1. Discussion
Like many cards in the tarot,particularly in the minor arcana, The Queen of Rods is assigned numerous different interpretations by various decks,from the completely nonthreatening images of the ‘softer’decks,to a rather ominous representation as the devouring demon/goddess Kali,in the Haindl deck. Personally,my feeling is that if a deck does not unambiguously illustrate the dark as well as the light,how can it possibly convey the full range of information in a reading?
Most readers who have read a newspaper over the past several years,will recognize this card as representing the reprehensible atrocities perpetrated by American military personnel at the infamous Abu Ghraib detention facility in Iraq. Our Queen is modeled after Lynndie England,the vicious little tart who so proudly posed for photo-ops as she tortured and humiliated naked Iraqi detainees.
It is critical that the reader understand that no judgment is implied here. Each person plays the part they themselves have chosen as best suiting the ongoing development of their spirit. We,as mere spectators,lack the perspective to understand the full context of another’s actions,or how they serve the growth of others,even those who may appear to us as victims. Similarly,it is a function of the tarot to alert us to the forces and possibilities that are relevant to our own situations,and as such,it must sometimes convey truths that make us uncomfortable.
The Queen of Rods. by many traditional interpretations,reflects the maiden-mother-crone trinity,emphasizing a natural balance of purity,nurture,and cruelty that is impossible for us to fathom,but is an intrinsic aspect of nature. In the ubiquitous Rider-Waite deck,this queen is depicted as sitting with her legs wantonly spread,suggesting promiscuous sexuality. She wears the three pronged crown,referring,once again,to the aforementioned trinity. This is a critical point,for although one aspect may attract,whilst another repels,all are intrinsic aspects of the whole,and hence,transcend judgment on the basis of any societal mores. This figure,therefore,represents one who is akin to a force of nature,incomprehensible to human sensibilities.
In her uniquely expressive deck,Barbara Walker shifts the connection with Kali to the less common Queen of Swords,illustrating her as squatting over the prone form of her lover,Shiva,whose entrails she is in the process of devouring. Walker describes Kali as:“…complex,swift acting,and given to acts apparently cruel,but logically necessary…”. Once again,it must be emphasized that,in the Hindu tradition,victim and tormentor are but aspects of the same entity,whose interaction is a cooperative one.
This card can represent a person with a fiery personality,intent on his or her own desires,and sometimes even a slave to them. It also reflects an image of the ever-defiant Amazon,who confronts,sometimes violently,any suggestion of limitation placed upon her based on gender. She is an individual of extraordinary creativity,and one who is deeply loyal and protective of what is hers. At her most extreme,as illustrated in this card,she is cruel,faithless and domineering;total self-expression,with a complete disregard of any societal norms. The Queen of Rods is impulsive,aggressive,and not easily satisfied in either love or anger. She is an individual who rejects all boundaries,including morality. She has a great need to be in charge,and sex is most often her source of power. Hence,this is often the card of a promiscuous individual.
2. Divinatory Implications
A person of great material ambitions and fiery personality,intent on his or her own desires,and possibly even a slave to them. An individual wanton or dissolute by societal norms. A control freak. Great feats of physical and psychic strength,both subject to misuse. One to whom “all the world’s a stage.”Persistent energy,but on one’s own terms. Someone of wild,manic energies,at once passionate and cruel. Instinct overshadowing restraint. Contemplation of truths too terrible for most mortals to face;the inevitable end that awaits us all.
3. Keywords
Sexual manipulation,promiscuity,domineeringness,personal gratification,yoga,ecstasy (possibly of a dangerous nature),sexual magic,illness,bad news,indecision,uncertainty regarding a project. self-justification,materialism,infidelity,abuse of power,vanity,snobbishness. Stifled energy.
4. Reversals
This reversal can be interpreted as emphasizing the negative aspects of the card,or,alternatively,as a general negation of the qualities of the upright. In the former sense,it can indicate pride without nobility,magical principles applied to personal gratification and petty or unworthy ends,instinct overshadowing restraint,domineeringness,self-justification,abuse of power or position,and an totally amoral individual. It suggests a person who is self centered,overbearing,angry,or even hysterical. Revenge without righteous cause,ill-considered fury,promiscuity,infidelity,deceit,vanity,snobbery,and violent predatory forces are also indicated. A destructive force,unchecked and unbalanced may be at work.
In the alternative sense,it can suggest someone who is a slave to convention,or who fears that their own energies,once released,might become uncontrollable. It can also indicate stifled energy,frustrated ambitions,or a propensity to be easily deceived by emotional arguments or causes. Cynical propriety is another possibility.
5. Artistic Interpretations
The Queen of Rods suggests to me a necessity to expand my perspectives and explore all aspects of a critical issue. I am inclined to step back and question whether my interpretation of some aspect of a current project is too conventional,to restrictive,or too provincial. Do I need to just cut loose,abandon restraint,and ‘go with the flow’? Am I censuring myself in service to societal propriety? Am I fearful of exposing some dark corner of myself that might result in negative judgment by others?