Queen of Cups

The Fool arrived at the feet of a Queen in a bricked room covered in hieroglyphics. Clad in a fine tunic, she wore a golden crown that had the head of an eagle swooping out from the brow. She was beautiful and she wore heavy make-up. She held a gold cup, and the Fool saw […]

The Fool arrived at the feet of a Queen in a bricked room covered in hieroglyphics. Clad in a fine tunic, she wore a golden crown that had the head of an eagle swooping out from the brow. She was beautiful and she wore heavy make-up. She held a gold cup, and the Fool saw a bow and arrow at her side.

Her smile was disarmingly nurturing. She put her hand on the Fool’s head and it brought  the Fool much comfort. He closed his eyes at the gesture and enjoyed the woman’s warm touch on his head. 

I love you, the Queen said. You are my favorite. 

The Fool felt further warmth to hear her say so. He settled his head on her knee as she played with his hair. He was an old man who wished to rest, and she provided him with great comfort. 

The chamber was a little claustrophobic. It was small, and made of limestone brick. The Fool tried to understand the hieroglyphics that were drawn all over the walls, but none of it made sense to him. He noticed there was no door.

I am the Great Royal Wife, she said. I want to teach you to hold space for others, even if you think you can’t.

The Fool settled back into the Queen’s lap. 

Always trust your intuition, she went on. When you read a person, trust your instinct. You will know how to hold space for them. You will know if they are a psychic vampire or in need of your empathy. 

It’s a gift to give, she said, but it’s a curse to expect.

There was a small hole in the ceiling where sunlight had created a beam. As the day went on, the beam followed a line up the floor and along the wall. It would highlight different hieroglyphics. As the Queen spoke, the Fool stared at the sun spot on the wall.

Sometimes all you have is your feeling, she went on, and if you don’t have any facts or reason available, this is what you will need to begin any endeavor. 

The spot of sunlight found its way to a circle with a dot in the middle. As the light centered on the dot, it activated something, and the walls around them opened up. Soon they were looking out into deep space. Stars were sprinkled across the inky blackness. The Fool saw pyramids all around them, floating. 

When the universe began, the Queen said, there was an explosion of light. Our hearts were trapped in pyramids. We must solve the puzzle of opening them, and then we can shine our light on the universe.

The Fool watched other pyramids open up to reveal a Fool and a Queen in each one. An infinite amount of Fools and Queens were having this experience. Each time, the world became more positive, more light, and more about love. 

The Fool became transfixed on the space before him. He saw planets, stars, nebulas, and comets. Small meteors went raining into the blackness. The infinite space before him was overwhelming. He was so small and insignificant. It seemed strange that it would be impossible to see everything that exists. 

The Queen walked up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. Together they watched the chaos of the universe unfolding in front of them. They saw how some laws were being broken while other laws got followed to the T. 

It’s knowing when to use chaos, the Queen said, and when to follow the lines. 

And then the Fool was standing somewhere else altogether. The world around him was much smaller and more finite – at least in its appearance.