Queen of Growth + Transformation

Have you ever heard of the Magnum Opus? No, it's nothing to do with Mozart or Beethoven and isn't something you'll find on Spotify. It's an alchemical metaphor for the journey of self-discovery and spiritual progression. It involves facing and integrating one's shadow aspects, working through challenges, and transcending the limitations of the ego to attain higher levels of consciousness and union with the Divine.

The Magnum Opus is presented in four stages, each represented by a color - but also aligning with the four court cards in Tarot:

Negredo (Blackening): represents the initial state of the seeker, often referred to as the "prima materia" or the raw material. It is a state of darkness, ignorance, and imperfection, symbolizing the beginning of the spiritual journey. This represents the Page in the court cards.
Albedo (Whitening): signifies the purification of the individual. The seeker begins to cleanse themselves of impurities, negative traits, and limiting beliefs. It is a phase of self-awareness and transformation. This represents the Knight in the court cards.
Citrinitas (Yellowing): signifies a deepening of the transformation, as the purified material becomes more radiant and golden. It represents the development of wisdom, intuition, and spiritual insight. This represents the Queen in the court cards.
Rubendo (Reddening): represents the completion of the transformation, and the alchemist attains the philosopher's stone or gold. It represents the culmination of the spiritual journey, achieving enlightenment, and the union of opposites. This represents the King in the court cards.

I have always viewed the court cards in Tarot as steps in a progression. The Page starts out young, inexperienced, and enrolled in the energy and expectations that one day they will become King. They will step through each of the roles in the court as their experience and wisdom grows. This is not unlike the Magnum Opus of Alchemy.

Today's card - the Queen of Wands - is a clear embodiment of the Citrinitas stage of Alchemy. There are profound connections between the traits of the Queen of the Wands and what is achieved in Citrinitas.

Inner Fire and Illumination: The Queen of Wands is associated with passion, creativity, and a strong sense of self. They embody the element of fire (wands), representing the transformative power of desire and determination. Similarly, Citrinitas symbolizes illumination and wisdom. Both the Queen of Wands and Citrinitas reflect the journey of self-discovery, where inner fire leads to spiritual enlightenment and the revelation of deeper truths.
Gender-Fluid Energy: The Queen of Wands, as shown above in The Reclaimed Earth Tarot by St. Jinx Art, emphasizes that the Queen's nature transcends traditional gender roles. This notion aligns with the idea of Citrinitas, where alchemy seeks to integrate the masculine and feminine energies within an individual. Both represent an exploration of the wholeness of the human psyche, acknowledging that all individuals have access to both masculine and feminine character traits. This also represents the acceptance of the shadow self and recognizes its place as part of the unified experience
Transformation and Transmutation: The Queen of Wands embodies transformation, harnessing her passions and strengths to effect change in her life and the lives of others, although quietly and more subdued than the higher King. This transformation is no different than the alchemical process of transmutation, where base elements are transformed into gold or higher states of being. Citrinitas signifies where we gain insight and wisdom, transmuting our understanding and consciousness.
Leadership and Spiritual Growth: The Queen of Wands often serves as a leader and influencer, guiding others with her charismatic and confident energy. Citrinitas represents a mature phase of spiritual growth, where we gain clarity and a deeper understanding of our inner world and the universe. Both the Queen of Wands and Citrinitas signify advanced stages of personal development and leadership.

The concept of the union of masculine and feminine has always been obvious to me as a gay man, but taking it to a further level and understanding those energies on an emotional and spiritual level really made this card stand out for me today. If we can learn to embrace the qualities of both energies, our approach to life, relationships, politics, learning, and progression would be so much better balanced. We wouldn't have the crazy ego-driven politics we have today. Our parenting skills would be level (and on point) and conflict with our children (ad other contentious individuals in the world) would be lessened considerably.

I love the congruence between Tarot and Alchemy in relation to personal and spiritual growth. I naturally gravitated in that direction with Tarot (rather than traditional divination), and I am constantly awe-struck by how much it all makes sense to me.

What are your thoughts on Alchemy and Tarot? How about the use of Tarot for personal/spiritual growth? I find it so funny that some more-religiously-inclined people avoid Tarot because they see it as an occultist tool that will threaten the salvation of their soul when in reality, it could be something that helps make them a better person.