Readings
Two Cards
If you are trying to make a very important decision in your life and you don’t know which path to follow, if you are really doubtful about the consequences the crossroads tarot spread will help you to find your way.
Queen of Swords
Upright
Independent, unbiased judgement, clear boundaries, direct communication
The Queen of Swords combines the mental clarity and intellectual power of the suit of Swords with the maturity and receptiveness of the Queen. You have the gift of being able to use your intellect and unbiased judgement while also remaining flexible and open to receive input from other sources. As you lead from the head and not the heart, you are better able to discern situations without the influence of emotion or sentimentality. You may believe that empathy or compassion towards others will distract you from the task at hand. Instead, you prefer to know the how, what, why, where, when and who of everything to help you make sense of your environment and better understand others. It is not that you do not care about others, but you connect with other people through an intellectual understanding rather than an emotional one.
The Queen of Swords notes that you are a truth-seeker. You are open to hearing the thoughts and opinions of others, but ultimately, you filter that information to decipher what is true and what is not. When interacting with others, you will not tolerate mistruths or excessive ‘fluff’. You prefer to get to the heart of the matter without engaging in too much chit-chat or gossip.
The Queen of Swords suggests that you have an innate ability to tell it like it is. You are a quick thinker and highly perceptive, piercing through the noise and confusion to get straight to the point. There is no ‘beating about the bush,’ or ‘softening’ of your comments, opinions and thoughts. You are upfront and honest in your views, and you expect the same from others. For this reason, many people respect your opinion and come to you for advice when they need clarity.
As a determined, independent and resilient person, you have established clear boundaries, and you are quick to call out someone who crosses them. People do not mess with you, not because you threaten them or inflict violence, but because you set expectations up front about how you want to be treated. Some people might be intimidated by you, but once they get past your tough exterior and develop a sense of trust and respect, they see your softer side.
Reversed
Overly-emotional, easily influenced, bitchy, cold-hearted
The Queen of Swords reversed points out that you may allow your emotions to get the better of you as you put your heart before your head. You may be emotionally involved in a particular issue, and it could be distorting your perception of the situation at hand. You need to use your head a bit more to understand what is happening and read the signals more accurately. Take an objective look at what’s going on and decide what you need to do next.
The reversed Queen of Swords suggests that your relationships are clouding your usually clear vision. You are allowing others to dominate you and negatively affect your ability to make decisions. You hesitate to pursue your plans because you don’t want to rock the boat or disrupt your relationships with others. At the end of the day, however, you need to be more hard-edged, confident and assertive to be successful. Sharp analysis, objectivity, and careful consideration of (but not necessarily choosing) the alternatives are essential right now.
At times, the reversed Queen of Swords can come across as cold-hearted, resentful and bitchy, particularly if she is devoid of any emotion or compassion for others. This card may represent a part of yourself or someone else you are trying to deal with. You may be putting others off-side and losing your supporter base, isolating yourself from others and being seen as narrow-minded, intolerant and mean.
The Emperor
Upright
Authority, establishment, structure, a father figure
The Emperor is the father figure of the Tarot deck, suggests that you are adopting this protective role (regardless of whether you are male or female), affording for your family, and protecting your loved ones.
Similarly, the Emperor represents a strong and charismatic leader. Status and power are necessary to you, and you are most comfortable in a leadership role where you can direct others. You have a clear vision of what you want to manifest, and you arrange those around you to manifest your goal. You listen to the advice of others, but you prefer to make the final decision.
The Emperor reflects a system defined by rules and regulations. You create law and order by applying policies or guidelines to a specific situation. Be strategic and highly organized in your approach by sticking to your plan until the end.
The Emperor card also implies world knowledge and expertise. You have gained valuable wisdom and living experience, and now you enjoy offering guidance to someone who might benefit from it. You may be a teacher, coach, boss, or just a good friend who likes to take the knowledge and pass it on so that others can be as wise and powerful as you.
Reversed
Domination, excessive control, lack of discipline, inflexibility
The reversed Emperor requests you to assess your relationships with responsibility and discipline. Are you expressing too much or too little of these in your life right now? Are they serving for you or against you?
In the reversed position, the Emperor can be bossy and inflexible in his thoughts. The card can suggest an over-use of authoritative power. It could be you or another person, often a boss, partner or family member. And it may be because of deep insecurities and self-doubts.
Recognize the position of power in your life. Are you declaring your power and dominance in a way that leaves others feeling weak? Or are you giving away much of your personal power to please others? Try to find a solution where you start from a place of personal power and enable others to do the same. Power can be equally distributed – you don’t need to take it from others, nor do you need to give yours away.
Sometimes, the reversed Emperor asks you to stand up to authority. You may feel fed up with an oppressive boss or a hierarchical organization and feel forced to enter a more flexible and adaptive environment. Maybe you aspire to be your own boss and work independently by starting up your own business.
In a love reading, the reversed Emperor hints that you may be in an unbalanced relationship and it‘s making you unhappy. Your partner has become overbearing, possessive and dominating. This dynamic is putting tension on the relationship and blocking the flow of energies between you.