THE QUEEN OF WANDS
TODAY'S CARD IS the Queen of Wands. This version is from The Thoth Deck, painted by Lady Frieda Harris:
For comparison, here's the Queen of Wands in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:
THE QUEEN OF WANDS: Initially I wanted to post any one of several Queen of Wands that are more unusual or newer than the one in The Thoth deck. However, as I mused on the Queen of Wands I recalled the below amazing story from The Tarot Handbook, by Angeles Arrien, that is about the Thoth Queen of Wands:
"...[S]he represents ... a woman who, before she knew who she was, had black hair and walked with a panther by her side. As she began to discover who she was her hair turned brown and the panther changed to a leopard. When she fully realized who she was and began to manifest who she was in the world ..., her hair turned fiery red. At this stage of self-knowledge, she pinched the growth marks of the leopard to prevent it from transforming into a beautiful lion to match her self-knowledge because she wanted a reminder of the dark places from whence she had come (the spots on the leopard)."
After looking up this story so I could quote it here, I found myself re-reading "The Tarot Handbook," mining gem after gem I'd forgotten in the sixteen years since I first read it. Thank you, Thoth Queen of Wands, for shedding your light on this long-shelved book!
DIFFERENT TAKES ON THE QUEEN OF WANDS:
A controlling person.
Repression or denial.
Someone who will not, or should, let go of the past. Or, someone who is ready to move on and just needs encouragement and support to do so.
Someone in the past (living or dead) is attached to the querant and needs to be released.
"Keep the focus on the self," as is said in 12 Step groups. E.g., pay attention to one's own issues, and don't project onto others or get caught up in others' issues.
Something in one's past needs healing ... or ... Something unfinished in one's past is being agitated by this present situation ... or ... Something is only an echo from the past -- acknowledge it and let it go.
This is an odd one, but a friend and I have often seen this card indicate dental problems.
Physical detoxing. I've seen this card many times when I've just begun a diet or fast.
Get as up-to-date with your life's various projects as you possibly can.
I've always seen a hidden likeness to Medusa in this card (wands are sometimes corresponded to serpents), in the sense that a woman's power can sometimes be seen as fearsome. In a reading I've seen this mean: Due to the limitations of the situation, a temporary voluntary damping of one's power and drive is necessary.
Resource: Thoth Web Gallery, has some original drafts of Lady Frieda Harris's designs for the Thoth deck.
Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.
‘til next time, keep recognizing where you come from and enjoying The Tarot,
Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****
For comparison, here's the Queen of Wands in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:
THE QUEEN OF WANDS: Initially I wanted to post any one of several Queen of Wands that are more unusual or newer than the one in The Thoth deck. However, as I mused on the Queen of Wands I recalled the below amazing story from The Tarot Handbook, by Angeles Arrien, that is about the Thoth Queen of Wands:
"...[S]he represents ... a woman who, before she knew who she was, had black hair and walked with a panther by her side. As she began to discover who she was her hair turned brown and the panther changed to a leopard. When she fully realized who she was and began to manifest who she was in the world ..., her hair turned fiery red. At this stage of self-knowledge, she pinched the growth marks of the leopard to prevent it from transforming into a beautiful lion to match her self-knowledge because she wanted a reminder of the dark places from whence she had come (the spots on the leopard)."
After looking up this story so I could quote it here, I found myself re-reading "The Tarot Handbook," mining gem after gem I'd forgotten in the sixteen years since I first read it. Thank you, Thoth Queen of Wands, for shedding your light on this long-shelved book!
DIFFERENT TAKES ON THE QUEEN OF WANDS:
A controlling person.
Repression or denial.
Someone who will not, or should, let go of the past. Or, someone who is ready to move on and just needs encouragement and support to do so.
Someone in the past (living or dead) is attached to the querant and needs to be released.
"Keep the focus on the self," as is said in 12 Step groups. E.g., pay attention to one's own issues, and don't project onto others or get caught up in others' issues.
Something in one's past needs healing ... or ... Something unfinished in one's past is being agitated by this present situation ... or ... Something is only an echo from the past -- acknowledge it and let it go.
This is an odd one, but a friend and I have often seen this card indicate dental problems.
Physical detoxing. I've seen this card many times when I've just begun a diet or fast.
Get as up-to-date with your life's various projects as you possibly can.
I've always seen a hidden likeness to Medusa in this card (wands are sometimes corresponded to serpents), in the sense that a woman's power can sometimes be seen as fearsome. In a reading I've seen this mean: Due to the limitations of the situation, a temporary voluntary damping of one's power and drive is necessary.
* * * *
Resource: Thoth Web Gallery, has some original drafts of Lady Frieda Harris's designs for the Thoth deck.
Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.
‘til next time, keep recognizing where you come from and enjoying The Tarot,
Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****
Labels: Queen of Wands
posted by Roswila at 10:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home