Queen of Cups
Upright Meaning
The Queen gazes at an ornate closed cup — the only figure in the court cards whose cup has a lid, suggesting emotions she holds sacred and private. Her throne sits at the water's edge, feet touching the waves but not submerged. She is the master of emotional depth: feeling everything without drowning. The Queen of Cups represents deep intuition, empathetic wisdom, and the ability to hold space for others' pain while maintaining her own center.
Reversed Meaning
Reversed, the Queen of Cups loses her boundaries. She absorbs others' emotions until she can't tell which feelings are hers. Compassion becomes co-dependency; nurturing becomes martyrdom. The cup's lid comes off and the waters rise. If this is you, the card asks urgently: who is holding space for you while you hold space for everyone else?
Quick Reference
- Arcana
- minor
- Suit
- cups
- Number
- 13
- Element
- 💧 Water