Welcome back to Everyday Tarot! Season 16 is devoted to queer deities, and today, we turn to Athena—patron of Athens, goddess of wisdom, warfare, art, and reason. 

In this episode, we'll explore her myth, queerness, and resonances with tarot archetypes of clarity, leadership, and disciplined creativity.

What we explore in this episode:

• The myth of Athena

• Athena as a queer deity

Born fully armed from Zeus’s head after he swallowed Metis, Athena is the patron of Athens, keeper of the owl and the aegis, mistress of crafts and counsel. She champions heroes, founds institutions, arbitrates disputes, and weds wisdom to wartime strategy, shaping civic life through skill, order, and foresight.

Athena as a Queer Deity

Athena’s queerness shows up as chastity and virginity, in some traditions, and as an asexual or aromantic archetype in modern readings—sovereign over her body, uninterested in compulsory pairings. 

As a gender-nonconforming warrior-scholar who privileges intellect, craft, and civic duty, she stands with those outside rigid roles: queer, trans, ace/aro, and anyone claiming autonomy and self-definition as sacred.

Tarot & Athena

In tarot, Athena appears wherever reason meets courage: cards of justice, tradition, and piercing clarity. She calls us to disciplined creativity and just leadership, where truth is sharpened by practice, and courage guided by reason.

• Queen of Swords - clarity, candor, independent thought

• Emperor - strategic leadership, structure, governance

• Hierophant - tradition, institutional wisdom, learning by practice

If you haven't listened to my other seasons yet, go check them out!

💭 Today's Tarot Pull:

From Norse Goddess Rune Oracle by Rebecca Joy Stark and illustrated by Sharon McLeod, I pulled the Brynhild Self-Awareness, Consumption, Engulfment

It calls us to face the shadows we avoid, to free ourselves from overwhelm, and to honor the discipline required for real creation.

Reflective prompts on this card:

• Where am I burning the candle at both ends, and what boundary restores balance?

• What skill or study deserves structured, consistent practice right now?

Ways to Connect & Support

• Tarot for Transformation Live Course: In this offer we will be deep diving into the Major Arcana to Discover Our Best Selves and Create a Life Worth Living. Check out more details here! 

• Tarot Card Creation Workshop: No art skills? No worries! I walk you through my method of collaging your own tarot cards. This includes an hour long recorded walk through by me, examples of the tarot cards I’ve created, journaling questions, and PDF workbook for just $33.⁠ Click here to purchase now!⁠

• New Moon in Libra Collective Tarot Reading Replay

• Patreon: For individual readings, and behind-the-scenes peeks, join the⁠ Every Day Tarot Patreon family⁠.

• Newsletter: Get my⁠ FREE 2025 5-Card Tarot Spread PDF⁠ + magic straight to your inbox.

• Check out my ⁠Let’s Talk Tarot Meetup group⁠. Come chat with other tarot enthusiasts, bring your favorite decks and play with tarot and oracle decks with us!

• If you’re interested in celebrating the Full Moon I will be holding Full Moon Womxn’s Circles for the rest of 2025. Join my colleague, Izzy, and I under the glow of the full moon for an evening of connection, reflection, and ritual. We will be meeting at Threshold’s Collective in Tacoma, the first Sunday of the month to welcome in the full moon together. Upcoming dates: 11/2, and 12/7.

• Book a Consultation: I’m a sex & relationships therapist and coach working virtually from my home office. Let’s see if we’re a fit:⁠ camilleasaunders.com⁠