Five of Swords

To gain a more complete understanding of the Five of Swords, an overview of the suit and number is provided first.

Overview of the Swords

Aliases: In English, this is the most common.

Element: Air

Zodiac: Aquarius, Gemini, Libra

Playing Card Suit: Spades

Class: Nobility/Militia

Rules: The Mind or Will

The Swords control the mind or will. When Miss L refer to these qualities, it means that the meaning of each Tarot card in this suit can focus on intellectual questions or issues related to power.

If you want to see all of the Tarot cards in the Swords suit, go to The Swords.

The Swords is the Tarot suit that most people are uncomfortable with. 

Often connected to negative meanings, the Swords have been given a bad rap.

It's true when you're first learning the meaning of each Tarot card this suit, it seems more than an average number of Tarot cards are dark and brooding.

Just like a physical sword, the Swords have two edges. On the one hand, their energy can be destructive and hard to swallow - especially when it's your life that's being affected.

On the other side, they clear out the junk! Usually, they affect the clutter in your mental attics - the stuff you're not ready to get rid of but don't want to deal with either.

When the Swords appear, they are using their strengths of courage, ideas and power to tell you it is time.

Deal with it and move on!

If you're just learning to read Tarot cards, remember that the position in the Tarot layout as well as the nearby Tarot cards should to guide you (in addition to the meanings for the Tarot cards).Work from the heart, listen to your gut and develop your intuition.

Don't fear the Swords. Like any medicine, working up the courage to open your mouth and swallow takes longer than it does for the bad taste to fade after.

Synopsis of the Fives

Five is the number of rebellion and change. Where Four gave us the rules, Five is where we decide to break them regardless of consequences. 

These are the battles that are fought to break old habits and create new changes. Five will shake us up and force us to strive for progress.

The four main elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water are complemented by the fifth, Spirit. 

While Five isn't comfortable, the hard times will be overcome and positive changes eventually welcomed.

Upright Tarot Card Meaning:

A strong sense of disappointment and failure is inherent in the Five of Swords. 

It may be that in a quest for power, underhanded tactics were employed - lies, gossip and envy undermine everyone, including yourself.

Your disappointment was necessary to force a more realistic plan of action. 

When following a path where nothing seems to work, it might be time to admit that this is not be your best course of action. 

The only thing affected if you change your mind would be your pride. The Five of Swords encourages you to think beyond your ego.                                 

Reversed Tarot Card Meaning:  

When the Five of Swords is reversed, it is time to cut your losses. Sometimes, wanting to prove we were in the right becomes more important than being right.

At this point, you have already lost this fight, no matter what else you say or do.

Jealousy, pride and self-righteousness may be keeping you in battle but it is time to accept defeat and walk away. Accept what has happened, learn from it and start anew. 

Tarot Card Keywords: 

limitations, power struggles, failure, loss, damage, sense of unfairness, creation of something new, underhandedness, releasing pride, defeat, acceptance of defeat, learning to abandon self-pity, moving towards starting something new.

 

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