kindness.

9. The Hermit

You take regular breaks to renew your energy and declutter your mind. Never do readings when pre-occupied with your own personal issues, and keep all information shared by your client as strictly confidential.

10. The Wheel of Fortune

You remind your client that nothing is set in stone, and luck can change at any moment, especially when "big" questions are asked, such as "Will I ever find my soulmate / twin flame, get married and have children?"

11. Justice

Make sure you are "legal". Register with the tax office as self-employed and arrange public liability insurance cover, if you work in public places or offer readings at your home. It is also useful to list some basic Terms & Conditions that cover issues such as refunds, cancellations etc.

12. The Hanged Man

You offer your clients different perspectives on their issue, so they can move forward rather than live in denial or ignorance.

13. Death

When this card comes up in a reading, you won't be telling your client that s/he (or a loved one) is about to die.

14. Temperance

You aim to offer readings that are healing, based on a balanced mix of offering choices, illuminating what is hidden, highlighting opportunities and exploring future possibilities.

15. The Devil

You avoid being tempted to manipulate your client into making decisions or choices you think are right for them.

16. The Tower

Rather than letting negative feedback destroy your confidence and trust in your abilities, you use it to learn and grow. Be objective: was the client ready for your message? Did they resist change? Or were you trying to dazzle them with some dubious statements or predictions you "saw" in the cards?

17. The Star

Your highest intention is to give hope and offer inspiration to your clients even at the darkest of times. Occasionally, you will encounter sad and tragic stories, and you will have to draw on your innate ability to be a guiding light towards healing, renewal and a new purpose.

18. The Moon

You help your clients face and overcome their insecurities and fears.

19. The Sun

You aim to raise your client's confidence and optimism.

20. Judgement

Never judge your client or people that come up in a reading. Remember you only hear one side of the story.

21. The World

You have come a long way, have found your niche and established a reputation. But you also know it is time to expand your horizons and take your skills and experience to the next level. 

New networks, ideas and projects will offer you new opportunities for growth and fulfilment.

⭐Where are you on your journey? I'd love to hear from you.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Sun Cards in the Tarot

The planets are linked to Major and Minor Arcana cards in the Tarot.

A while ago, I looked at the moon cards in the Tarot and noticed some interesting visual connections

Here are some of my observations of the sun cards in the Tarot.

The best deck to use for this exercise is the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) Tarot.

On a visual level, we can see a connection between Strength and the Six of Cups. There is interaction between the two main figures.

I also see a link between Strength and the Four of Pentacles. The woman and man are holding on to something.

And yes, The Sun and Strength both depict people with animals.

I leave you to explore more visual similarities and what they could mean.

What additional interpretations does the sun as a planet add to each card it corresponds with?

Here are some suggestions:

The Sun - primary link with the sun, which in astrology represents the ego, life force and creativity. Additional interpretations therefore could be confidence, extroversion, selfishness, survival instinct, hedonism.

Strength - linked to the zodiac sign Leo, which is ruled by the sun. Strong physical energy, vitality, health and resilience.

Ten of Swords - Here, the sun represents a new beginning, new life, new opportunity, birth, resilience, survivor spirit, looking at the bright side, blessing.

Three of Wands - optimism, focus, alert, enthusiastic, adventure spirit, creative drive, ambition.

Six of Cups - contentment, benevolence, joy, nurture.

Eight of Pentacles - job satisfaction, vocation, workaholic, creative energy

Four of Pentacles - selfishness, self-protection, possessiveness

If you would like to learn step-by-step more about astrology and how to apply it in your Tarot work, then check out my Tarot Astrology self-study course, where you can download the complete planet exercise together with some funky journaling sheets.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started. Dive into the cards and see what else you can discover that relates to the sun—additional interpretations or visual connections.

Remember, the sun adds the element Fire to each card.

If you're eager to learn more about astrology and how to apply it in your Tarot work, check out my Starlight Tarot Astrology self-study course. 

You can download a FREE funky planet exercise on my Ko-fi page.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane 🦄