Post Discussion Thoughts: “Knight and Queen of Wands and Cups” Nov.23rd 2025

KNIGHT OF WANDS: “King of the Spirits of Fire” → Father of Fire (Yod of Yod). Governs 20° Scorpio – 20° Sagittarius. His card of triumph is Sagittarius inspired (motto is “I Aim”), “Art/Temperance” while his shadow card is of Scorpio’s “Death”. The associated decanic cards are: 7 of Cups(Debauch/Venus in Scorpio), 8 of Wands (Swiftness/Mercury in Sagittarius), and 9 of Wands (Strength/Moon in Sagittarius). For me, the Knights are Cardinal/Mutable. They initiate the action and adapt to its elemental force.

The Knight of Wands is swift in his actions to achieve immediate results. As quick as his mercurial ideals inspire, this Knight is spontaneous in moving forward to transform and to create. The Art card of alchemy gives the Knight the “divine force of Will” to temper the elements of fire and water to manifest his calling. The single green arrow (aim of potential), held in the Knight’s holster, is one that will be released at the right moment. It will not be used in haste as this Knight is about heart-willed actions toward a desired purpose. There is no competition for the Knight of Wands as his motivation is not ego driven. The shadow side of the 7 of Cups (Debauch) can (self) instigate a delusion of the Knight’s fiery motives which could lead to misdirection and a loss sense of reality. Being led astray by one’s own action and not knowing when to stop or slowdown; in turn burning out one’s own Willed actions causing a blurring of direction.

The fiery force of the Knight of Wands is to be respected and contained. In a sense, you can also see attributes of the other two fire signs, Aries and Leo. Aries by taking a initiatory movement of control and fearlessness while exploring unknown territory, and the use of courage and vitality that Leo naturally exudes. The crest of this Knight is of a winged black horse head with lightning being exhaled towards the Knight and the black horse it rides. The black horse is the willed strength, speed, and life force to guide the Knight on his adventurous journey. This is the primal animal manifestation of the Knight of Wands. His shield shows the Yod flame symbol and the emblems of the cup of delusion, the winged sandals, and the arrow passing through the eclipsed sun. Symbolic reminders of the Knight of Wand’s virtues and weakness. The sphinx and pyramids in the background are key symbols for the development of the Knight of Wands. A rite of passage through transformation and Death of the ego and maintaining “the four powers of man”.. To Will, To Dare, To Know, and To Keep Silent. The sphinx represents the completion of the “great work of man”… the primary goal for the Knight of Wands (ones personal fiery Spirit).

QUEEN OF WANDS: “Queen of the Thrones of Flame” Water of Fire. Governs 20° Pisces – 20° Aries. Her card of triumph is Aries inspired (motto is “I am”), “Emperor” while her shadow card is Pisces” “Moon”. The associated decanic cards are:10 of Cups (Satiety/Mars in Pisces), 2 of Wands (Dominion/Mars in Aries), and 3 of Wands (Virtue (Established Strength)/Sun in Aries). For me, the Queens are Fixed/Cardinal as they are the container of the Knight’s cardinal force and developing this into its own form.

The Queen of Wands uses the masculine forces of authority, courage, and ambition, which are the partial attributes of “True Will” from the Knight of Wands, and internally gestates these forces in a controlled meditative manner. This is her Fixed nature. She is the “container” of the Knight of Wands’ fire which she will manifest into creative forms of inspiration for others to draw from. There’s a bit of an archetype role reversal with this Queen of Wand. She has taken the role of the Emperor and has transformed his actions into a more contemplative state. Not one of creating order as seen in the Emperor. Her fiery powers are held within without expending outward energy. The flames that surround her are static and controlled as if initiating this intuitively. Her primal animal nature is communicated through the leopard that is resolutely by her side. This is the beauty of the feminine mystique that is cultivating power and strength within. The crest of the flamed winged leopard head with the poppy pod and the crook and flail (establishing her authority) are indicators of how her authority can easily diminish if she doesn’t maintain proper control of her own power. This challenge represents the Queen of Fire’s shadow in the “10 of Cups (Mars in Pisces)”. Taking her own authority for granted and drifting too long in a contemplative state that her fiery energy begins to diminish. The “2 of Wands (Mars)” and “3 of Wands (Sun)” shows the Aries decan of Mars and the Sun giving her the qualities of sovereign power, self respect, and strength, but in a more subtle manner that allows her to use these qualities toward her direct purpose.

The Queen of Wands is seen as a feminine supreme force who is inspirational and generous in her ways, but if conflicted her inner power will externalize into the saying ..” hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!”.

KNIGHT OF CUPS: “Lord of the Waves and Waters”. Governs 20° Aquarius – 20° Pisces. His card of triumph is the Pisces inspired “Moon” (motto is “I Believe”), while his shadow card is of Aquarius,“Star”. The associated decanic cards are: 7 of Swords (Futility/Moon in Aquarius), 8 of Cups (Indolence/Saturn in Pisces), and 9 of Cups (Happiness/Jupiter in Pisces).

The Knight of Cups is the “active (Yod) force of the waters”. He rides atop of the currents and undulations of the waters that alchemically processes the “power of solution”. With his receptivity to water and a driving Will of creativity, this allows the Knight of Cups to manifest a “transcendental experience”. But as the waters are always in flux, the Knight’s initial force is momentary and his gaze is somewhat non-expressive as his focus is on the movement of the water to channel his divine Will. His crest is a open winged peacock whose feathers represent the shimmering lights of the reflected waters below. This is the soul’s beauty of inner strength being revealed. The Pisces motto,“I believe”, stems from the revelation of one’s highest form of spiritual authenticity. Riding the white horse of Pegasus, the force of its hooves on water creates motions of divine inspiration. The horse’s chest shield bears the key emblems from the Knight’s governing Pisces decans the 8 and 9 of Cups, and his Aquarian shadow decan, “7 of Swords ¨. These decans show the tendencies that the Knight of Cups has experienced. The“8 of Cups” (Saturn in Pisces) shows a lack of emotional inspiration and abandonment that has stripped the essence of the fiery Will and motivation has ceased. The “9 of Cups” (Jupiter in Pisces) emotionally inspires and activates the joy of fulfilling one’s artistic goals. The detriment to the Knight of Cups is the“7 of Swords” (Moon in Aquarius). A lack of belief and vision in ones effort of personal achievement. Pisces is the ruling sign for the Knight of Cups. A sign associated with compassion, empathy, and deep spirituality. The Moon governs Pisces and is a vital planetary influence for the Knight of Cups. The waxing and waning of the moon phases influences the movement of water, this guides the Knight of Cups to connect with the surface and deeper aspects of his spiritual and creative identity.

QUEEN OF CUPS: “Queen of the Thrones of the Waters”. Water of Water. Governs 20° Gemini – 20° Cancer. Her card of triumph is Cancer inspired (motto is “I feel”), “Chariot” while her shadow card is Gemini, “Lovers”. The associated decanic cards are: 10 of Swords (Ruin/Sun in Gemini), 2 of Cups (Love/Venus in Cancer), and 3 of Cups (Abundance/Mercury in Cancer). For me, the Queens are Fixed/Cardinal as they are the container of the Knight’s cardinal force and developing this into its own form.

The Queen of Cups is “Hé primal Hé primal, the Mother of all Mothers. She is the “light of the inner realm” based on her receptivity and reflection of those she observes. As the receiver and container of the Knight of Cups water inspired forces, the Queen of Cups nurtures and intuitively communicates with her surrounding environment of the physical and inner realms to put what is needed into a creative form. Her gaze into the water is ethereal and this is being reflected through the waters. The bees that are on either side represent her nectar of love, but in the waters below the bees have transformed into the lotuses of spiritual love and rebirth. The crab claw rising from the Cup is symbolic of her exterior protection from any outside disruptive forces. Her crest is of a open winged Ibis that is ready to receive, transform forces, and move through the lunar phases of time. Her triumph card is the “Chariot” the active force of Will between the land and the sea. Here we see the Queen of Cups, her Will, in a more intuitive state as her action is of gestation. She is governed by the sign of Cancer and its character traits of protection, instinctual, and nurturer. Her primary ruling decan cards of Cancer are the 2 and 3 of Cups. In the 2 of Cups (Venus in Cancer), we see the active form of a loving union of opposites joining forces of the physical and spiritual realm based on attraction and deep love. This is part of the natural essence held within the Queen of Cups. The 3 of Cups (Mercury in Cancer) shows a wealth of love and fertility that has been incarnated from the force of the 2 of Cups. Seeing how these two cards shape the inherent qualities of our Queen of Cups, her shadow side is represented by the 10 of Swords (Sun in Gemini). This is the awakened reality from a disrupted inner world. Because of her emotional depth, our Queen of Cups can lack reason and logic when it comes to owning responsibility to others. This can cloud her sense of conscious reality and cause judgement on being trustworthy. The Queen of Cups needs to maintain a nourishing balance between the earthly and spiritual realms to achieve the desired goals.