Tarot card meanings are not prescribed, but rather a tool for you to introspect. Their archetypes and symbolism have profound messages that will resonate with you, and guide you in different ways depending on the card.
The best way to do this is by following our tarot guides, which go through each card’s messages. This Minor Arcana card in the Rider-Waite deck is no different, and much like the other Swords suit cards, it’s all about intellect and communication. So, let’s dive into this positively feminist card filled with wisdom and independence!
Queen of Swords Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Honest, independent, principled, fair, constructive criticism, objective, perceptive
Reversed card (keywords)
Pessimistic, malicious, manipulative, harsh, bitter, spiteful, cruel, deceitful, unforgiving
The Queen of Swords Tarot Card Description
If you use the Rider-Waite tarot deck, you have noticed that the Suit of Swords contains themes of intellect. The Queen of Swords tarot card meaning branches out from this, but with a female-led embodiment of independence.
The Queen of Swords tarot card has a commanding presence. The Queen sits on her stone throne, which has carvings of both cherubs and butterflies, symbolizing a softer, nurturing side beneath her stateswoman-like presence.
She has a forward-looking glaze that is both piercing and decisive. Her right hand holds the sword upright, symbolizing the pursuit of justice, while her left hand is extended out for guidance. The sky behind her is both light and dark in places, reflecting the sorrows she has endured to reach her moment of clarity. The wind in the trees is also a nod to the elements of Air, which are associated with communicative intellect.
With this reading, whether you identify as a female or not isn’t relevant. Within all of us, both feminine and androgynous traits arise and are needed to remain well-rounded.
The Queen of Swords Upright Meaning
The upright Queen of Swords is an expression of clarity and independence. This card may appear when you’re called to cut through confusing situations with more honesty and fairness. The Queen represents logic and truth over emotions, and this is the message to you—set more boundaries and stand firm on your moral and intellectual convictions. Perhaps you’re in need of offering constructive criticism, and this card guides you to do it in a fair, honest manner.
Love Meaning
Your love life may require more honest communication or mutual respect, be it on your dates or with your long-term partner. The upright Queen’s love tarot reading does have a particular message for singles though, which is to remain self-sufficient when choosing a partner. This Queen values a clear thought process in choosing your partner based on intellectual compatibility more than fleeting passion.
Career Meaning
Since this card is all about high standards, you may have correctly guessed that it is a good thing for your career path and has a strong message. The Ice Queen embodies sharp decision-making and is wise beyond her years, and this translates to encouraging you to find the truth of a situation. Are you happy with your work? Is there unnecessary drama within the work environment? There’s a need to get to the heart of the matter, but it may be a call to seek out a mentor or colleague to help guide you toward success.
Finances Meaning
When it comes to financial matters, the upright Queen of Swords begs you to remain logical and strategic. Just as she thinks with clarity, there is an urge to focus on long-term stability over short-term pleasures. If your financial situation is volatile, this is a message to seek out a more maternal approach to your finances. New beginnings lay ahead if you remain level-headed with the big, important decisions.
The Queen of Swords Reversed Card Meaning
The reversed Queen of Swords represents an unfortunate imbalance when it comes to emotions. Just as the Queen in an upright position is a mentor with constructive criticisms, the reversed position has a tendency to be overly critical or bitter. This may indicate a lack of empathy within you or a struggle with direct communication. This is a call to reflect on whether past wounds are influencing your criticisms and approach to those around you.
Love Meaning
In a love tarot reading, the reversed Queen of Swords suggests that you may have a coldness or poor communication. If you’re partnered, it may mean a lack of understanding between you and your partner—perhaps you use harsh words or have unresolved conflicts. For singles, this card is a warning against being overly critical when it comes to finding a new partner.
Career Meaning
The reversed Queen means that you may have a sharp tongue in your work environment if those around you are creating a toxic atmosphere. This message here is about being supportive to others—a cool, calming influence—and this is what you will receive in return. Negative personality traits like bitterness or cynicism are cyclical, and it is on us to break that cycle.
Finances Meaning
Your financial situation is likely a result of making impulsive decisions or fear-driven mistakes. Financial mismanagement is possibly coming from an unnecessary cynicism or lack of planning, and this card wants you to assess your current situation honestly and regain control using logic.
Other Cards With The Queen of Swords
The Queen of Swords is a problem solver that is associated with the element of Air. This makes it an interesting card to pair with others, as they tweak its meaning and spiritual power.
The Queen of Swords and The High Priestess
When these two cards come together, they create a balance of intellect with intuition. The two pair well as the High Priestess has a deep inner knowledge, much like the Queen’s wise and sharp intellect. This is a pairing that emphasizes greater trust in your own logic and instincts, as all the right ingredients are there to make good decisions in your career and love life.
The Queen of Swords and The Queen of Cups
This pairing is all about balancing logic with emotional maturity. The Queen of Swords’ sharp wit and definitive outlook marry well with the Queen of Cups‘ intuition, resulting in a harmonious balance of compassionate reasoning. This reading can inspire you to offset some of the blind-sided risks of the upright Queen of Swords for a more empathetic approach.
The Queen of Swords and The Empress
The Empress brings a maternal influence to the Queen of Swords’ intellect. You may be an older woman looking after a family member, or looking to start your own family, and this pairing encourages an emotional warmth in your relationships. This isn’t only about personal life, but also creative outlets too, where romanticism can help expand the Queen’s rational boundaries.
The Queen of Swords and The King of Swords
This is a Suit of Swords perfect match. In such a reading, there is a formidable partnership that is grounded in logic and intellect. There’s a mastery of the mind going on here with the King of Swords, but also a pairing of an older woman that brings a feminine person-energy to the King’s authoritative leadership.
The Queen of Swords and The Queen of Pentacles
Your career path may be in need of more strategy, and the Queen of Pentacles helps stabilize the pairing to make the right decisions. The raised sword of the Queen of Swords may well be a symbol of striving for justice or the truth, but the Queen of Pentacles introduces well-needed practicality and groundedness. You can be decisive, but this pairing is telling you to maintain emotional independence.
The Queen of Swords Card and Its Astrological Sign
When it comes to Zodiac signs, the Swords suit often brings up the element of Air. The Air sign is all about mental clarity and intelligence. Therefore, it is the Air signs of Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra, to which this card is clearly linked, but it is Libra in particular as the focus of justice strongly resonates with the Queen’s strong judgment.
If you’re wondering what this connection really means, it is a deepening of one’s rationality and fairness down their spiritual path. The element of Air is all about how you get through tricky situations, be it in your career or relationships, by using clear but witty communication. You’re a truth-seeker, and it’s through this Astrological lens that the Queen can encourage you to remain open-minded too.
Conclusion
This tarot guide has dived into all of the symbolism and messaging of the Queen of Swords. Like many of our other guides, you should have learned not just about the card, but how it reflects on yourself. It’s important to search deep within yourself to best apply the lessons of the Queen to your own life, whether it’s the reversed meaning or upright.
In readings, the Queen of Swords calls on us to be fair but firm, and use wisdom to uncover any deeper truths that lie within.
If you have more questions that need answering about your daily life, please claim your free psychic consultation or get your daily tarot reading today!
