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 Hierophant
Upright
Spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, conformity, tradition,institutions
The Hierophant card is often associated with religion and other formal theories and signifies an established collection of spiritual beliefs. Before you can discover and build your own spiritual experience and make your own decisions (as associated with the next card, the Lovers), the Hierophant encourages you to learn the fundamental principles from trusted sources.
Work with a teacher, mentor, or guide who nourishes your spiritual consciousness and helps you access the Divine by learning the traditions and core principles. Also you may be taking on the role of teacher to others. In this position, you honour and recognize your responsibility to share your knowledge in a structured way.
The Hierophant‘s appearance hints that you are following customs and staying within the bounds of a ‘tried and tested’ pattern. You are not yet willing to go out or offer any innovative ideas. Instead, you rely on the key principles and rules that you know will take you to a successful result.
The Hierophant may call you to acknowledge your family traditions or sacred rituals that is forgotten. You are being asked to commit to spiritual tradition in its most complete form – no customisation, no adaptation, no bending the rules. Sometimes, in love reading this card can also indicate commitment or marriage.
The Hierophant Tarot card often speaks to group membership or being part of an organization. You may enjoy a deep sense of comfort being surrounded by people who have well-established belief systems and specific preferences.
Reversed
Personal beliefs, freedom, challenging the status quo
The reversed Hierophant hints you that you are your own teacher. All the wisdom you seek arises from within – not from external world. You are being led to follow your own path and start your own spiritual joruney rather than blindly following others’. You will learn to trust your inner voice and step into your inner knowledge over time. Others may question your urges to go against tradition, but you will know that now is the time.
You see alternative methods of seeing the world and are ready to test and evaluate the very ideas and theories you were taught were the ‘truth’. You no longer follow the crowd and accept the firm structures, tradition and dogma around you; instead, you seek out opportunities to reclaim personal power. If you feel restricted or constrained, now is the time to make your own rules and get back your sense of freedom.
The Hierophant reversed is like a rebellious and revolutionary teenager who begins to question society. There may be a conflict with a parent or authoritative figure.