The Queen's Scepter Tarot Spread

I visited Lunaea Weatherstone's blog:  http://ssbpriestess.typepad.com/lunaea/ and came across a tarot spread (see her April 24th post) that I felt drawn to try, The Queen's Scepter Spread. This spread is about how one will fulfill what the Goddess intends one will do. She has this to say: "I believe that each of us comes into this life with a promise to keep. We promise to fulfill our destiny. It may not be earth-changing, but it is soul-shaping. By the time you reach your Queen years, you have at least laid the foundation for that destiny, but the very fact that you are still here tells you that it is not complete. Unlike Victoria and Elizabeth, you and I were not born queens. The Queen stage of your life has come after many years of focusing on yourself and on others. Now you have a new duty, to look at the larger destiny with which you have been blessed. Will you, like Victoria, be good? Will you dedicate yourself, like Elizabeth, offering yourself sincerely for the rest of your life? Now, as you look toward your Crone years from your queenly vantage point, consider what remains to be accomplished. What is your spirit yearning to undertake?"


Hmm! Sounds like just the information I need because the past year and a half has brought so many changes to my life. And... most recently I am being drawn to make some changes in the way I practice my craft.


Five cards are drawn and laid vertically from bottom to top. My results are interesting and confusing at the same time, but speak strongly about several areas of my life.

I used a newly acquired deck, The Paulina Tarot (www.paulina.ws - a wonderful artist) - I am very drawn to this deck, the images really speak to me and I see a great deal in them. I chose a sixth card, in addition to the five Lunaea suggests, just to pull it all together because I felt strongly inclined to do so - 4 of the 6 cards are pentacles - interesting as they are more about the physical, yet their meanings SO apply to this situation. I placed a significator card to the side - The Queen of Swords.

1. What I was born to do:

Nine of Pentacles - Here is a garden of magic radiating light from the pentacles. Abundance in the garden of my life and being in the company of loved ones and needing their love. Leo energy, born to succeed  as well as enjoying the fruits of my labor. I see, in this card, the maternal priestess - is this what I am meant to be? I feel that I need to appreciate and believe in the gifts I have been given - I am living what I am meant to do.

2. How I have received this divine duty:

Queen of Wands - She stands with a very large cat behind her ( Leo energy?) a tree sprouts from her head and her wand is tipped with what appears to be a sunflower. Enthusiasm, determination. I have been given all that Leo energy and the strong personality it gives to go forward as a priestess. Many gifts including protection, cunning... what else and why?

3. How I can better grasp and understand my duty:

The Fool - Discovery of one's individual path, new beginnings/infinite possibilities and optimism, adventure. Not so strange that this card shows up in this position as I am taking a new direction with my practice, one that I think will enhance my workings and set me where I need to be. This card shows me that I will be the child, possibly irresponsible and inexperienced in this new place so I will have to be cautious. That being said, the divine duty is to follow through, keep going, find the way.

4. The power that is increasing within me now:

Ten of Pentacles - A woman whose dress is decorated with pentacles as well as holding one. A gift - the pentacle being held - from the ancestors (of my way?) Abundance, prosperity, comfort and good fortune, flourishing ventures - all of which can apply to many areas of my life right now, but perhaps indicating that this turning off onto another branch of my path is surely the right choice. That on this path I will find what I am looking for and the energy will be positive and enlightening.

5. How I can best fulfill my queenly duty from this point on:

Four of Pentacles - She sits alone in her tree, a pentacle clasped close to her heart, alone, aloof - no leaves on this tree. No risk, no gain. Material gain and love of power, protection of investments, isolation, blocking change. Being very set in my ways, perhaps I need to overcome those blockages in order to continue and fulfill what the Lady has set on my path. Am I destined to remain alone in these endeavors? Even so, I need to jump into it - that is how I will fulfill the duty set for me.

A card to bring it all together:

Ace of Pentacles - Almost a tree-like being rising up, swirling, a little nest of eggs, many birds rising with the figure, lots of red berries or buds on the branches. Fresh ideas, inspiration, prosperity, energy, admiration & accomplishment. Not a bad card to finish up with. The energy of this card is security and prosperity - following this path will bring that security? I am a seed that is sprouting on this journey.

As a witch with a deep affinity for the Land, I so identify with the physical world - trees, forest, garden, plants, stones, etc - yet in that physical is the mystical and the many doorways to the other worlds. Is that why I chose all those pentacles? These results require more study for me to truly understand them.

Blessings nine!