Ten of Swords

To gain a more complete understanding of the Ten 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 Tens

Often considered a perfect number (hey, the idea of 'perfect 10' needed to come from somewhere), the Ten has been revered in almost every major religion including Christianity.

When Ten arrives, you know that it signifies both an ending and a new beginning.

The cycle is complete, gains have been made and we are ready to start again.

Ten is a number of balance, comprised of the essentially masculine one and the feminine zero; when combined, they are the start of every new life and new adventure.

Ten also reminds us to enjoy the moment, savour the present and what we have achieved.  Soon enough, this time will pass and memories are never as evocative as the real deal.

Upright Tarot Card Meaning:

The Ten of Swords often indicates betrayal, especially through gossip, betraying confidences and destruction of trust.

Words are the enemy here so be cautious about committing anything to paper. 

When the Ten of Swords appears, it is usually an indicator that something important is coming to an end: beliefs, convictions, career or a relationship. 

Confronting that your shared time is over can be painful but at this point, you can't hide from it anymore. Moving forward, there is nowhere to go but up.

Reversed Tarot Card Meaning:

With the Ten of Swords reversed, it is time to address how your own negative thinking and deeply held beliefs are affecting your life. 

You may not realize how pessimistic you've become but there is an element of self-fulfilling prophecy in your life. 

Start to explore how you can slowly change your mindset and embrace positive thought patterns. Stay open to improvements and they will start to enter your life.

Tarot Card Keywords:

betrayal, slander, gossip, revealed secrets, end of relationships, rock bottom, depression, negative thinking, troubled period, improvements that don't last, unconscious beliefs, pessimism, stop looking for trouble 

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