(The above image is a copy of The Queen of Swords card in a standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The 6 symbols pointed out above are explained below.)
Card Description
The Queen of Swords uses her master intelligence to help those around her. Instead of using her sword to cut others down, she use it to defend other. The queen rules unbiasedly, and commands the element of air to breath life into the world she lives in.
If you are looking for a deck of Tarot cards, check out our standard Rider-Waite deck here or check out one of our recent arrivals here.
For more information about The Queen of Swords card, check out A. E. Waite’s description here.
Point 1 – QUEEN
Unlike the charging Knight of Swords, the Queen is able to enact her vision while stationary on her throne. This position speaks volumes on her authority as she manages other people to do the work for her. Calm and collected, the Queen reminds us not to be brash but to be calculated in our intellectual pursuits.
Point 2 – CROWN
The crown that the Queen wear is a symbol of her authority on earth. Made with a butterfly design, the crown also illustrates the lightness of her mind. She is not bogged down with details or chained to some previous trauma that is causing arrested development. Her mind is free and open to new ideas.
Point 3 – BUTTERFLIES
Along with her crown, the Queen’s throne has a butterfly design on it. Reiterating the qualities of the crown, the butterflies on the throne illustrate the dynamism of the sword suit through their metamorphosis.
Point 4 – CHILD’S HEAD
Along with the butterfly, there is a child’s head carved in the stone throne. This could represent the childlike innocents and sense of wonder necessary to wield your intelligence masterfully. A child’s head could also illustrate the subconscious part of our intelligence.
Point 5 – TWO SICKLES
In between the child’s head and the butterflies, there are two sickles carved in the throne. On a fundamental level, they represent the harvest. On a deeper level, they illustrate the moon and the matriarchy. Some scholars point to the sickles’ resemblance to The High Priestess’s crown as a reference to the Queen’s divine authority.
Point 6 – SWORD
The Queen holds her sword in her right hand and points it straight up. This illustrates her desire for truth and the moral backbone behind her intelligence. While the previous court swords extended beyond the limits of the card, the Queen requires no performance of her authority.
Tarot Reading
Upright
An Upright Queen of Swords suggests that you are wielding the potential energy of the Page and the kinetic energy of the Knight. You exercise your intellectual mastery through listening and mediating. An Upright Queen of Swords encourages you to trust your intuition in creative projects. You gain valuable insights through your emotions and feelings.
Reverse
A reverse Queen of Swords suggest that your mental capacity is being clouded by the emotional needs of others and that you need to direct your focus inward. It is admirable to help others, but in order to do so, you must first help yourself. Take time out of your week to meditate or relax so that when you do help others you are not doing so at the overwhelming expense of your mental health.
For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our blog here.
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About the author: Jim Daley and his wife Natalie are the owners of Joker’s and Fools in Lake Wales, Florida, where they serve the Central Florida tarot community with a thoughtfully curated selection of Tarot and Oracle cards. Jim holds a B.A. in History from Tufts University and brings both academic insight and a deep appreciation for the symbolic tradition of the cards to his work.
