I pull this card a lot when I'm visiting my mom—I got it twice in a row when I was here last month. She's back in the hospital, so if you have any extra good vibes, please send them her way.
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For me right now, the Queen of Swords (and the part of me that is her) says, ok, I know you're scared and sad and angry and those are all legit feelings. Sometimes you need to let your rational mind work in service of the emotional stuff. Use that sword you've been sharpening to cut through some clouds.
I will help you understand these emotions rationally, cut them into small pieces so you can process easier, not so you repress them and avoid feeling.
And I will help you remember to bring the newspaper and flowers and the hairbrush to the hospital, and help you call doctors and billing departments. I will keep your mind clear so you can be a good caretaker and advocate, but not so you'll intellectualize and over-analyze.
I will take your emotions and translate them into words so you can talk to other people, not so you can isolate and push people away.
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There's a lot of other important stuff about the Queen of Swords, but my entire chart is in Libra right now and I'm cutting off here (swords!) before this turns into a textbook.
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I hope this clear-eyed Queen helps you, too. Hug your family, hug yourself, let your mind serve your heart.
Daily Tarot: Queen of Swords
Back for her 2nd day in a row, and hanging out on my favorite mullein plant.
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Today the Queen reminds us that communication is a 2-way street and we are asked to be just as mindful of the way we receive as the way we share.
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Listening clearly is a higher level skill than speaking clearly. We spend our whole lives with our own mind, and most of the time we can say what we think. But hearing another person brings an unknown factor in, and that can set off our defenses.
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More Mercury Retrograde practice here. When someone says something to you, especially if you don't want to hear it, listen. Just hear their words, receive the message they're giving you. Don't try to interpret what they say or start coming up with a response before they're finished. Then when you respond, thank them for telling you. Consider what they've said, and where they're coming from, and see what part of what they told you is your responsibility to handle.
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While it's so valuable to trust your own intuition and perception, you can't know everything. We're here with other people so we can be mirrors for each other, and learn from each other. We have to balance intuition and logic, giving and receiving.
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This is coming up now because we have the chance to be better allies by taking criticism well. Especially us white people. Especially those of us who feel like we're pretty woke. We can always do better. If someone points out a blind spot for you, that is a gift. Receive it with grace.
Daily Tarot: Queen of Swords
Clearheaded, sharp-witted, this queen can see right to the heart of the matter. And she can communicate the truth of what she sees efficiently and eloquently. Today I pulled her reversed, which feels like she (me/we) is in a place where she can misuse her powers of insight.
When out of balance, the Queen of Swords doesn't quite trust her feelings or her ability to communicate. This puts her on the defensive, and to compensate, she can be sharp-tongued, with cutting words.
Remember the episode of the Simpsons with Marge's pink Chanel suit? The one country club lady notices right away that Marge is just altering and re-wearing the same suit over and over, and she makes a perfectly timed witty remark about it, which of course really hurts Marge. I think we've all found ourselves on both sides of this kind of interaction. I have learned this the hard and mortifying way - it sucks to be the hurt-er and the hurt-ee.
Today, when you feel like you have to toss out a good put-down or comeback, hold off for a second to see if you really need to bring your sharpest sword out. Are you looking to make yourself feel better by poking someone's vulnerable spots or getting approval for saying something clever?
If that's what's going on, you can make yourself genuinely feel better by using your powers for good. Rather than the perfect joke, give the perfect compliment. Share an observation that supports someone who's having a hard time. That feeds their soul (which is also your soul), and not anyone's insecurity. This feels like some excellent Mercury Retrograde homework.
Love you, let's be kind to each other and keep putting more love out into the world. 💕
Let us remember that true kindness includes critical thinking and holding each other accountable - it's not all fluffy affirmations.
Solstice and Full Moon
SOLSTICE: Queen of Swords.
This summer brings out the need for clear, direct communication, facing your truth head on, and saying it exactly how you mean it. You can experience thoughts and emotions that are not the truth (like feeling not-enough, or thinking that someone is judging you, etc). But as you're experiencing these thoughts and feelings, you will recognize that they're not true, that you can let them happen without letting them move you one inch from your truth.
FULL MOON: The Hermit, reversed.
The solitary part of the journey is over. Come up for air after deep inner explorations and bring all that you've learned into the world. You're here because other people need you; you've done this work on yourself so you can bring it to other people, too. You'll always have to revisit the hermit's cave as your journey continues, but remember to balance your outer actions with your inner ruminations. Walk your talk.
Together, this is a clear call to get out there and act on your soul's truth, whatever it may be. The world needs you to BE you, full-on, exactly how you are. Every time you speak the truth of who you are, or practice the job you're here to do, you're opening the way for others to do the same. And in turn, they'll support you as you continue on your path.