Keywords for the Queen of Swords
| WISE | BITTER |
| DISCERNING | CYNICAL |
| ASTUTE | JADED |
| STOIC | DISILLUSIONED |
| SELF-POSSESSED | PESSIMISTIC |
In the image on this card, we encounter what appears to be a crisp and cool day at the very beginning of spring. The Earth is beginning to awaken and prepare for longer days of warm sun and the fertility which accompanies it, but a deep chill in the air reminds us that winter has not yet fully passed.
Above the head of this Queen, we see one single, solitary bird soaring high above the earth. Like her, this bird of prey is unmatched in its capacity for long-range vision. She is able to detach herself from her personal and emotional involvements in a situation and achieve unparalleled clarity on what lies at the root of the matter at hand.
However, this may at times predispose her towards solitude and loneliness. She has a tendency to be aloof and to keep others at a safe distance. This may prevent her from developing the kind of ties to others that are integral to feeling safe, supported and emotionally fulfilled in life.
Closer to the Earth and the world of the Queen of Swords we see thick, dense clouds which make the air feel heavy. These formations even appear a bit foreboding, possibly even ominous, in the weight of their condensation.
They suggest the kind of gravity and seriousness of purpose reflected in the character of the Queen of Swords. She possesses a kind of understated and subdued type of beauty in which all excess and ostentation have been eliminated. She carries herself with a restrained elegance and stoic attitude that emphasizes only what is essential and true.
Queen of Swords Interpretation
Like all of the court cards, this can represent someone in our outer environment that shows the same qualities and characteristics of the Queen of Swords. Alternatively, in some instances it can also refer to how we ourselves are showing up in a given situation.
The Queen of Swords is someone who has seen it all and lived to tell about it. Often, she has come to her knowledge under difficult circumstances. She has suffered, and experienced loss, and much grief throughout the course of her life.
She may have experienced tragedies which would have defeated anyone who did not possess her resilience, endurance and resolve. However, it is these painful circumstances which have given her the wisdom and discernment she possesses today.
As a result, this Queen tends to someone who is honest, direct and clear in her communication. She is capable of seeing through deception and lies, and rejects all attempts by others to manipulate her or be anything less than honest.
This Queen is a woman who is worldly and wise, and by far the most experienced and discerning among her counterparts. She knows she can trust herself, and can be quite proud of her skillful and accurate judgements regarding what is true and what should be done.
The clarity, insight and wisdom possessed by the Queen of Swords is immensely valuable in this world where most things are not what they seem, where deception and dishonesty seem to be the law of the land. She possesses the wisdom of extensive experience, and the resolute will required to act on her knowledge.
As mentioned before, the wisdom of this Queen has been hard earned. She has seen enough of the world to know better than to trust too quickly. Unfortunately, this can mean that she may develop an inclination toward bitterness, and express herself in ways that others find acerbic and harsh.
She may also become a person who appears “jaded,” someone who lacks faith in others and tends to distrust even the existence of noble sentiments and ideals such as altruism and love.
The Queen of Swords may find herself burdened with heavy feelings of despair and hopelessness, and if she is not careful, might become depressed and disillusioned. At times, it can speak of a woman who is so focused on her sorrows that she is unable (or unwilling) to see the sincere goodness, generosity and joy that still can exist around her.