Pathworking with the Queen of Pentacles

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Leeza Robertson, author of the new Tarot Court Cards for Beginners.

It is no secret that I use many and varied techniques to deepen my relationship with the tarot. From spell-work to journaling to meditation, I am always gathering new tools to take me deeper into the blessings and challenges of the cards. One of my favorite techniques is pathworking. For me, pathworking with the cards not only allows me to take a journey with them but also through them. It is as if I am standing literally in their shoes navigating my life experience through them, giving me the position of the detached observer.

The court cards of the tarot are especially good for this, as they are actual people. This means that while I am taking my pathworking journey I get to pretend to be a page, or a knight, or (in today’s example) a queen. Today I step into the shoes of the Queen of Pentacles.

The first thought that comes to my mind when I think about literally stepping into the shoes of the Queen of Pentacles is how uncomfortable they are going to be. The Queen of Pentacles in Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot wears simple sandals that have a small strap that goes up between her toes. I hate that. Shoes like that cause me pain and irritate my feet. I mean, how can I enjoy my journey into the queen’s garden if my mind is constantly filled with angry messages from my feet?

This is a fabulous lesson from the Queen, for she asks, “Are you allowing petty bodily irritations to distract you from more important work? You have bigger things to imagine, visualize, and create than your feet.” This question will be perfect to dive more deeply into during a journaling session. For now, I stay focused on being in the garden.

As I continue my journey into the Queen’s garden, I notice a slight breeze tickle my cheeks and ears. I allow it to clear my mind somewhat and find my way to the Queen’s thrown. I sink into it and notice how strong and supportive feels. From up here, I feel confident and secure. I gaze out over the Queen’s garden, and realize that this garden didn’t just happen—it was deliberately created. And deliberate creation means doing the work, the important work to make it manifest into the physical world. When I think about doing all of that unfinished work my mind goes back to my angry, irritated feet.

I close my eyes and take a deep breathe as the wind blows another pass over my ears. I decide to kick off the shoes and just get on with it. Just like the Queen of Pentacles, I am not going to let something so petty as uncomfortable shoes to derail me. I stand up, barefooted, pentacle in hand. “I have work to do,” I say out loud, and now I must end this journey. I thank the Queen for sharing this space and honor her lesson.

This is a really quick example of a pathworking process. It is short, simple, and powerful. Just remember that when you do this process you leave the deep dive stuff for your journal. Just walk the in the shoes and take the journey, even if it’s short, and leave the analysis for later.

Our thanks to Leeza for her guest post! For more from Leeza Robertson, read her article, “The Karmic Family Tarot Spread.”