The Tarot Royals: How to Read Court Cars Based on Their Roles| A Closer Look at the Pages, Knights, Queens & Kings
Court cards are representations of personas or character types in a tarot deck, and they can be challenging because they are less descriptive and less conceptual than the rest of the deck. In this post, I've "invited" the four members of the royal family to speak and share their stories with us. Each of them has a little monologue for you, telling of their roles, their goals and their objectives that are unique to their class--followed by a brief summary and explanation. Hopefully, by the end of this blog post, you'll have learned a little bit more about them. :)
Pages | Students
Primary Concern: LEARNING
I am a page. I don't know where I'll go and where I belong, but I intend to find out. I learn from the knights that I attend, and I learn from the world around me. Every day, I strive for excellence, to find why my heart beats, to know what I am born for.
Pages are students that are learning about themselves and learning about the world. They are exploring aspects of their identity, finding out who they are, how they relate to the world around them, and what their calling is. As pages, they are constantly absorbing information and taking in the details, testing the waters to see what resonates with them and what skills and talents they want to develop. Their identity is just beginning to form--and once they've grasped a better sense of who they are--once they know what their hearts beat for and what they want to pursue, they become Knights to conquer their desires and their dreams.
Each page will learn and explore in their way way. How they learn and how they learn depend on their element: Page of Wands learns by trying everything and going everywhere; she goes to where the action is, wherever she gets a chance to shine. Page of Swords learns by researching, examining and cross-examining the ideas that she faces; she is inquisitive and enjoys a good debate. Page of Cups learn from the people she meets and dreams about the kinds of people she'll eventually meet; she opens her heart to the people around them and invites them in. Last but not least, Page of Pentacles learns through deliberate practice and the careful investment of her time and efforts; she checks in with the priorities of her environment and does what needs to be done to get herself to the next level.
Knights| Champions
Primary Concern: CONQUEST
I am a knight. I am a champion, a champion of my beliefs. I quest to fulfill my heart's desires and to manifest my dreams. I quest so I can continue to become who I am meant to be. I know who I am, and I know I am meant to be greater, still. Destiny awaits!
Unlike the pages, knights know exactly who they are and what they want to achieve in life. They've learned enough about themselves to express themselves confidently and they know where they need to go in order to fulfill and manifest their dreams. Knights are defined by action; they are driven by their goals, their vision, and what they seek to create in their lives. They are on a grand adventure, an epic quest, and each for a different reason--each knight on a different quest.
Each knights fights for something different. What they fight for and how they pursue their dreams are reflected by their element. Knight of Wands is defined by his desire for action; he loves the thrills of adventure and will quest for the sake of experiencing a quest. Knight of Swords quests for his ideals and to protect and further his ideas; he often fights for justice, for order, and for what he believes to be right. Knight of Cups fights and quests for love; he fights to bring happiness and freedom to the ones he holds dear. Last but not least, Knight of Pentacles quests to accumulate the resources that he already has. Cautious just like his former self (Page of Pentacles), he takes each step seriously and meticulously as each step must be aligned with his ultimate goal.
Queens | Nurturers
Primary Concern: NURTURE
I am a queen, radiant with love. I want my people to grow, to expand, to become their best selves. I love them dearly; I hold them close. They will have what they need and more. They will have what their soul needs, and their soul will sing and dance gloriously.
The queen's primary concern is to nurture; they invest their time and energy and heart in the well-being and growth of another. They do their best to bring out the best of another, and they do so with love, care, and genuine passion. They flourish when the people around them flourish. They are happy when they cultivate joy in themselves as well as others.
Each queen nurtures differently depending on her element. Each of them shows care and consideration for others in a different way. The Queen of Wands nurtures by welcoming you into her world, encompassing you with her light, her infectious spirit and incredible vitality. Queen of Swords nurtures you by (always) telling you the truth, no matter how harsh it sounds. Queen of Cups nurtures you by listening to you, holding space for your heart and your feelings. Queen of Pentacles nurtures you by feeding you and providing you physical comfort, and she'll teach you the recipe of her super soup so you can make it yourself next time.
Kings| Leaders
Primary Concern: LEAD
I am a king, charged with the duties of a kingdom. I vow to protect and serve the people who serve me, and I vow to grow and expand our land so that it may reach its new heights. I am the law, the order, the structure that keeps everything in place. I am the leader of my realm.
Kings represent vision for their domain, as well as all things concerning the government of their realms. They attend to the affairs of their kingdom (this could translate into a company, a business, a school, or a home etc). They make sure the laws and regulations are being upheld and obeyed. They make sure that they have enough resources to sustain themselves. Most importantly, they make sure that he is true to his vision and the expansion of his realm.
Each king "rules", leads and governs differently depending on their element. King of Wands is a visionary leader, always following his inner fire, actively growing his vision and expanding his empire. King of Swords leads by his principles and enforcing justice, making sure that everybody follows the rules and everything is following protocol. King of Cups leads by connecting with the people he leads--authoritative but kind, firm but gentle. King of Pentacles leads by making sure his kingdom has an abundance of resources and will always have enough even during challenging times.
