Introduction
The Queen of Swords, water of air, is a difficult tarot personality to get to know. People either love her or dislike her intensely. She will appeal to those who see facets of themselves in her steely reflection. She frightens off everyone else. Here is an uncompromising character who knows her mind– she will not bend or sway with opinion. Be careful — she knows everything.
Imagery
The Queen of Swords sits facing left in full profile. She wears a pure white gown and a blue cloak printed with white clouds. The lining of the cloak is a warm orange, showing that this Queen is not quite as harsh as she thinks she is. She wears a butterfly-embossed crown and holds an upward pointing sword in her right hand. Her left is held up as if making a “There you go…” gesture. She is unsmiling. Her gray throne has carvings of a winged cherub’s head and more butterflies. It’s not as windy here as in other Swords court cards. The clouds are billowing cumulus, and the trees are still.
Personality
The Queen of Swords is a strong and determined woman. She can cut through to the truth and will not tolerate fools. She has high standards in everything she does; ‘sloppy’ is not an adjective that could ever be applied to her. She makes rules; she adheres to them, and woe betide anyone who doesn’t. She does have a softer side. For example, she has a special place in her heart for grandchildren, and indeed any child. She’ll encourage playfulness, but condemn bad behavior.
You know where you are with this Queen. If you get through her hard exterior and become a friend, you’ll find someone with loyalty rather than royalty running through them. She might question your every decision, but she’ll defend you against all comers.
General Meanings
When the Queen of Swords turns up in your reading, she may represent a person you know who has influence over your situation. She could also represent you as the seeker, or perhaps be telling you to take on some of her forceful characteristics.
She tells you to react impartially, to judge the situation carefully. Don’t be rash or overly cautious either. While you should use logic, you can also allow your intuition to guide you — it will usually be on the money. In short, she encourages you to take a balanced approach.
Reversed, the Queen of Swords turns into a cold, humorless person. While in general she may be a normal Queen of Swords, for some reason in the current situation she can’t grasp that she is wrong. She is narrow-minded, mean and bitchy. Don’t be tempted into abandoning her; there may be a valid underlying cause (such as grief) for her intolerance. Develop a thick skin and remember that the problem is hers, not yours. She may well come out of it eventually.
Interpretations in Various Areas of Life
Work
The Queen of Swords makes an efficient but terrifying manager. She is seen as a force of nature rather than as a woman in a man’s world. She is tough and intelligent. She can always see the bigger picture by cutting through the extraneous details. She can pick out what is important and what can be ignored. Additionally, she can always tell truth from lies.
If you meet the Queen of Swords in an interview, you will impress her if you are straight-talking and upfront. Don’t bore her with details she isn’t remotely interested in. She only cares if you are up to the job.
Finances
Approach your financial planning with logic and clarity. It’s easy for us to pull the wool over our own eyes by justifying certain decisions regarding investments, savings, and spending. Take the clear vision of the Queen of Swords and cut out all unnecessary spending, make sure to save regularly and be certain that your investments are fit for purpose.
Love
The Queen of Swords in love is a different character altogether. If she completely trusts the person she is with, then she will show a more vulnerable side. She will share her doubts and indecision, often using her partner as a sounding board. If her partner is a strong personality, then she will often defer to their opinion. However, in fights she will usually win. Her resolution is invincible at the time of the argument. Later she may well apply her logic and realize that she was wrong. Her apology will always come from her heart.
Spirituality
The Queen of Swords is a logical, thinking, investigative character. Not for her are the trappings of religion or ritual. She believes in the stress-relieving properties of meditation, deep breathing, and fresh air. She will shun anything beyond that. If this card turns up in a spiritual reading, it may be time to get back to basics.
