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When the Queen of Swords appears in a reading, it may represent someone you know or characteristics within you. The card represents the qualities of the Suit of Swords alongside the feminine energy of Queens. In this article, I will look at the different ways we can interpret the Queen of Swords and what it might mean for you.
The Queen of Swords Keywords
Upright Keywords
- Honesty
- Truth
- Independence
- Perceptiveness
- Fairness
- Communication
- Solving Problems
Reversed Keywords
- Cruel
- Over-emotional
- Critical
- Manipulative
- Unforgiving
What Is the Deal With Court Cards?
Before we get deep into the meaning of the Queen of Swords, I thought it might be useful to briefly look at court cards. Court cards refer to the sixteen cards that are divided into each suit. Each suit in a traditional Tarot deck has a King, Queen, Knight, and Page.
Now, court cards can be pretty confusing. Even if you have practiced Tarot for a long time, you can sometimes still be stumped when a court card appears in a reading!
This is because the court cards don’t have a more concrete meaning like other cards. Court cards can refer to a person, yourself, or an influence. This means it is up to you to use your intuition in order to work out what the Tarot is trying to tell you.
We can also get a bit thrown off by the gender and ages of the cards. However, when a King appears in a reading, it doesn’t mean that it necessarily represents a man. It may represent a masculine energy that you need to manifest in your life.
Similarly, getting the Page of Cups in a Tarot reading may refer to a young child, but it might also suggest that someone with childlike energy will soon come into your life.
In order to fully understand what the court cards are telling you, try to remove the constraints of age and gender from the cards and understand the energy and symbolism that the court cards might mean.
Imagery and Symbolism of the Queen of Swords Tarot Card
In order to really understand a Tarot card, it is useful to sit with the card and look at its imagery and symbolism. The majority of traditional Tarot decks, such as the Rider-Waite deck, have the meaning of the card reflected in the picture. We can also look at what the symbolism means for us, and what feelings we get when meditating with the card.
In the traditional Rider-Waite depiction of the Queen of Swords, we see a monarch sitting on a grand throne. A sword is in one hand, and the other is raised upwards towards the sky. She is faced towards the right, looking onwards into her future.
On her throne is a cherub, hinting at her tender nature. She holds a sword and is proactive in her search for the truth, but she is also in tune with her emotions.
The Queen of Swords is wearing a cape decorated with clouds, matching her surroundings. This reflects her intellect and her motivation for discovery.
The Suit of Swords
Because the Queen of Swords represents the feminine side of the suit, we should take a look at the qualities of the Suit of Swords.
The Suit of Swords represents the intellect and our pursuit of knowledge. It asks us to use our minds to guide us and to try to understand the world rationally. The Suit of Swords contains quite a few ‘negative’ cards and these reflect the challenges we face throughout our lives. The Tarot asks us to step back, look at things rationally, and work out how we can use our intellect in order to move forward.
The Suit of Swords is represented by the element of air, depicted on the cloak of the Queen of Swords. Like air, our thoughts can transform and change and can be productive and destructive.
The Queens in Tarot
In Tarot, the Queens embody femininity and feminine qualities. They have a great sense of care and protection, with a wish to help others with their abilities.
They are mature and understanding, with knowledge of both themselves and the world around them. They are subtle, yet powerful, and know what to do in order to progress their lives.
Upright Queen of Swords Meaning
The Queen of Swords is an extremely powerful card, with the intellectual prowess of the Suit of Swords and the feminine and caring qualities of the Queens. When appearing in a Tarot reading, the Queen of Swords might refer to a person in your life, or as something in your own personality that you need to work on or celebrate.
Let’s look at the different ways we can interpret the upright Queen of Swords and what this card might mean for you.
Upright Queen of Swords as a Person
The Queen of Swords represents an older, wiser, and thoughtful woman. She is ambitious and knows what to do in order to get what she wants, and is often successful in her career. She has experienced a lot in her life, and her ups and downs have shaped who she is as a person.
The Queen of Swords appearing in a Tarot reading might suggest that this kind of person will appear in your life in a positive way. They may help you in your career or love life, giving you thoughtful yet emotional advice. She enjoys helping others see things clearly, especially if they are younger and at the start of their journey in life.
She might sometimes come off as brash, but the Queen of Swords knows the importance of tough love. If she needs to say something, she will.
Upright Queen of Swords as an Influence
The Queen of Swords appearing in a Tarot reading doesn’t necessarily refer to a person. It might be asking you to learn from the characteristics of the Queen of Swords and use them in your own life.
The Queen of Swords suggests that you are an intellectual and strong-minded person. It reminds you of the importance of thinking independently and using your mind in order to figure things out. However, the Queen of Swords does not want you to forget about your tender side. You are caring and compassionate, and you must remember to balance your emotions with your intellect.
The Queen of Swords has a powerful message: you are strong and powerful, and your willpower will allow you to progress and be successful in life.
Upright Queen of Swords Love Meaning
If the Queen of Swords pops up upright in a love meaning, the Tarot might refer to a person in your life who reflects the qualities of the Queen of Swords. This person is strong-willed and loyal, and will have a positive influence on you. Of course, they might be a bit reserved with their emotions, but they will care about you deeply.
The Queen of Swords in a love reading might also serve as a reminder of the importance of having your own independence in a relationship. Like the Queen of Swords, you need to think independently and not let your partner decide things for you. Boundaries are really important in a healthy relationship, and the Tarot is wishing to remind you of this.
Upright Queen of Swords Career and Money Meaning
If the Queen of Swords appears in a career reading, it will often suggest that a person who embodies the characteristics of the card will appear in your life to help you with your work. This person might be an older woman who wishes to support you with your career, giving you helpful advice.
The Queen of Swords might also reflect you in a career reading. You are at a great point in life right now in regard to work and know how to cooperate with others in order to get ahead. You are sharp-minded, and you must use this at work to carry on with your journey.
When it comes to finances, the upright Queen of Swords reminds you to act thoughtfully in regard to money. Make sure you have clarity before investing in anything and keep track of your outgoings and income.
Upright Queen of Swords Health Meaning
When it comes to health, the Queen of Swords asks you to address any issues that you have been ignoring. There may be anxiety or sadness that you have been repressing, so it is super important to let it out and accept these emotions!
The Queen of Swords puts her mind and intellect above anything else, and this means that emotions will sometimes take a back seat. But, in order to truly be happy, we must address any emotions that we might be repressing.
Reversed Queen of Swords Meaning
When the Queen of Swords appears reversed in a Tarot reading, it may reflect a negative person that is influencing your life, or something within you that you need to be aware of. It will often suggest that you, or this person, are not using their intellect in a positive way. Instead, they are being over-emotional or cruel.
Reversed Queen of Swords as a Person
The reversed Queen of Swords represents a mean-spirited and unkind person. She will lack compassion for those around her, and act quickly and thoughtlessly.
The reversed Queen of Swords doesn’t know how to handle their emotions. They will either be cold-hearted, or over-emotional and will frequently change between the two. They are often unreasonable and lack awareness of how their behavior affects those around them.
If the reversed Queen of Swords appears in a Tarot reading, it may serve as a warning to avoid this sort of person in your life.
Reversed Queen of Swords as an Influence
If the reversed Queen of Swords does not seem to reflect a person, it may be asking you to address the characteristics of her within you.
Do you struggle with balancing emotions? Can you sometimes be cruel to those around you? Do you let your emotions rule, not seeing things in a balanced and rational way?
The reversed Queen of Swords is asking you that you must pay attention to how you balance your emotions with your intellect. You are strong-minded and have the ability to become successful and confident. However, you just need to spend some time working on keeping your emotions in check, whilst allowing yourself to express them in a healthy and productive way.
Reversed Queen of Swords Love Meaning
When the Queen of Swords pops up reversed in a love reading, it may signify an issue with the person you are dating. Is this person treating you fairly, giving you the respect and space that you need?
The reversed Queen of Swords will typically reflect a dysfunctional relationship in a love reading. Either you or the person you are in a relationship with is relying too much on their partner, and it is beginning to be controlling. You or your partner might be manipulative with your emotions, putting too much pressure on the relationship.
It is time to take a step back from your partner and work out what you need to do in order to be healthy and happy with or without them. Work on how you deal with your emotions, and figure out how you might be unhealthily projecting on your partner.
Reversed Queen of Swords Career and Money Meaning
If the reversed Queen of Swords appears in a career reading, it suggests that someone in your workspace is being too critical and unhelpful. Someone seems to be wanting to bring you down constantly, always digging at you. This may be because they are jealous and feel threatened by your skills and ambition.
Stay positive with this person and remind yourself that you can get ahead in your career without them. Soon, they will get bored and move on.
In regard to finances, the reversed Queen of Swords suggests that you lack true understanding and this may run the risk of you losing money. Always be wary if someone asks to borrow money from you, and never throw money at things if you can’t afford to.
Reversed Queen of Swords Health Meaning
When appearing reversed in a health reading, the Queen of Swords suggests that you may be avoiding tackling certain issues. It is time to put some thought into your health and work out if there is anything you need to address.
The Queen of Swords Tarot Card: FAQs
Now we have a deep understanding of the Queen of Swords, we can look at some FAQs you might have about this card.
Question: Is the Queen of Swords a Yes or No Card?
Answer: Because of the general positivity of the Queen of Swords, it normally is understood as being a yes card.
Question: What Zodiac Sign is the Queen of Swords?
The Queen of Swords is linked to both the zodiac signs Virgo and Libra.
Question: What Does the Queen of Swords Mean in a Past Position?
When appearing in a past position, the Queen of Swords suggests that you have come to where you are through logic and intellect. You have made good choices in your life, and have always acted wisely and thoughtfully.
Question: What Does the Queen of Swords Mean in a Future Position
If the Queen of Swords appears in a future position, it suggests that you have the ability to make logical and productive decisions in the future, as long as you keep your emotions in check.
Allow The Queen of Swords to Guide You
The Queen of Swords is a powerful and beautiful card. It celebrates the intellect and femininity and teaches us the importance of using our minds to help those around us. Whether the Queen of Swords represents you or someone in your life, learn from this Tarot card in order to move forward on your spiritual and emotional journey.
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