Minor Arcana · 14 cards
Suit of Swords
Swords is the suit of Air. It speaks of thoughts, words and decisions: truth and lies, arguments, anxiety, boundaries and clarity of mind. Swords is the hardest suit in the deck, but it is also the one that teaches you to see a situation honestly.
- Element: Air
- Signs: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini
- Thoughts and decisions
All cards in the Suit of Swords
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Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords stands for clarity and breakthrough
Yes/No: Yes
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Two of Swords
The Two of Swords is a hard choice that keeps getting put off
Yes/No: Unclear
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Three of Swords
The Three of Swords is heartache
Yes/No: No
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Four of Swords
The Four of Swords stands for rest and recovery
Yes/No: Wait
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Five of Swords
The Five of Swords is a victory that brings no joy
Yes/No: No
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Six of Swords
The Six of Swords is a passage to calmer waters
Yes/No: Likely yes
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Seven of Swords
The Seven of Swords stands for cunning and secrecy
Yes/No: No
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Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords is a trap of your own thoughts
Yes/No: No
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Nine of Swords
The Nine of Swords is the card of night-time worries
Yes/No: No
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Ten of Swords
The Ten of Swords is rock bottom and the end
Yes/No: No
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Page of Swords
The Page of Swords stands for a sharp mind and curiosity
Yes/No: Likely yes
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Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords is a swift attack
Yes/No: Yes
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Queen of Swords
The Queen of Swords is a clear mind and honesty
Yes/No: Likely yes
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King of Swords
The King of Swords is the power of reason
Yes/No: Yes
How to read the Suit of Swords
The Suit of Swords shows how the mind helps — and how it can also wound. The Ace of Swords is clarity and a truth that cuts through the fog. The Two is a postponed choice (in Heinrich Pangrau’s deck, the blades in the girl’s hands seem to be melting). The Three is heartache, the Four is rest and recovery, the Five is a conflict with no winners, the Six is a crossing to calm waters. The Seven is cunning and things left unsaid, the Eight is the trap of your own thoughts, the Nine is anxiety and sleepless nights, the Ten is a painful but final ending.
The Swords court cards are people of intellect and words: the curious Page, the swift Knight, the perceptive and independent Queen, the fair and stern King.
At work, Swords speak of negotiations, analysis, paperwork and competition. In love, they speak of conversations, mistrust and the need for honesty. Reversed Swords often show that the worst is already behind you, or that your fears are bigger than the real threat.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Suit of Swords represent in tarot?
Thoughts, words, decisions, conflicts and truth. Swords show what is going on in a person’s head and how they cope with difficulties.
Is Swords a bad suit?
No. Swords are honest, and the truth can be unpleasant. Many Swords cards speak of hardship, but the Ace, Six, King and Queen of Swords bring clarity, a way out and strength.
Which Swords cards are the hardest?
The Three (heartache), the Nine (anxiety) and the Ten (the end of a situation). But the Ten of Swords is also the point after which things can’t get worse: recovery begins from there.
What does it mean when you get a lot of Swords in a spread?
The situation is tense: lots of thoughts, arguments or anxiety. The advice is to separate facts from fears and speak directly instead of working yourself up.