Imagine what it must feel like to paint the ocean with fluid strokes and a steady hand. The cup you offer to others - is it empty? Overflowing? You can create the rhythm that your heart beats to. 

October is brewing, and the card of the month is the King of Cups! This is a court card, along with the Queens, Knights and pages. The representation of human energy is captured more so in the court cards than in the rest of the deck. They all have personalities, zodiac signs, and quirks that may reflect someone in your life- or yourself! One of the coolest things I learned from my tarot teacher, Maribeth, were the alternative names for the court cards. These names are stemmed from two of the four elements that each card equates. 

Let me break it down for you: Each suit has its own element attached to it, which delivers the meaning in a more specific way depending on the qualities of each one. The same is true for the Court archetypes! 

Cups = Water | Wands = Fire | Swords = Air | Pentacles = Earth

Queens = Water | Kings = Fire | Knights = Air | Pages = Earth 

For example: The Queen of Pentacles is also known as Water of Earth. The court element being Water, and the suit element being Earth. Now we automatically know that we are dealing with the emotional qualities of Water, and the practical qualities of Earth in one card. Since the suit element in this example is Earth, this Queen is an Earth zodiac sign (Capricorn). 

More examples: The Page of Swords translates to Earth of Air. The Knight of cups translates to Air of water. The King of Wands translates to Fire of Fire. 

I hope this mini Court-card lesson detour is helpful to you! If we can understand the four elements, we can understand Tarot. 

Ok, let’s turn our attention back to the King of Cups - also known as (feel free to yell this out) : Fire of Water! This King has a very strong presence- he emanates the power of fire, and the compassion of water. Draped in blue, yellow and red robes, he sits in the middle of the sea, but upon a sturdy cement-looking block. He holds a chalice and a sceptre in his hands, and wears a fish pendant around his neck. He embodies emotional stability, control, and authority. Have you ever met someone who is strikingly in control of their own emotions? It’s a very hard thing to do, but this King has mastered it over the course of his lifetime. Also- he is a Scorpio, and the Sun enters Scorpio this month! I love synchronicity! When the King of Cups appears, he lets it be known that our personal power is being looked at. His influence is to establish boundaries, get in tune with our emotional bodies, and to weave our logic and intuition together in order to make healthy decisions. If you are looking at the card, notice how turbulent the ocean waves look- and now look at how sturdy he sits on that piece of foundation. This represents acceptance of feelings, and ability to keep our cool amongst chaos. Although this King is a stable, orderly man, he does not lack compassion. His presence is fatherly- he offers wise, caring advice that can chip away our mental blockages. As an artist, I like to meditate on this card when I experience creative blocks. This King has a creative brain and a knack for finding the "deeper meaning".

This month, let’s ask ourselves a few key questions. Am I handling chaotic situations with grace and maturity? Am I suppressing any feelings or emotions that feel uncomfortable? Have I established healthy boundaries with loved ones? Am I able to hold space for myself or for others who need an emotional release? Meditate and evaluate, just like the King of Cups. The Scorpion energy that arises in October can feel intense, maybe even mysterious. Use the power of the King of Cups to secure your emotional stability before heading into darker territory.

KING OF CUPS 

Astro Ruler: Scorpio

Element: Water

Stone: Sodalite, Amethyst 

Your tools: Control, compassion, stability, wisdom   

Consider the song “Bron-Yr-Aur” by Led Zeppelin. Get lost in it!

XOXO, Tate