Journey Through My Decks: Queen of Wands

As you may know by now, I accidentally omitted a few cards when doing the Journey Through My Decks series here at Tarot Notes. Inexcusably, the omissions included the entire Wands court! To make this up to the Queen of Wands – one of my favorite cards – I am taking my cue from the little black cat shown on the traditional Rider-Waite Queen of Wands. I am looking at the depiction of this Queen in three different cat-themed decks.

First up, Tarot of Pagan Cats designed by Barbara Moore, with instructions by Magdelina Messina and artwork by Lola Airaghi (Lo Scarabeo). What a lovely Queen of Wands this is, reclining on a red cushion, surrounded by sunflowers – and with her own little black cat. The lush plants remind us that Wands is the suit of new growth, as evidenced by the leaves sprouting from the Wands in many Tarot decks. Magdelina Messina writes that this Queen is “someone who cares for and helps others regarding their will, inspiration, or passion.”

In Tarot of the White Cats, with instructions by Sofia di Vincenzo and artwork by Severino Baraldi (Lo Scarabeo), our regal Queen of Wands is dressed all in red, as befits the suit of Wands. She holds a sunflower, and sunflowers bloom in the background. Instead of a little black cat, her companion is a tiny gray mouse. Sofia di Vincenzo’s observation on this card: “Even if it is demanding, there are situations in which absolute sincerity is indispensable.” Here we do see the traditional leaves sprouting from the Wand.

Finally, the Black Cats Tarot by Maria Kurara (Lo Scarabeo) depicts Her Highness kneeling on a patch of ground where she is offering seeds to hummingbirds. In the background sits a throne carved from a massive tree trunk. Rich green vegetation abounds. The cushion on the throne is bright yellow or gold, as is the Queen’s crown and the Wand (wrapped in a green vine) that she holds in her left paw. Maria Kurara gives the subtitle “Welcome” to this card, and writes: “The Queen is sweet and gracious. She is ready to help the others and is in synch with nature. But sometimes her pride causes her to miss worthwhile opportunities.”

The lovely outdoor settings on all of these cards actually make me think “Earth” rather than “Fire” but, as I mentioned before, the suit of Wands does represent new growth, which certainly ties in with the Nature setting. On two of the cards, sunflowers turn their faces to the Sun, which rules the Fire sign Leo. Traditionally, all Queens are linked with the element Water, symbolizing emotions and relationships. No wonder the Queen of Wands combines fiery passion with a caring spirit.

This trio of feline ladies fills me with delight. Please pass me my Wand!