A year ago, I would have opened this post with Ostara or Spring Equinox greetings. Instead this year I wish all a happy Alban Eiler. This year I’m excited to announce I will be initiated into the Bardic grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. When I began my journey with tarot many years ago, I never thought it would ultimately lead me in this direction. It certainly opened my eyes to new spiritualities. In fact, I tried on eclectic for quite a while until I found the grove to which I currently belong.





Tarot has been the start of many journeys for me and impetus to join many of the groups to which I’ve found myself belonging. Though life kept me more than a bit distracted last year, I’m happy to be participating in another blog hop. I’m quite terrible at keeping my blog up-to-date without the group’s friendly nudges to write again – a practice which I’ve promised myself I’d do more of. So, here I am, celebrating the equinox and bringing another post to bloom!





For this fabulous hop, our theme is tarot muses, of which I’ve chosen three. For me, the Queen of Wands, Queen of Swords, and 9 of Pentacles has factored heavily into my growth throughout the year. I’m happy to find myself at a place in life where I find myself reaping the benefits of their lessons. With that, I’d love to share the lessons I’ve learned from each of these ladies.

The Linestrider Tarot by Siolo Thompson





Queen of Wands:



The Queen of Wands is a woman who knows and owns her power. Much like the Magician, if she wills it, she can manifest it. Often pictured with a black cat, her ties to the occult are clear. She’s full of power, but not just any power, unbridled feminine power.

She lives in the present. She is here, and she is now. Her instincts steer her in the right direction, and when they don’t, she owns her ‘oopsies’ with the grace of a queen. There’re no apologies from this one. In fact, her passion can burn a bit too hot for some. At times she can be forget herself and burn those close to her.

This lust for life is contagious and others want a taste of it for themselves. It’s this desire the queen can manipulate for her own ends – may they be well intentioned or not.

After many surgeries, female power is one I’ve struggled with repeatedly. I have moments where I feel her shining through me, only to feel her slip away with a loud hiss. The queens all must balance the element of water with their suit’s native element, and for the queen of wands, it’s a battle between fire and water. It is here she has another connection to the major arcana card, Temperance.

As my astrological card, Temperance is yet another card I’ve spent much time contemplating. Balance is important in all things, but how do you allow the flow of water without it extinguishing the fire within? It’s this queen who helps me understand how to both feel and flame.





Queen of Swords:

Almost in opposition to the Queen of Wands is the Queen of Swords. Ruled by air, she is not here or now. She’s a woman lost in thought, full of intellect, and contemplating the wisest steps to the future she wants. This queen can manifest as well, but it is the product of much planning. She has a dream and she can bring together all the right information to plan the path forward.



However, her calculations can be cold. Her stance against anyone who moves against her or simply has the misfortune of standing in her way are cruel. She’s not a heartless woman though. As with all queens, her air is balanced with water. It can make her anxious and unsure that her path forward is the right one. She lacks the passion the queen of wands embodies, and so she struggles with the concept of simply going with her gut.



Her unparalleled ability to put aside emotion and settle swiftly on facts makes her a powerful force to channel when facing tasks which require you to put aside deep hurts and continue forward with sword swinging. It is her that keeps me walking when my fire has long since burned out, and I’ve lost faith in myself. She is a true, though harsh, sister to the queen of wands.





9 of Pentacles:

There is one card within the minor arcana that has a power and personality so strong that it could easily join the court cards on a night out should it so choose. The 9 of Pentacles functions, for me at least, almost as a courtesan to the court cards. She is strong, powerful, and self-made. She has manifested greatness into her life using all her skills as a woman. Falcon in hand, her queen of swords-esque fierceness is unquestionable. Her wit is sharp, and with it she has felled many who stood in her path.



It is in the spirit of the Queen of Wands, however, that she relaxes provocatively amongst her finery. She enjoys the now of her achievements, and her earthiness may have been helpful in winning some of her battles. She has done much to deserve her respite, and she will do much more to continue her life of luxury.

She reminds me to stop and look around me and congratulate myself on my achievements. It’s okay to stop for a while to enjoy yourself. However, all of it was hard-won. Even in leisure I must remain sharp. More is always around the corner, and the work never ends. By nature of being minor arcana, though, she carries with her another lesson the queens more softly embody. Her nine-ness resonates with incompleteness. She is only a stop along the way to more, to better, to everything. She could remain stuck as a nine forever, and it wouldn’t be a horrible place to stay, but nothing is meant to remain in stasis. Eventually her lust for adventure will bring her to the next stop on the way, which is the 10 of pentacles.

This lesson is one I struggle with. My inner queens are often at odds at how to move into this next stage and often at odds over if I truly even want to. However, in the spirit of Alban Eiler I must eventually learn to embrace new adventures and try new things to truly blossom. There is one card within the minor arcana that has a power and personality so strong that it could easily join the court cards on a night out should it so choose. The 9 of Pentacles functions, for me at least, almost as a courtesan to the court cards. She is strong, powerful, and self-made. She has manifested greatness into her life using all her skills as a woman. Falcon in hand, her queen of swords-esque fierceness is unquestionable. Her wit is sharp, and with it she has felled many who stood in her path.

This post is part of a series. Use the navigation to browse ahead or behind in the series, or visit the master list to go directly to a blogger. If you are a tarot reader with a blog and wish to join future hops, join our TarotBlogHop Facebook group

I chose for this post to work with my Linestrider deck by Siolo Thompson. Her beautiful watercolor designs evoke images of spring, not to mention her ability to encapsulate so much emotion in simple (and incredibly feminine) images truly stir my soul.