The Meaning of
the "Queen of Swords" Tarot Card
Tarot Quick Info
What is the inverted meaning of
the "Queen of Swords"?
The Meaning of
Tarot Card
The Symbolism of the Queen of Swords
On the Queen of Swords card, a strong and confident woman sits on an ornate stone throne, with almost nothing but sky and clouds making up the background.
Her throne is engraved with a winged cherub, suggesting divine authority, and butterflies symbolizing both personal transformation and the element of Air.
The Queen's robes are adorned with images of puffy clouds, and her crown with butterflies — further connecting her to the skies.
The Queen's right hand holds her sword, which points vertically towards the sky. As with the other cards in the Suit of Swords, the direction a sword is pointed offers insight into the positivity or negativity of the card. In this case, the card is strongly positive.
The direction of the wind in distant trees illustrates that the wind is at the Queen's back, further indicating the positive message ...
The direction of the wind in distant trees illustrates that the wind is at the Queen's back, further indicating the positivity of the card; Wind itself is aligned with the Queen's actions.
The Queen's left hand is outstretched, as if she is commanding others or issuing an edict to her followers. A ceremonial garland adorns her wrist, suggesting the divine authority of her actions.
How to Interpret the Queen of Swords
As with all of the other tarot court cards, a specific person may be referenced by the Queen of Swords card.
The Queen of Swords represents a very straightforward and at times, stern woman. She is the least sympathizing and outwardly caring of all of the Queen cards, and may at times come off as too strong or too direct.
She is extremely down to Earth, but also very worldly an sophisticated.
Hers is the realm of the intellect and the mind, so her actions and her words tend to be based on logic far more than emotion.
Hers is the realm of the intellect and the mind, so her actions and her words tend to be based on logic far more than emotion. In many ways, she is the most traditionally male of all the Queen cards — leaving her emotions mostly out of her life choices.
It would be a mistake to call her "uncaring" though. The Queen of Swords cares deeply, but outwardly she will take a "tough love" approach to family, friends and partners. She is self-sufficient and believes others should be too.
When the Queen of Swords is not referencing a specific person in a spread, the card represents strength of character, independence, self-sufficiency and direct communication and "saying it like it is".
If the Queen of Swords appears in a tarot spread, it's often an indication to speak clearly and directly about something. There are times to put words plainly and simply and leave diplomacy for another day.
Generally speaking, the Queen of Swords is a very positive card and carries overtones of strict child rearing, corporate management, financial conservatism and prudence with money matters and accounting.
The Queen of Swords Inverted
As with all court cards, the reversed Queen of Swords may reference a specific person when she appears in a tarot spread.
Unlike the upright Queen of Swords, which indicates a logic and intellect-based approach to life's issues, the inverted Queen of Swords is often an indication that emotion is creeping into what should just be a logical decision.
The card indicates an inner conflict between the heart and the mind ...
The card indicates an inner conflict between the heart and the mind — where the mind should be the deciding factor.
As well as emotional influences, the card may sometimes indicate external influences which are having undue influence on someone's decisions. Perhaps friends and family are adding so much of their own emotional baggage into the mix, that clear thinking is becoming impossible.
When the reversed Queen of Swords appears in a reading, it's a good idea to put emotions, past experiences and external influences to one side. Think clearly and logically and try to pierce the fog with mental clarity, logic and strength.
Generally speaking the reversed Queen of Swords is a slightly negative card. It carries overtones of financial uncertainty and poor decisions. The card's message however is typically very constructive: Apply logic here.
Common Symbols Found On the Queen of Swords Card
Tarot cards often use a a common symbology to visually communicate hints about each card. The Queen of Swords includes at least four common, repeating Tarot symbols. Each of these symbols which repeat throughout the deck can add greater levels of meaning to the card.
The symbols which appear on the Queen of Swords card are:
Birds
Birds symbolism appears on the Queen of Swords card:
Birds depicted in Tarot cards generally fall into one of two distinct categories: Identifiable birds (like doves, ibis birds, etc.) and flocks of small, unidentifiable birds shown flying far away in the distance. All the court cards in the Suit of Swords fall into the latter category. These small birds serve as a reminder that the Suit of Swords is connected to the primary element of Air. Although each of the identifiable birds, has its own specific interpretation, birds in a simplistic sense all represent freedom — both a spiritual freedom, and freedom from physical restraint.
Trees
Trees symbolism appears on the Queen of Swords card:
In most cases, trees serve to accentuate a connection to natural forces and the natural world. Trees are one of the most widely used symbols in the classic Rider-Waite tarot deck. The precise meaning of any tree varies depending on the specific Tarot card it appears on.
Cherubs
Cherubs symbolism appears on the Queen of Swords card:
Cherubim in traditional Judeo-Christian theology are minor angels who represent the workings of something Holy or Divine. Cherubs themselves do not exert direct influence, but represent facets of the Divine realm. When cherubs appear in artistic representations, we can infer that the workings of the Divine are taking place in some way. In classical artistic representations, Cherubs don't represent God directly, but instead point to the workings of a part of the Divine plan.
Butterflies
Butterflies symbolism appears on the Queen of Swords card:
Butterflies in the iconography of Tarot, represent fundamental transition to a higher state of being. Just as butterflies in nature are born as lowly caterpillars, and are reborn later in their lives as colorful butterflies emerging from cocoons, the symbolism of butterflies on a Tarot card points to the power of rebirth and the infinite potential for spiritual change.
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