Key Symbols
Battle of the Minds. In the swords cards, battle scenes usually represent intellectual conflicts or verbal arguments.
Not a Fair Fight. The Five of Swords often symbolizes poor sportsmanship.
Blowing Over. The billowing, fast-moving clouds in the sky seem to hint at a victory that will be short-lived.
Numeric Significance. In the tarot, the five cards almost always spell trouble, indicating a crisis and the need for continuing resolve at the halfway point in the progression from one to ten. That's when events can either take a turn for the better or go horribly awry.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Five of Swords warned of an attack on someone's finances.
Keywords
Upright: Defeat, humiliation, degradation, failure, loss, dishonor, poor sportsmanship, malice, slander
Reversed: A short-lived victory
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• the agony of defeat
• a poor sport
• a sore winner
• a brief, public argument
• spoils of war
Six of Swords
THE Six OF SWORDS is one of the most compelling cards in the tarot deck, with many layers of deeply moving symbolism. It's a card of transition from one life to another, from a troubled existence to a more peaceful reality.
Key Symbols
River Crossing. A ferryman steers his craft across a small body of water, from one shore to the other. His passenger is seated quietly, clothed from head to foot in a hooded robe. Symbolically, the boat represents an individual floating along the river of life; the ferryman is a spirit guide, and the passenger is the spirit in the physical vessel of a body.
Scars in One's Soul. The bottom of the boat has been pierced by six separate swords, which stand upright like ghostly passengers. They represent old injuries, wounds, scars, and assaults, and they've become a permanent fixture. To pull them out would leave the ship full of holes.
Tour Guide. In ancient Greek mythology, Charon was the psychopomp who ferried the souls of the newly dead across the river Acheron-or the River Styx-if they could pay his fare. In fact, people were often buried with gold coins over their eyes or under their tongues so they could to pay for their passage.
Time is a River. The water behind the ferry, which symbolizes the past, is choppy and rough. The water ahead, representing the future, looks smooth.
Literal Meaning. While the Six of Swords often symbolizes a spiritual journey, it can also represent a literal journey-especially a short, pleasant trip across water.
Company News. The Six of Swords might also represent the arrival of a traveling envoy or a messenger.
Little Deaths. In many tarot decks this image has a haunting, spectral quality, sometimes suggesting a sort of death. Just as the Death card itself rarely indicates a literal, physical death, the Six of Swords may refer to a smaller, less deadly assault-such as a crudely hurled insult or the jab of a sharp word.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Six of Swords was said to herald a public declaration of love or a proposal, or an unfavorable end to a lawsuit.
Keywords
Upright: Transition, journey, voyage, travel by water
Reversed: Stasis, delay, permanence
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• the River Styx
• a trip to a distant land
• an uncharted voyage
• a journey to the underworld
• travel by water
Seven of Swords
THE SEVEN OF SWORDS DEPICTS the proverbial thief in the night. He has stolen into his enemy's camp, and he's making off with the weapons left unguarded. The enemies are oblivious to the fact that they've been invaded.
Key Symbols
Alarm System. The Seven of Swords clearly points out that someone needs to be on guard: theft, deception, and subterfuge are afoot.
Double Agent. The thief pictured in the card could be a traitor or a counterspy.
Watch What You Say. In more practical terms, the thief could be a backstabbing gossip. Swords are about communication, after all.
Camping Out. The tents represent protection from the elements, as well as a place for strategic battle planning.
Flag Day. The banners flying over the tents symbolize a rallying point for the troops.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Seven of Swords was said to be a good card. Fortunetellers in the past said it suggested a dark girl, and that it promised a peaceful life in the country. Reversed, it heralded a news release or public announcement.
Keywords
Upright: Theft, sabotage, humiliation, defeat, sneak attacks, spies, enemies, unreliable friends, plagiarism
Reversed: Courage, self-respect
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• a thief, spy, or traitor
• a gossip
• stolen property
• stolen moments
• a campground
Eight of Swords
THE EIGHT OF SWORDS REPRESENTS a damsel in distressmuch like the woman in The Perils of Pauline. In that series of classic silent movies, a young heiress was routinely abducted and entrapped by a money-hungry villain-and just as routinely, she was rescued by a dashing hero.
Key Symbols
Damsel In Distress. While this young woman hasn't been tied to a railroad track, she has been blindfolded and tied to a tree.
Caged Like an Animal. She's encircled by swords that are reminiscent of prison bars.
Slippery Footing. The ground beneath her feet is muddy and wet; she seems to be standing in a marsh or a swamp.
Victim Mentality. The woman in the card doesn't seem to have put up much of a fight. She may be a willing victim, perhaps suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. She may be a martyr for a cause.
Passive Resistance. She's not struggling against her bonds; she stands still with her head bent. If she wants to be liberated, she'll probably have to free herself. If she can't shake the blindfold off, she might need to feel her way out of her prison by stepping gingerly through the row of swords. Alternatively, she could shimmy up to one of the swords to cut some ties-and that could be a metaphor.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Eight of Swords suggested scandal for a woman, spread by rumors and gossip. Reversed, it symbolized the departure of a relative.
Keywords
Upright: Restriction, imprisonment, bondage, entrapment, victimization, crisis, criticism, blame, misfortunes, disgrace
Reversed: Freedom, liberation, self-sufficiency
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• entrapment
• a prison
• a jail cell
• bars on a cage
• a rescue
Nine of Swords
THE NINE OF SWORDS Is the card of despair. A woman sits bolt upright in bed. She's surrounded by inky blackness, and her hands cover her face. She's in anguish. Her blanket is rumpled, as if she has been tossing and turning for hours, and nine ominous swords loom in the air above her bed.
Key Symbols
Wake-up Call. The Nine of Swords often symbolizes nightmares, phobias, insomnia, and worry-particularly the type of worry that strikes at three in the morning, waking us from a sound sleep and keeping us up while we ponder all the horrible fates that could befall us or the ones we love.
Dark Night of the Soul. The card can also represent a period of spiritual desolation-the "dark night of the soul" described by St. John of the Cross.
Three a.m. Feeding. It's always darkest just before the dawn. At three in the morning, when we're awakened by a nightmare or we find ourselves battling insomnia, our worst fears can grow to monstrous proportions.
Mini-blinds. The swords in the card almost look like a curtain of fear and oppression. If you look closely at the image, however, you will notice one important fact: the swords ha
ve no substance. There is no light reflecting off their surface, and there are no shadows to indicate depth. In other words, those swords aren't real. They are simply figments of her imagination.
Loneliness. Sadly, the anguished woman in the illustration is alone, unwilling or unable to call a friend or a partner to comfort her and keep her company.
Security Blanket. In many renditions of the card, she sleeps under an astrological quilt. She can take comfort in the fact that the heavens above protect her, and that the cycles of the star indicate that no situation is static. In fact, the world will keep turning, the planets will continue in their orbit around the sun, and light from distant constellations will remind us of the strengths associated with the signs of the zodiac.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Nine of Swords was said to refer to a minister, priest, or some other member of the clergy, as well as a temple, church, monastery, or convent. It was also said to suggest that someone's suspicions or misgivings about a shady character were well-founded.
Keywords
Upright: Nightmares, obsession, despair, insomnia, mental cruelty, grief, sorrow, loss, guilt, shame, fear, dread
Reversed: Consciousness, calm, rationality
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• a nightmare
• a premonition
• a sound in the middle of the night
• a bed, a blanket, or a quilt
• a story that comes to you in your sleep
Ten of Swords
THE TEN OF SWORDS Is one of the most gruesome cards in the tarot deck. It's the card of overkill and ruin.
Here, in the last card in the suit, all the swords have come to a final resting place. Unfortunately for the man depicted, they've landed in a gruesome line along the full length of his torso. Heavy dark clouds hang low over the horizon, where only a sliver of light shows any promise of a new day.
Key Symbols
He's Dead, Jim. A murder victim lies sprawled in a pool of his own blood. In an obvious case of overkill, he has been stabbed ten times. The murder weapons, ten swords, are still embedded in his body.
Crime of Passion. One look at the victim and there can be no mistaking that this is a crime of passion. No disinterested killer would go to such lengths.
A Clue to the Killer. The dead man's hand seems to be frozen in some sort of parting gesture.
Live By the Sword. Swords are rarely literal; in most cases, they represent words, thoughts, and verbal duels. In this case, the dead man might have succumbed to vicious personal attacks, gossip, and backstabbing.
Negative Imagery. Not surprisingly, most tarot readers interpret it as a card of suffering, pain, disillusionment, and grief.
Silver Linings. There is a bright side, however-or at least a glimmer of hope. The sun is either setting or rising at the horizon, and the clouds really do have silver linings. A new day will dawn soon.
Final Endings. In tarot, the ten cards normally represent conclusions-and when the Ten of Swords appears in a reading, those conclusions are inarguable. The figure in this card will never rise again. His spirit is free to go. He can leave the scene of the crime and move on to a higher plane.
Historic Significance. Historically, fortunetellers were careful to point out that the Ten of Swords was not a card of violent death. However, it sometimes did suggest imprisonment or treason-especially if it was followed by an Ace and a King. The card also bears a certain resemblance to Julius Caesar's murder.
Keywords
Upright: Ruin, defeat, grief, disruption, desolation, sadness, distress, lies, spite, gossip
Reversed: Advantage, power, authority
Writing Prompts
Write about:
. a crime of passion
. a murder
. physical pain
. gossip
. a backstabbing friend or colleague
Page of Swords
THE PAGE OF SWORDS is a young man with his head in the clouds. Like all pages, he has a childlike enthusiasm and an unbounded capacity to learn. He is a reader, a writer, and a talker. He's precocious-practically a prodigy. He is thoughtful and imaginative, and he's naturally drawn to teachers, scientists, and philosophers.
The Page of Swords is also perpetually observant and alert. He doesn't miss a thing. If he isn't officially in the loop, he'll conduct a little investigative research on his own to find out what everyone else in the castle is doing.
His outlook is as crisp and clear as the summer sky. In fact, according to tarot tradition, the Page of Swords is airin human form. He's the embodiment of the fast-moving energy that connects the suit of Swords to the world of intellect and communication. In other words, the Page of Swords is a graphic example of how air can take human form.
Key Symbols
The Sky's the Limit. Like all pages, the Page of Swords is youthful, with childlike enthusiasm and an unbounded capacity to learn.
Air Mail. During the Renaissance, pages were the youngest members of the royal court. It was their job to take news from one person to another. Because the suit of Swords is concerned with intellectual life, the airy Page of Swords specializes in delivering intellectual messages.
Honor Student. Pages were also students, learning their future roles through apprenticeships. The intellectual Page of Swords is a model student; he's a reader and a thinker.
Lost in Thought. The Page of Swords is a lithe, active young man who holds a sword in both hands. He looks as though he's walking across a rugged landscape, under a sky filled with billowing clouds. His hair is blowing in the wind, and he seems to pause for a moment, as though he's heard a sound carried on the breeze. He looks lost in thought, but he leans slightly forward on one leg, as if he's about to start running.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Page of Swords was connected to spies, surveillance, undercover operatives, and secret service employees.
Keywords
Upright: Intelligence, keen powers of observation, vigilance
Reversed: Spies, revealed secrets
Writing Prompts
Write about:
• an intellectual message
• an intellectual lesson
• an airhead
• a voice heard on the wind
• a snippet of song
Knight of Swords
THE KNIGHT OF SWORDS Is probably the one who best matches most people's conception of a knight. He is a skillful, brave warrior-more of a fighter than a lover. His armor is always polished, and his horse is always ready to ride.
He's a whirlwind who rides in with a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning. The atmosphere around him is charged with passion and intensity. At any moment, the storm could break, the skies will clear, and he'll be looking for a place to dry off.
The Knight of Swords is a quick thinker. He's intelligent, articulate, and analytical. He's also enthusiastic, energetic, and brave. His courage sometimes borders on the foolhardy-almost as though he thinks he's immortal.
The Knight of Swords didn't just memorize the code of chivalry-he helped write it. He is truly a knight's knight.
Key Symbols
Air Assault. Elementally speaking, the four knights of the tarot are all fiery. They simply combine the element of fire with the element of their own suit. In that regard, the Knight of Swords embodies the combustible mix of fire with air. He might be able to ride like the wind, but he's also full of hot air.
Full Speed Ahead. The Knight of Swords rides at full speed, as if he's scattering his enemies. He brandishes a heavy sword over his head as his galloping steed charges toward his destination. They're moving fast: the horses' hooves are kicking up a storm of rocks and dust, and the knight's cape billows behind him.
Synergy. Experienced riders will tell you that when they are on their horses, their minds and bodies work in perfect harmony. Horse and rider no longer feel like two separate creatures. Their individual strengths and talents combine. The horse knows t
he rider's will from a gentle nudge or whispered command. The rider can sense how and where the horse will move and shift his weight accordingly. The Knight of Swords is one of those riders who move in perfect union with their animals-and his mind moves as quickly as his mount.
Astrological Symbolism. Astrologically, the four knights of the tarot are associated with the four mutable signs of the zodiac. The Knight of Swords represents the mutable air sign of Gemini, which makes him versatile and quick-thinking.
Historic Significance. Historically, the Knight of Swords was said to herald a struggle with a rival. Reversed, it was said to foretell a dispute with an imbecile. It sometimes refers to a soldier or man of arms, predicting that he will be involved in heroic action. The Knight of Swords is a prototypical hero of romantic chivalry-like Galahad, one of King Arthur's knights.
Keywords
Upright: Skill, bravery, battle, combat, defense, opposition, resistance
Reversed: Boredom, sarcasm, incompetence, ineptitude, foolishness, folly, stupidity, impertinence, extravagance, ridicule, fraud, mischief, cunning
Writing Prompts
Write about:
. a soldier on the battlefield of ideas
. a hero who offends the politically correct
. an investigator
. an intellectual adventure
. an intellectual rescue
Queen of Swords
THE QUEEN OF SWORDS EMBODIES all of the qualities of the airy Swords cards. She's probably the most intelligent woman in the tarot deck. She's a quick thinker and a clear communicator. She's intensely perceptive and keenly observant. She's got a rapier wit and a sharp tongue to match.
She's not afraid to fight for the ideals that matter to her. If she's on your side, the Queen of Swords is a loyal defender and friend. If not, she won't hesitate to cut you down to size. She didn't get to be the Queen of Swords by staying quiet, and you can count on her to make her observations and thoughts clear in any company.
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