Cult of Tarot Forum

Feeling a little frustrated today...I've done a few readings today using a RWS deck (Legacy of the Divine - just got it and so excited to use it) and I've had court cards turn up. I usually use Zen Osho where it's not a problem (I find them so easy to read). I've done a fair bit of reading the past few weeks about them trying to understand them, but still feel stuck when they turn up. They just don't seem so well defined as Major Arcana or minor cards to me. It seems even more nebulous when doing a reading about a matter, not a specific person.

So I was wondering how others deal with them and interpret them. I know you can look at them as influences etc. Still not helping much. I'm seriously considering removing them from all my RWS based decks!

What approach have you found that works for you? Do you have any tips/advice?

If you want non-personal meanings for the courts, it might help if you think of them as ideas. Some majors like The Empress, The Hermit, etc portray people yet you may not have any problem with them since you see them as archetypes and abstract concepts instead of personalities. Try to think of the courts in the same way.

For example, the Knight of Wands when seen as a character can stand for a young man who is determined, headstrong, and impassioned. As an impersonal notion it can stand for willpower, drive, tenacity, energy, etc.

For example, if it falls in the Obstacle position, an upright KnW can stand for willfullness, overconfidence, aggressiveness, an inability to reach consensus, etc. Reversed it can mean lack of energy in pursuing your goals, hesitance, indifference, etc.

Thanks Amoroso. I've tried doing that with a little success, still not quite there yet. I think I get a bit confused for some reason over what they represent in the first place, harder to pin down. I think I'll have to start simply and expand from there over time. I'll still continue to try and learn what I can about them:) They certainly are the most challenging cards!

If they're non-personal, they can be a number of things. Sometimes, they indicate the overall atmosphere of a time or place or relationship - the way people connect to each other. If there's a Knight of Swords atmosphere, you will feel totally different than if it's King of Pentacles or Page of Cups. It may help you to see them as "patrons and matrons" of the situation, how it feels overall.

Depending on the reading, a court card may show your way of dealing with a situation. (I believe we all have aspects of all the cards within us - each of the character traits is on a scale so even if you have a low "percentage" of Queen of Swords traits within you, they're there, and once in a while, they'll come out and dominate your reactions). You may even be surprised that you have it in you to react that way - or the cards tell you that you should activate your ability to be more assertive, more rational, maybe even more bitchy that you are usually.

Reading a bit about the different personality theories and how each of us sits at his/her own individual "crossing point" on the different scales has helped me see the court cards not only as persons but also as inpersonal cards.

Go back to basics. Look up the keywords for the suit(wands etc), look at the colours in the card particularly what our hero/heroine is wearing then look up what these colours symbolise, and adjust it to the non-personal interpretation.

And at first you needn't go any further than taking each court card as how developed something is. So say there is a question about a business, and the page of swords turns up: you can say it's a fledgling idea (page) but ideas are coming fast (swords). If it was the King of swords then you'd say this business has been planned, maturely risk assessed and is almost ready for the off. AS you start in such simple terms, you'll find other ideas unfurl as your mind starts to get used to the court cards abstract model.

Another good practice is how would you compare the interpretation of say the page of cups to the ace of cups if for example they both came up as feelings. They'd both be the very start of affection, the first rumblings of feelings, but the page would be gentler, more stable, not so wild and the feelings would appear very much more human.
All court cards give a very much human feeling to the situation, even to an event, advice, etc... for example a court card may mean that the person had experiences like this before, or be able to relate to a situation on a more human level etc.

I see all sixteen court cards as being aspects of, and making up one person (32 if you add the reverse). The characteristics of the different court cards are either exaggerated, balanced in the well-adjusted person, or repressed -- it can depend on a time in a person's life, or it can be affected by moods & on a more day-to-day basis. For example if your love life is going well you will get the fuzzy page of cups, or knight of wands, or queen of cups then if it goes wrong the next week then you will be a hard-faced bastard like the King of cups reversed or the Queen of swords.

Thank you everyone, really helpful advice:)

I used to have that problem, too. Then somebody posted (on AT) the age ranges each Court represents. I'll post those now but I don't remember the other person's wording, but that's probably best, anyway.

Page: A Page is about 12 or 13 years old. They were used in the old days as messengers. They ran errands and carried messages. In the old days, there was no mail service or anything. In a reading, that's not personal, just think how the "messenger" would feel about it, do it, etc.

Knight: The Knight covers the teens. A teenager is learning and doing all things as he grows into an adult. He might fight battles and whatever else a Knight does in the court. Ages 12 to 18 I'd say.

Queen: The Queens ran the domestic affairs of the castle, were expected to produce heirs, etc. This would be a fully mature person of anywhere from 18 on in age.

King: Well, we all know what the King does. He governs his kingdom, tries to help the Queen produce heirs---especially sons--bosses the Knights around and expects the Knight to fulfill his duties with bravery and good judgment.

If you stop and think when you see a court card, you can translate it into the message the cards have for you. For instance, if you're reading about a business, what comes to mind if a Page appears? That might say this particular business is new and/or isn't well-organized and established yet. It's not sophisticated and polished.

I almost never interpret court cards as representing a specific person. I usually find myself interpreting them as either archetypes I could be leaning into, or as trusted advisors who are asking me questions I need to consider. I like decks that rename the courts for that reason too, it helps me think about the fullness of the archetype.