Minor Arcana - Swords Flashcards
Sdrows fo Eca
Confusion, difficulty thinking clearly. Possibly a strong mind that can be manipulative.
Two of Swords
Someone who doesn’t want to see something or who closes off emotions. Isolation from people in your life. Alternatively (especially with the High Priestess or Hermit), turning toward a spiritual path or putting all your energy into a task.
Sdrows fo Owt
Becoming involved with others. Dropping defenses. Possibly lack of focus in spiritual or practical goals.
Three of Swords
Sorrow, heartbreak, a deep sadness. Calm acceptance that allows us to go beyond grief and find healing.
Sdrows fo Eerht
Recovery from sorrow, release of pain. Alternatively, trying to avoid suffering. Denial or closing off emotions. Which way it goes depends on the reading and the cards around it.
Ace of Swords
The gift of clear thought, spiritual truth, and higher values, even if these can bring sorrow. Singleness of mind and purpose. Possibly a challenge to act justly.
Four of Swords
Rest, withdrawal from struggle, inner peace. Meditation or some other spiritual practice that involves turning attention inward to awaken our deeper senses. Possibly isolation or closing down emotionally to avoid pain.
Sdrows fo Ruof
A return to activity. Renewed energy. Could be a healing, physically or emotionally.
Five of Swords
Defeat or possibly an unprincipled victory. Alternatively, choosing to walk away from a fight you cannot win. Stormy situations, possibly family quarrels.
Sdrows fo Evif
Moving beyond some disturbing loss or defeat. A new beginning. Communication may replace hostility.
Seven of Swords
Trickiness, cleverness, a plan that seems exciting but may not lead to long- term solutions. Impulsive action, especially done on your own. Possibly an affair.
Sdrows fo Neves
Willingness to consult with others before taking action. Getting advice. Caution; thinking twice before doing something. Resisting temptation. Possibly the end of an affair.
Six of Swords
Waite’s “journey by water” remains a simple fortunetelling possibility. More subtly, people (especially families) who carry pain or secrets in their lives and do not share them. Silence; things hidden.
Sdrows fo Xiss
Speaking up, revealing family secrets. Disrupting some long- standing situation. This can produce conflict or anxiety but ultimately lead to freedom, especially from the past.
Eight of Swords
Helplessness, confusion. Feeling blocked, oppressed. Manipulation that convinces someone she or he has no options. Alternatively, some intense spiritual practice to move attention inward.
Sdrows fo Thgie
Discovering you have more possibilities than you thought. Clarity; seeing things in perspective. First steps to free yourself from a hard situation.
Nine of Swords
Sorrow, anxiety, depression. What wakes us up in the middle of the night, including dreams or bad news. On a lighter note, insomnia.
Sdrows fo Enin
Beginnings of a recovery. Climbing out of a low point, especially facing a difficult truth.
Ten of Swords
Extreme mental states, but also the possibility that someone’s fears or worries are exaggerated. Intense meditation to overcome ego. Possibly a rejection of religious authority. Medically, back problems, maybe acupuncture. With supporting cards, addiction.
Sdrows fo Net
Relief from suffering, as if the swords literally fall away. Waite describes any “advantage” as “not permanent,” so the person needs to make real changes. Relief from physical pain.
Page of Swords
Theme: Caution, wariness
Caution, wariness. Looking backward, perhaps nervously. Tension before a fight. Someone who spies or investigates.
Sdrows fo Egap
Learning to relax, to trust people. Alternatively, the exact opposite: becoming more anxious, more aggressive. Other cards can suggest which way it goes.
Knight of Swords
Theme: Courage
Courage, swiftness, daring. Battle can be suggested, and whoever takes up this sword needs to make sure he or she fights for justice. The intellect at a pure level (Air of Air). Brilliant ideas. A fast- moving mind.
Sdrows fo Thgink
The danger of fighting for its own sake, for the thrill of battle. With all the Swords court cards, the reversed can tend toward corruption, and the Knight can become aggressive, overbearing. More simply, he can take on a wild or reckless quality.
Queen of Swords
Theme: Wisdom, sorrow
Possibly sorrow, even widowhood or some other difficulty that can leave someone alone yet wise. Commitment to truth both in thought and speech, though her speech can be harsh, as she refuses to sugarcoat her honesty. Possibly an intellectual, a writer.
Sdrows fo Neeuq
As with the other Swords court cards, reversed can slide toward corruption— that powerful mind and personality turned more toward manipulation and control. Another (happier) interpretation would see her as leaving her high, lonely place and becoming more involved in life, possibly in a relationship.
King of Swords
Theme: Authority
Someone in a position of authority who is comfortable making decisions and being in command. As well as a person, the King of Swords can signify the very idea of a wise decision, especially for the common good.
Sdrows fo Gnik
A powerful mind and personality serving itself rather than society. Possibly a corrupt boss or other authority figure. More benignly, putting off an important decision.
