The reversed Queen of Swords can represent a monarchy in your life, one that is marred by intense criticism, deceit, or a struggle to have empathy for those around you. In a sharp contrast to its upright counterpart, the reversed card lacks the wisdom and honesty that are high points for the upright version. The control that the Queen of Swords reversed references in your life is addictive, and it can be surprisingly difficult to give that up if you have suffered a lifetime of being stepped on and mistreated. Your own rule now often hurts others with your bitterness and unforgiving nature, likely leaving you respected but feared as opposed to loved. When the arrival of this tarot card does not describe you, it is usually referencing someone close in your life either past or present who has wielded such devastating and abusive power over you. You may now be feeling the effects of that unfortunate occurrence and struggling to deal with the emotions in your quest to avoid becoming just like him or her. Some of the common interpretations for the reversed Queen of Swords are detailed below, but only an experienced tarot reader can reveal the unique meaning she has on your life.
Cruel Criticism
Criticism has its place and purpose in everyone’s life, to urge them to be and do better. Harsh criticism has the opposite effect, wearing down the confidence and desire to continue in those under its reign. When you wield all the power in a situation or even a relationship, it can be easy to get caught up in being overly critical of others. Even if you are used to being on the outside looking in, try to avoid measuring and judging others by your own past performances. Being cruel or overly critical will never succeed in earning you anything but resentment. Strive to be constructive in all your criticisms by asking yourself do your words build up or break down.
For other individuals, it may not be a result of your own actions that reveal the reversed Queen of Swords in your life. If you are under the influence of someone who is incredibly critical of you, you will need to communicate the effect it is having on you. Not everyone will respond positively to this step, and in this case, you will simply need to learn to ignore. Certain people are impossible to please, and thanking them for their opinion and continuing to do what you need to do may be the ideal way to de-escalate testy situations. Regardless of the path you choose you must never lose sight of yourself and your uniqueness. You were not born to be a clone of someone else, nor to live your life to their endless expectations.
Continuing A Vicious Cycle
The Queen of Swords reversed is great at shedding light on a troublesome, but common occurrence. You may have suffered through cruelty, spitefulness, and outright abuse by someone close to you and now find yourself caught up in the same cycle. Even if you are not harmful intentionally, the drive to hurt first to avoid being hurt has likely brought nothing but problems to your life. Do you find yourself struggling to forgive even when a good friend makes an honest mistake? Do you feel yourself surging with a desire for vengeance when you are wronged even slightly? More often than not, these behaviors do not arise out of thin air. They can be used as defense mechanisms in those who have suffered from the same previously.
Breaking free of the cycle is important, and no one wishes to become the thing that they hate. Instead of focusing on the past wrongs, envision the feelings of the victims in this situation. Each and every one of them would deserve fairness and empathy even if you were denied it. Decide to be a better person instead of joining them in the muck out of bitterness and spite. While you should never allow yourself to be mistreated, you do not need to be abusive in return. Learn to walk away from the bad influence lest you eventually become an unintentional victim of this vicious cycle.
Dependent And Despondent
Dependency is one of a few traits that are easy to recognize in yourself, while remaining extremely difficult to break free from. Unlike the upright Queen of Swords, the reversed card represents a lack of independence and much-needed confidence. What likely started out as a spouse or other loved one giving you the emotional or material support you badly needed, has escalated and now you feel hopelessly unable to wean yourself from the routine. There is great comfort in someone making the tough decisions for you and helping you through all your struggles, but the rewards are greater when you can achieve these things yourself. Your friends and family are your safety net, but that doesn’t mean you should never leave the ground. Set goals to get yourself back into a state of independence, taking small steps instead of attempting one big leap. If all else fails, tell those you are dependent on of your desire to make a change, convince them to be firm with you no matter how hard you beg. If you truly wish for independence, it is within reach but only if you are willing to take it.
The reversed Queen of Swords is an example of power wielded poorly either by yourself or someone you know. This Queen is a force to be reckoned with, overly defensive and vengeful. This usually results in a toxic relationship in your life that must be corrected before any progress can be made. Whether you are on the throne or suffering under the weight of this unjust Queen’s rule, you must look within yourself to solve the problem. Do not be a willing victim, and avoid rewarding tyranny with toleration. For those in power, regularly envision yourself in the shoes of others before you criticize. The revelations of tarot can be easy to miss and hard to understand even when discovered. Find out exactly if and how the reversed Queen of Swords is affecting your life with a complete, live online tarot reading. Guard yourself against threats with the insight and guidance only an experienced tarot reader can provide.
