LexTalk

Have you ever been so understanding of everyone else’s feelings that somewhere along the way… you completely forgot about your own?

You consider their perspective.

You give them the benefit of the doubt.

You try to keep the peace.

You tell yourself maybe you’re overreacting.

You let something slide because you don’t want to create drama.

And then somehow YOU end up writing a five-paragraph explanation for why you’re allowed to be upset in the first place.

Yeah.

Today’s tarot card has officially entered the chat.

And she brought a sword.

Meet the Queen of Swords.

Welcome back to LexTalk Tarot: One Card at a Time, where I’m learning all 78 tarot cards by slowing down, studying the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith imagery, and figuring out what all those tiny symbols actually mean.

Yesterday, we explored The Star, a beautiful card about hope, renewal, and finding our light again.

Today feels like the perfect follow-up.

Because once you start finding your light again?

You might also need to learn how to protect it.

And THAT is where our Queen of Swords comes in.

Meet the Queen of Swords

The Queen of Swords belongs to the Minor Arcana and the Suit of Swords.

The Suit of Swords is traditionally associated with the element of Air and themes involving:

Thoughts • Communication • Truth • Logic • Decisions • Conflict • Mental clarity

And then we have our Queen.

Court cards can feel a little intimidating when you’re learning tarot because instead of showing a specific situation, they can sometimes represent qualities, approaches, roles, or people.

For today’s beginner lesson, I’m keeping this Queen simple.

The Queen of Swords = Clear mind + honest communication + strong boundaries.

She’s intelligent.

She’s observant.

She’s independent.

And she’s not afraid to look at a situation for what it actually is rather than what she wishes it were.

But here’s something I think is really important about this card:

The Queen of Swords doesn’t have to be cold.

I think that’s an easy assumption to make.

She’s literally sitting there holding a giant sword.

She doesn’t exactly look like she’s about to invite us over for cookies.

But her message can be much more nuanced.

She can remind us that compassion and discernment can exist at the same time.

You can understand why someone behaves a certain way…

and still decide their behavior isn’t okay.

You can love someone…

and still establish boundaries.

You can care deeply…

and still say no.

That’s what makes this Queen so interesting.

Let’s Look at the Queen of Swords

One of my favorite things about this tarot series has been realizing that I don’t have to memorize paragraphs of meanings.

The artwork gives us clues.

So instead of trying to memorize:

“Queen of Swords = independent, perceptive, honest, discerning…”

we can actually LOOK at her.

And suddenly the card becomes much easier to remember.

The Upright Sword

Well…

we should probably start with the giant sword.

The Queen holds her sword straight upward in her right hand.

Throughout tarot, Swords are connected with the mind: thoughts, communication, truth, decisions, conflict, and clarity.

Her sword is upright and prominent.

She isn’t hiding it.

For me, the easiest beginner association is:

Sword = Truth + Clarity

The Queen of Swords wants to cut through the noise.

What actually happened?

What do we know?

What are we assuming?

What needs to be said?

And what decision makes sense based on the information we actually have?

Sometimes we can become so emotionally wrapped up in something that facts and feelings start getting tangled together.

The Queen doesn’t tell us to ignore our emotions.

She simply asks us to bring our brains into the conversation too.

Her Outstretched Hand

Now look at her other hand.

This detail REALLY changes how I see this card.

Her left hand isn’t closed into a fist.

It isn’t hiding.

It’s extended outward.

That gesture is often interpreted as openness, receptivity, communication, or a willingness to engage with what’s in front of her.

And I LOVE the contrast.

One hand holds the sword.

The other remains open.

One hand holds truth. The other allows understanding.

That might be my favorite memory trick for the entire card.

Because strong boundaries don’t require cruelty.

Clear communication doesn’t require yelling.

Standing up for yourself doesn’t require tearing someone else down.

You can be firm AND compassionate.

The Stone Throne

The Queen sits on a solid stone throne.

That immediately gives the card a feeling of stability and authority.

She’s not standing around wondering whether she’s allowed to have an opinion.

She has a seat at the table.

Literally.

The throne can remind us of experience, confidence, wisdom, and the ability to stand firmly in our own judgment.

And look closely at the throne itself.

There are symbolic carvings, including a cherub and butterflies.

Butterflies are commonly associated with transformation.

That makes sense for this Queen.

Wisdom doesn’t usually appear out of nowhere.

We learn.

We experience things.

We make mistakes.

People disappoint us.

Sometimes WE disappoint ourselves.

And eventually, hopefully, we become a little wiser about what deserves our energy.

The Butterfly Symbolism

I especially love the butterflies on this card.

Because transformation isn’t always dramatic.

Sometimes transformation is simply realizing:

I’m not doing that anymore.

I’m not explaining myself seventeen times.

I’m not agreeing just to avoid conflict.

I’m not ignoring something that’s bothering me.

I’m not saying yes when I desperately want to say no.

I’m not taking responsibility for everyone else’s emotions.

Sometimes growth isn’t becoming a completely different person.

Sometimes it’s finally respecting the person you already are.

The Clouds Behind Her

There are clouds gathering behind the Queen.

Clouds can symbolically connect with confusion, difficulty, or emotional turbulence.

But look ABOVE them.

There’s still open sky.

And I think that’s such a simple but useful way to remember this card.

Confusion exists—but clarity exists too.

Maybe you don’t understand everything happening around you.

Maybe someone’s behavior has left you confused.

Maybe you’re trying to make a difficult decision.

The Queen of Swords asks you to step away from the emotional tornado for a second and look at the bigger picture.

What do you actually know?

What evidence do you have?

What feels fair?

What makes sense?

Sometimes clarity doesn’t arrive because circumstances become simpler.

Sometimes clarity comes because we become clearer about what we will accept.

The Bird in the Sky

You’ll also notice a bird flying high above the Queen.

Bird imagery fits beautifully with the Suit of Swords because Swords are traditionally associated with Air.

And birds have perspective.

From high above, they can see more of the landscape.

So my beginner association here is:

Bird = Perspective.

Sometimes we need to mentally zoom out.

What would this situation look like if it were happening to someone else?

What advice would you give your best friend?

Would you tell her she was being unreasonable?

Or would you immediately say:

Girl. No.

Sometimes we give other people much better advice than we give ourselves.

Queen of Swords Upright Meaning

When the Queen of Swords appears upright, common interpretations include:

Clarity • Honesty • Independence • Intelligence • Discernment • Communication • Fairness • Strong boundaries

This card can encourage you to approach something thoughtfully.

It may be time to have a conversation.

Make a decision.

Look at the facts.

Speak up.

Or establish a boundary.

And I think there’s one important thing to remember:

A boundary isn’t about controlling someone else’s behavior.

It’s about deciding what YOU will do or accept.

There’s a difference between:

“You’re not allowed to do that.”

and:

“If that continues, this is how I’m going to respond.”

The Queen of Swords is responsible for herself.

She isn’t trying to control the entire kingdom.

And honestly?

Good.

Because that sounds exhausting.

Queen of Swords Reversed Meaning

Our regular LexTalk Tarot reminder:

Reversed does NOT automatically mean bad.

Instead, I like thinking of reversed cards as an opportunity to explore where the upright energy might be blocked, distorted, internalized, or taken too far.

The Queen of Swords reversed can be associated with:

Harsh criticism • Bitterness • Defensiveness • Poor communication • Excessive judgment • Resentment • Emotional distance

There’s an interesting line between discernment and judgment.

Between boundaries and walls.

Between honesty and cruelty.

And sometimes difficult experiences can push us across that line.

If you’ve been hurt before, you might become suspicious.

If you’ve been ignored, you might become defensive.

If you’ve been taken advantage of, you might stop trusting people.

That’s understandable.

But the reversed Queen can ask:

Am I protecting myself from what’s happening now—or from something that happened before?

Oof.

That’s a question.

Queen of Swords in Love & Relationships

In relationship readings, the Queen of Swords often connects with honesty, communication, independence, expectations, and boundaries.

And communication sounds SO easy until you’re actually emotionally invested in the conversation.

Sometimes instead of saying:

“That hurt my feelings.”

we say:

“It’s fine.”

Narrator:

It was not fine.

The Queen of Swords can encourage direct but respectful communication.

Upright Queen of Swords in Love

This can point toward themes involving:

– Honest communication

– Mutual respect

– Healthy independence

– Clear expectations

– Emotional maturity

– Strong boundaries

You don’t need to lose yourself inside a relationship.

Two people can love each other deeply while still having individual needs, opinions, interests, and boundaries.

Reversed Queen of Swords in Love

Reversed, the card may invite reflection around:

– Harsh words

– Criticism

– Emotional distance

– Defensiveness

– Resentment

– Miscommunication

Maybe something needs to be discussed before resentment grows.

Because unfortunately, humans have still not developed reliable telepathy.

Very inconvenient.

Relationship Reflection

Am I clearly communicating what I need—or expecting someone else to figure it out?

Queen of Swords in Career

I really like this Queen in a career context.

Because workplaces require SO much communication.

Emails.

Expectations.

Deadlines.

Responsibilities.

Meetings.

Coworkers.

Clients.

Bosses.

And approximately 4,892 opportunities for someone to misunderstand something.

The Queen of Swords encourages professionalism, clear thinking, and good judgment.

Upright, she may connect with:

Strategic thinking • Professionalism • Independence • Clear communication • Advocacy • Objective decision-making

Maybe you need more information before agreeing to something.

Maybe expectations need to be clarified.

Maybe it’s time to advocate for yourself.

Maybe you need to separate emotion from a business decision.

And sometimes?

Maybe you simply need to document the conversation.

Queen of Swords energy definitely feels like:

“Per my previous email…”

Queen of Swords & Money

Financially, this card feels VERY practical.

The Queen of Swords isn’t walking into Target and saying:

The universe told me I deserve everything in this cart.

She’s looking at the numbers.

What do I have?

What do I owe?

What can I realistically spend?

What’s the long-term impact of this decision?

Financially, the card can encourage:

Research • Budgeting • Clear decisions • Comparing options • Reading the fine print • Separating wants from needs

It doesn’t mean never enjoying money.

It simply reminds us that clarity creates choices.

Money Reflection

Am I making this financial decision based on facts—or emotion?

You Can Understand Someone Without Excusing Them

THIS is the biggest lesson I’m taking from today’s card.

And I think it’s an important one.

Because some of us are really good at understanding people.

Maybe TOO good.

Someone behaves badly and immediately we think:

Well…

they’ve been stressed.

They’re going through something.

They had a difficult childhood.

They’re tired.

They didn’t mean it that way.

Maybe I misunderstood.

Maybe I should give them another chance.

Empathy is beautiful.

But empathy doesn’t require unlimited access to you.

Understanding someone’s behavior does not require accepting it.

Both things can be true.

I understand why you’re upset.

AND

You cannot speak to me that way.

I care about you.

AND

I can’t do that for you.

I understand your perspective.

AND

I disagree.

I love you.

AND

This is my boundary.

Look at us learning tarot AND emotional intelligence.

Maybe Saying No Doesn’t Need an Essay

I think some of us could use this reminder too.

Sometimes “no” feels uncomfortable.

So instead we say:

“I would LOVE to, and normally I absolutely would, and I hope you don’t think I’m rude, but I have this thing happening and then something else and maybe if things were different…”

Meanwhile, the Queen of Swords is sitting on her throne like:

“No.”

Obviously kindness matters.

Context matters.

Relationships matter.

But you don’t always have to build a legal defense for your boundaries.

Sometimes:

“I can’t make it.”

is enough.

“That doesn’t work for me.”

is enough.

“I need some time.”

is enough.

And yes…

“No, thank you.”

is enough.

Today’s LexTalk Tarot Journal Prompt

Grab your journal because today’s card gives us a GOOD one.

Where in my life would clearer communication or a stronger boundary help me?

Then dig a little deeper:

Where am I saying yes when I really want to say no?

Am I afraid that having boundaries will make someone upset with me?

Is there something I’ve been expecting someone to understand without actually communicating it?

And finally:

How can I communicate what I need while still remaining compassionate?

Because THAT feels like true Queen of Swords energy.

Not cruel.

Not cold.

Not passive.

Clear.

The Tarot Deck I’m Learning With

One of the biggest things helping me learn tarot is actually having the traditional artwork in front of me while I study.

The Queen of Swords is a perfect example.

Instead of memorizing a definition, I can remember:

Sword = truth + clarity

Open hand = communication + understanding

Butterfly = transformation

Clouds = difficulty or confusion

Bird = perspective

Queen = wisdom + experience

Suddenly, this isn’t just another card I have to memorize.

It’s a story I can recognize.

I’m using a physical Rider-Waite-Smith style tarot deck throughout this series so we can study the traditional imagery together.

If you’d like to learn alongside me using the same style of deck, you can [check out the tarot deck I’m using here — paid link].

You absolutely don’t need my exact deck to follow along. I’m simply sharing what I’m personally using as I learn.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Learning Tarot Through Journaling

I’ve also been writing down the symbols that make each card easier for me to remember.

Because apparently my brain prefers:

Sword = truth

over:

“Please memorize this 600-word tarot interpretation.”

Fair enough.

If you’re learning alongside me, you can use literally any notebook you already own.

But if you’d like a dedicated place for your tarot notes and reflection questions, you can [check out the tarot journal I found here — paid link].

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thirteen Cards Into LexTalk Tarot!

Okay…

We officially have another card added to our little tarot vocabulary!

And this is EXACTLY why I wanted to learn tarot this way.

Not 78 cards all at once.

Not trying to memorize an entire guidebook.

Just…

One card at a time.

So far, we’ve learned:

The High Priestess — Trust yourself.

Ace of Pentacles — Plant the seed.

Page of Cups — Stay curious.

The Fool — Begin.

Eight of Pentacles — Practice.

The Magician — Use what you have.

Strength — Choose how you use your power.

Four of Swords — Rest when you need to.

Queen of Wands — Own who you are.

Six of Cups — Remember where you’ve been.

Two of Pentacles — Decide what deserves your energy.

The Star — Believe light still exists.

Queen of Swords — Be kind, but be clear.

THIRTEEN!

We’re doing it!

And I don’t know about you, but seeing the cards this way makes tarot feel SO much less intimidating.

Learning the Queen of Swords One Symbol at a Time

As always, I don’t want you finishing this post thinking you need to memorize every single thing we just discussed.

Absolutely not.

If you remember ONE thing about today’s card, remember:

Queen of Swords = Kind Heart. Sharp Mind. Strong Boundaries.

Picture her sitting on that stone throne.

One hand holds the sword.

The other remains open.

That’s the entire lesson right there.

Clarity without cruelty.

Compassion without self-abandonment.

Boundaries without bitterness.

And maybe that’s why I like this Queen so much.

Life isn’t always black and white.

People are complicated.

Relationships are complicated.

WE are complicated.

Sometimes someone can be a good person and still hurt our feelings.

Sometimes we can understand someone’s reasoning and still disagree.

Sometimes loving someone means telling them the truth.

And sometimes loving ourselves means saying:

This isn’t okay with me.

That doesn’t make us mean.

It doesn’t make us difficult.

And it doesn’t mean we don’t care.

Sometimes it simply means we’ve learned to include ourselves among the people whose feelings matter.

So, today’s little LexTalk assignment?

Practice one tiny piece of Queen of Swords energy.

Say what you mean.

Ask the question.

Clarify something.

Don’t automatically say yes.

Look at the facts.

Give yourself permission to have an opinion.

Or simply notice one place where you might need a stronger boundary.

You don’t need to swing the sword around.

Just remember it’s there.

Because you can be soft.

You can be loving.

You can be understanding.

And you can still stand firmly in your own truth.

One card. One lesson. One little bit of magic at a time.

— Lex

Tarot interpretations are subjective and are shared here for personal reflection, education, and entertainment. Tarot should not replace professional medical, legal, mental health, or financial advice.