This article continues my series on the Court Cards. For some background information on this series, see "The Tarot Court, Part I: The Kings of Tarot."

For this series, we are looking at the Court Cards as representing other people involved in the situation that the querent is asking about. People describe the Queens as representing nurturing or an internal expression of the suit. In other words, someone who can provide needed help or advice.

While any Court Card can have negative qualities when reversed or ill-dignified, when upright and well-aspected, I think getting a Queen in a reading is like having a Fairy Godmother visit. More than any of the other Court Cards, the Queens actually want to help the querent. They have the desire, and they also have the wisdom and oftentimes the power to do so. Although much of the time their influence is wielded behind the scenes, it is nonetheless powerful.

Gaining a Queen's favor is not always easy, though. Queens can inexplicably take a liking to someone, solicitously offering help. Or they could just as easily take a dislike to someone, playing instead the role of an enemy.

All the Queens can play the role of friend, mentor, cheerleader, and role model. They enjoy being recognized for their skills and experience. In exchange, they can offer advice and help. Each Queen has her own areas of specialty.

The Queen of Wands
The Queen of Wands is known for her strong sense of self, commanding presence, and charm. She is like a magnet; people cannot help but be drawn to her. Her personal power and strong will are clear; she understands these characteristics and knows how to use them. In addition, she wishes to help others find these traits within themselves and learn to use them as well. In fact, she is often the person encouraging someone else to take an action, to be bold, to be brave. If someone seems hesitant or claims to not be ready for such a step, she often thinks they just need to be pushed harder. While she truly does want people to feel empowered, she is also highly motivated by her own agenda. If she is working on a plan, she'll do what she can to get everyone involved.

The Queen of Cups
The Queen of Cups delights in relationships, intimate connections, and deep emotional ties. She feels things deeply and expresses them openly. This characteristic can make people feel either comfortable or wary. As an advisor, she is very skilled at sensing or intuiting the energies of a situation as well as understanding the feelings of others involved. She is also something of muse, being particularly interested in the arts and all creative endeavors. This Queen is among the most supportive and helpful, although she can also be the most needy. Her assistance is based on relationship and relationships demand upkeep and care. Her help may come at a cost which the recipient will have to weigh against the benefit.

The Queen of Swords
The Queen of Swords will probably be one of the smartest people you know. She combines innate intelligence with wisdom gleaned from life experience—both good times and bad. Her particular areas of expertise include problem solving, communication issues, and forming strategies. If there is a goal you wish to achieve, she is the one to consult because making plans is one of the joys of her life. This Queen has another useful skill. She is adept at seeing the truth very clearly. If she sees deceit, she has no qualms about exposing it, sometimes with painful bluntness. Ironically, while she is very interested in truth, she does know that words can spin truth and create new versions of reality (and she can be very convincing). If it serves her purposes, she will do just that, so always double-check her suggestions against your own logic before jumping in.

The Queen of Pentacles
The Queen of Pentacles may be one of the most productive people in your life. Nothing delights her more than checking things off a list and having something to show for her efforts at the end of the day. At her best, she brings a sense of beautiful efficiency and effectiveness to any situation. In some ways she may compare unfavorably to the other Queens who may seem to accomplish things with more style, more elegance, or more speed. However, the Queen of Pentacles will make sure that every detail is attended to and every resource is used wisely. She is, above all else, practical and resourceful. If you need lemons made into lemonade, this Queen will work utter magic.

In Part 1 of the series, we took a look at the Kings of the Tarot.

In Part 3 of this series, we' ll take a look at the Knights of Tarot.

In Part 4 of the series, we'll take a look at the Pages of Tarot.