Symbology, Meaning and Interpretation
Upright
Independence, Honesty, Constructive Criticism.
The Queens in tarot all have an essential link to the element of Water, associated with the sentimental plan and the way we relate and socialise with other people. However, with the Queen of Swords the voice of reason prevails over her emotional side, which has a tremendous influence on everyday decisions.
Symbolically speaking, she does not prevent us from being emotional in social contexts, instead, she gives us the gift of judgment that allows us to understand our feelings and how to express them moderately. She represents someone who thinks carefully before she expresses herself, nevertheless, she is very communicative, argumentative and connects with many people, giving greater use to her intellect than her heart.
In terms of communication with others, it is valuable to her to get to the heart of the matter without too much chit-chat or gossip. Direct communication is the most effective way to interact with everyone around her. For many people, that posture of hers could suggest she is enigmatic.
If you look at her left hand, it seems that she had cut the rope that bound her to the material and purely emotional world. That reveals her independence and her desire to be more active and intellectual.
Behind the rope we can observe the decapitated head of the King. It symbolises her independence but resembles the story of Judith, who beheaded Holofernes in order to prevent his army from destroying her home, Bethulia. Some say that the name Bethulia could mean “the house of God” – the city represents her personal beliefs and values, which were bravely defended by this strong and determined woman.
There is no doubt that she is a pragmatic woman, someone who knows what she wants and is focused on achieving it. Unlike most of the cards, we opted to turn her sword downwards, as a symbol of her receptive essence, guiding the mental energy to manifest itself in the material realm. The position of her hands, like The Magician, drive the mental energy or inspiration from her left hand (her logical and intellectual side) into the world (the right side), using the sword also as a creative tool.
She somehow resembles the card of Justice, insofar as the truth is particularly important for her as well. She may not soften her comments, thoughts, or opinions but she is determined to show how things really are. Above all, she is fair and trustworthy, even if she avoids expressing her sentimental side.
Reversed
Bitchy, Manipulative / Overemotional.
Contrary to the upright position, this card reveals someone deceitful, who tries to drag us down, spreading malicious gossip or even lies about us.
Sometimes people describe this card as someone cold, rude or bitter who does not help on your growing with her destructive and pessimistic criticism. That same woman could be manipulative and plays with your mind to get what she wants.
Similarly, it could suggest someone with a lack of control in the emotional side, putting the heart before the mind. With that, unpleasant feelings could come out, distorting the perception of the current situation, leading to mindless decisions that could have negative impact.