The Suit of Swords is representative of the element of Air. The Suit of Swords Tarot card meanings are associated with action, change, force, power, oppression, ambition, courage and conflict. Action can be both constructive and/or destructive, sometimes resulting in violence. This suit can also mean hatred, battle, and enemies, and of all the suits, this one is considered to be the most powerful and dangerous.
The Suit of Swords deals with the mental level of consciousness that is centred around the mind and the intellect. Swords mirror the quality of mind present in your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs. Swords themselves are double-edged and in this way the Suit of Swords symbolises the fine balance between intellect and power and how these two elements can be used for good or evil. As such, the Swords must be balanced by spirit (Wands) and feeling (Cups).
The negative aspects of the Suit of Swords (i.e. when the Swords cards appear reversed) include anger, guilt, harsh judgement, a lack of compassion and verbal and mental abuse.
When referring to timing in a Tarot reading, the Suit of Swords
traditionally represents Winter or Spring, or months. In a deck of
playing cards, Swords corresponds to Spades.
Swords represent the Air signs of Aquarius, Libra and Gemini. Swords people (as typically seen in the Court Cards) are intelligent, thoughtful, rational, logical and excellent communicators. They are rational beings and like to experience the world by understanding and analysing what is occurring around them. On the flipside, Swords people can be ruthless, domineering, confrontational and rigid.
Should a Tarot reading be predominantly Swords cards, then you can be sure that the client is seeking solutions to what are primarily mental struggles, conflict and arguments, and decisions which must be made. Also, there could be many arguments or even violence at present. While Swords can carry with them many negative or very strong, forceful messages, Swords serve also as a warning to be more cautious of what is occurring around you.
Click on each Tarot card below to find out more about its Tarot card meaning, including the upright and reversed Tarot card meanings.
| Tarot Card | Keywords | Tarot Card | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ace of Swords |
Upright:Raw power, victory, break-throughs, mental clarity Reversed: Confusion, chaos, lack of clarity |
 Two of Swords |
Upright:Indecision, choices, truce, stalemate, blocked emotions Reversed: Indecision, confusion, information overload |
 Three of Swords |
Upright:Painful separation, sorrow heartbreak, grief, rejection Reversed: Releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness |
 Four of Swords |
Upright:Contemplation, recuperation, passivity, relaxation, rest Reversed: Restlessness, burn-out, lack of progress |
 Five of Swords |
Upright:Conflict, tension, loss, defeat, win at all costs, betrayal Reversed: Open to change, past resentment |
 Six of Swords |
Upright:Regretful but necessary transition, rite of passage Reversed: Cannot move on, carrying baggage |
 Seven of Swords |
Upright:Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, stealthReversed: Mental challenges, breaking free |  Eight of Swords |
Upright:Isolation, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment Reversed: Open to new perspectives, release |
 Nine of Swords |
Upright:Depression, nightmares, intense anxiety, despair Reversed: Hopelessness, severe depression, torment |
 Ten of Swords |
Upright:Back-stabbed, defeat, crisis, betrayal, endings, loss Reversed: Recovery, regeneration, fear of ruin, inevitable end |
 Page of Swords |
Upright:Talkative, curious, mentally restless, energetic Reversed: All talk and no action, haste, undelivered promises |
 Knight of Swords |
Upright:Opinionated, hasty, action-oriented, communicative Reversed: Scattered thought, disregard for consequences |
 Queen of Swords |
Upright:Quick thinker, organised, perceptive, independent Reversed: Overly-emotional, bitchy, cold-hearted |
 King of Swords |
Upright:Clear thinking, intellectual power, authority, truth Reversed: Manipulative, tyrannical, abusive |
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