Dear Friends,
Each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana of Tarot has it’s own “court†similar to what you’ll find in a deck of modern playing cards. This court is normally labeled King, Queen, Knight and Page, although you’ll find some decks that use Prince and Princess in place of the last two, respectively. No matter what they are called, they are often the hardest cards in a deck to read. They represent people, but they can also represent events or trends in your life. Hopefully this post will illuminate you on some of the ways to see the Court of the Tarot.
When you see a Court Card in a spread, try to identify whom it might be in your life.
The first grouping we’ll look at is the pages. When the page is interpreted as a person, it’s most often a young person. They can also stand for children or the querent him or herself if he or she is very child like. It can also refer to someone who is starting over again, in the case of being an apprentice. The pages can also be messages. So a Page of Wands would be a message of leadership or a trip, a page of cups would be a love message, a page of swords would be a message relating to a solution of some sort and a page of pentacles would deal with money or health.
The Page of Wands represents someone who is everywhere all at once. You’ll recognize this person by their desire to be out and about all of the time. The Page of Cups is the child that you find daydreaming out the window in the middle of class. Creative, insightful and a little bit psychic, these children seem to be wise beyond their years. The Page of Swords is mental energy on high alert. This is the child, or childlike adult, who always wants to know how, when, why and what. They are like little reporters. The Page of Pentacles is down in the dirt from birth. They love to be among nature and in the mud. They take everything very literal and are practical from a young age.
Knights are change and movement. They represent teenagers or someone in your life who is going through a major transition. They can also stand for travel. If you find this to the case in your reading, a Knight of Wands is an exciting trip to somewhere far away, a Knight of Cups is a romantic getaway, a Knight of Swords is a stimulating and fast paced journey and a Knight of Pentacles is a luxurious and somewhat pampering retreat.
When he stands for a person, a Knight of Wands is a loud and exuberant teenager, or an adult that acts like one. This is the young adult who likes to party and makes sure everyone is along for the good time. The Knight of Wands is a dreamy and withdrawn teen. Think of the girl sitting in the back of the class and writing poetry. The Knight of Swords knows a lot about everything and wants you to know it too. He’ll talk your ear off if you give him a chance. The Knight of Pentacles is more even keeled and likes to take things slowly. He’s the type that has his life planned out years in advance.
The Queen represents the creative force and a powerful female figure in your life (maybe even you). The Queen cards, when they aren’t actual people, are representative of growth and change. In this case, a Queen of Wands is developing a career move or a trip, a Queen of Cups is growing a family or developing a psychic ability, a Queen of Swords is developing a story or new way of thinking and a Queen of Pentacles is growing something real, be it a garden or a business.
The Queen of Wands as an individual is a magnetic and engaging woman in your circle. She is warm and commanding all at the same time. The Queen of Cups is dreamy and ethereal. She is a nurturer and all those around her feel her loving presence. The Queen of Swords can talk with anyone about anything and relates to information on many different levels. The Queen of Pentacles is an earthy, down to earth woman who can be practical in the extreme.
The Kings are representative of the drive that it takes to achieve anything in this life. The are associated with the sign of fire and can represent the start of something new in your life if they don’t relate to a specific person. The King of Wands is the beginning of a trip or planning a new business venture, the King of Cups is the start of a grand love affair or dramatic creative project, the King of Swords is brainstorming and getting thoughts worked out and the King of Pentacles represents the new ideas on making money or creating something in the real world.
As people, the Kings are as varied as their suits. The King of Wands is a philosopher or preacher. Even if he doesn’t formally have that title, there’s no mistaking his need to spread the news on whatever he is passionate about. The King of Cups is devoted to his family and keeping everyone in it happy and stable. The King of Swords has high ideals and expects those in his life to live up to them. He is somewhat of a judge of others. The King of Pentacles is a salt of the earth type of guy. He is very proud and tends to be somewhat self-reliant. He expects others to do the same.
The next time you see these cards in your tarot layout, don’t be afraid of them! With this guide you’ll know exactly who, or what, to expect.
Brightest Blessings,
Rose Ariadne
Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”
