Welcome back to Everyday Tarot! Season 16 is devoted to queer deities, and today, we turn to Aphrodite—goddess of love, sex, beauty, and fertility.
What we explore in this episode:
The myth of Aphrodite
Aphrodite as a queer deity
Tarot cards resonant with Aphrodite: The Empress, The Lovers, Two of Cups
The Myth of AphroditeLong before she was the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite was a fusion of older deities—Ishtar, Astarte, and Inanna—goddesses of war, fertility, and cosmic power. She was not simply beauty or romance, but the force of life itself: ruling birth, death, art, and desire. Born from sea foam after Uranus’s severed body fell into the waves, Aphrodite emerged fully formed from both masculine and feminine origins. She was worshiped from Cyprus to Rome as Venus, Queen of Heaven and Sea, goddess of pleasure and fate.
Aphrodite as a Queer DeityAphrodite’s queerness shines through her multiplicity. In Cyprus, statues depict her with both beard and breasts, embodying gender fluidity long before modern language for it existed. Ancient writers called her Aphroditos, the male aspect of the goddess, honored through cross-dressing rituals where men wore women’s garments and women wore men’s.
Aphrodite & Tarot
Aphrodite’s energy appears throughout the tarot wherever beauty, balance, and intimacy unfold. Together, these cards celebrate Aphrodite’s lesson: that love, in all its forms, is revolutionary.
The Empress - creative abundance and self love, sensual pleasure as divine expression
The Lovers - union and choice, the sacred mirror between self and other
Two of Cups - connection and emotional openness
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 Sygn Stillness, Pause, Presence
This rune invites us to slow down and savor the moment. Love is not always pursuit or passion; sometimes it’s presence.
Reflective prompts on this card:
Where can I slow down and make space for beauty today?
How do I express love through stillness rather than striving?
What does embodiment mean to me right now?
Ways to Connect & Support:
