Queen of Swords

This month’s card to explore is the Queen of Swords.

Queen of Swords in the Thoth (a well shuffled version!)
Queen of Swords in the Thoth (a well shuffled version!)

The queens in the Thoth are connected with Binah and so a mature feminine force. Binah is often considered restrictive, as the womb is restrictive it is also a place for growth and the new – but with boundaries. The queen here is also very boundaried and in the realm of the swords we see the mastery of thoughts, used in a way to nurture the self and others. We see her removing a mask, it is as if she is able to remove the mask she herself may have worn once, the thoughts she used to conceal her naked vulnerability from herself and the world. Now she can be seen in full and is facing both her own truth and sees the truth in those before her too. She weld the sword of discernment and will cut away all the superfluous untruths and allow the raw core of things to be seen unfettered with apology or judgement.

As such often she represents someone working in the field of counselling or psychotherapy with the ability to cut to the core of things, the ability to be genuine, yet boundaried, with clients and the insight to understand and help change thought patterns that are unhelpful on the path to ones own truth and Self. She nurtures the birth of the true self in our thoughts. She is the watery aspect of air so emotional logic which connects well with the field of psychotherapy and other emotional therapies.

She also represents a trustworthy honest friend who can witness our journey without casting judgement or needing us to do things their way.

her openness and vulnerability are her strengths and allow her to step outside of a situation and view it dispassionately whilst also holding her own person response. Her position on the clouds in the image reflects this perspective well also.

As court cards are also parts of us and not just who we find ourself attracting, though the process is the same – we attract people who show us parts of ourselves. in the same way in a reading this card can be both someone in the life of the querant as well as the querant themselves.

So the querant will have all these qualities coming from within themselves and using them to navigate the world. There is a need to drop masks to allow the vulnerability to be their strength. To get to the truth of the matter and to see their own thoughts truthfully, discerning what is mental chatter and discomfort and what is actually at the core.

It may well be that the querant has to use their ability to hold their own thoughts and perceptions in one hand and listen clearly to another with empathy through the other before making any response. And when a response is made it is not to be judgemental but discerning, having compassion and seeing that the others perception is likely to be spot on from their point of view, but your own point of view might tell a different story for you and you follow your own perceptions allowing the other theirs. Conflict is sorted by owning one’s feelings and acting for oneself, listening well and ensuring that what you have heard it is communicated back – even if it is something you actually disagree with. you don’t have to go along with someone’s ideas to listen to them fully.

She is the master of intention and able to think clearly about what is best in a situation. Insight and discernment working together well. She often is seen in service to others as she is one who, having seen, wants to take action to help another’s position.

Some may see her as cutting if she speaks a truth that is not ready to be heard, though it doesn’t bother her that someone has a negative opinion of her, she is more concerned with having the truth out, knowing the truth sets us free even if it is a painful birth sometimes.

 

Queen of Swords

This months card for you all is the Queen of Swords, a card I have a great fondness for.

Queen of Swords in the Thoth (a well shuffled version!)
Queen of Swords in the Thoth (a well shuffled version!)

She is a woman who can stand back from the situation – her naked top shows she is open and her heart connection with others is unhindered and at the same time she is able to stand back emotionally from any situation and use her sword of discernment to see whether the situation is for her higher good. She makes an excellent counsellor – someone who you can go to with your troubles assured that she will not get over involved or attached to whatever decision to decide to make and will support you throughout your journey on the path ahead. She is depicted as in the clouds and higher giving her a higher perspective too which also helps her give good advice and support as well as understand the bigger picture. She has removed her own masks yet still has the ability to use them when needed. She can relate to others need for privacy and masks to. Her favourite mask is one of silence and withheld behaviour – helping her stay detached – at times overly so. but in the main she is someone to trust. The clouds are of air and she is rational in her approach though knows her heart she will not act upon it without a rational knowing alongside. It can be that at times she rationalises her emotions too much and keeps the talking and thinking about it going without grounding this with action or actual feeling the situation she is involved with.

As with all court cards these qualities can be seen as part of the persons development who the reading is for, their need to take this position or their need to let go of it. As well as representing someone in the life of the querant who is important in the situation for some reason. Often both can be true and applicable as we often attract people to us who mirror elements of ourselves we are needing to study further to either increase their action on our life – bringing the counsellor out in us for instance, or that we need to let go of, the actual person in life perhaps bringing conflict to show the inner conflict when an extreme use of the Queen of Swords is not helpful in life and that more balance is needed. As the tarot reflects our position in life so to those around us, and we can do a reading for ourselves by looking at who are attracting at any one time to see what elements of ourselves we are working with. Bringing more love to those parts of ourselves we dislike and also balancing those parts we over do.

What does she say to you now? Are you in need of a listening, impartial ear to help you right now? Do you sometimes withdraw and intellectualise to avoid feeling your feelings?