Tarot Card Meanings: The Swords Suit
Upright: New ideas, new plans, intellectual ability, victory, success, mental clarity, communication, realizing the truth, vision, force, focus, intensity, stimulating people and environments, new beginnings, new projects, justice, assertiveness, authority, making the correct decision
Reversed: Lack of ideas, intellectual inability, failure, hostility, arguments, insults, destruction, confusion, misinformation, memory loss, inability to concentrate, lack of communication, creative blocks, frustration, injustice, hate triumphing over love, lack of assertiveness, making the wrong decision, lack of stimulation
Upright: Stalemate, truce, sitting on the fence, cross roads, difficult decisions, painful choices, facing your fears, being torn between two relationships, divided loyalty, being caught in the middle, denial, blindness, inability to see the truth, avoidance, blocked emotions
Reversed: Indecision, delays, seeing the truth, lies being exposed, overwhelming fears/worry/ anxiety/ stress, information overload, overly cautious, emotional turmoil, holding onto anxiety or resentment, detachment, coldness, guarded
Upright: Heartbreak, betrayal, loneliness, removal, absence, division, depression, separation, sadness, heartache, unhappiness, upheaval, disorder, confusion, alienation, distraction, ill health, conflict, trauma, serious misunderstandings, tears
Reversed: Releasing pain, overcoming depression, optimism, forgiveness, overcoming grief/ sorrow/ sadness, recovering from heartbreak, reconciliation, compromise, sharing problems, getting over the worst, repressing emotions, inability to let go of pain, suppressing memories, refusing to let go of emotions
Upright: Fear, anxiety, stress, feeling overwhelmed, needing solitude, relaxation, rest, peace and quiet, sanctuary, meditation, regrouping, hospitalization, introspection, planning for the future, contemplation, self-protection, spiritual counseling or support, having faith
Reversed: Finding mental strength, awakening, re joining the world, coming out of isolation, recovering slowly, healing, mental breakdown/ collapse, burnout, restlessness, not taking care of yourself, lack of self protection, not accepting counseling or support, losing faith
Upright: Defeat, surrender, change, walking away, self sacrifice, self sabotaging behavior, underhanded behavior, deception, lack of communication, aggression, bullying, intimidation, abuse, violence, crime, rape, murder, assault, standing up for yourself, victory, fighting back, overcoming challenges, serious conflict, hostility, stress
Reversed: Peaceful resolution, moving on, compromise, communication, ending conflict, releasing stress, overcoming challenge, major sacrifice, risk everything, relentless, revenge, escalating violence, held accountable, arrest, uncovered crime, regret, remorse, humiliation, shame, not heeding warnings , surrendering to challenges
Upright: Calmer waters, healing, progress, moving on, moving forward, things calming down, calm after a storm, overcoming hardship, relief, stability, escaping, running away, journeys, traveling, travel overseas, going on holiday, feeling deflated, lethargy, holding onto negativity, spirit guides, guidance,
Reversed: Trouble coming, out of frying pan into fire, lack of progress, slow healing, trapped, delay, stuck, overwhelmed, causing trouble, rocking the boat, changing/ abandoned plans, standing your ground, nowhere to run, stormy relationships, instability, disrupted/cancelled travel, return from travel, eloping, floods, accidents in the water
Upright: Deceit, lies, trickery, cheating, theft, underhanded, scheming, dangerous/risky behavior, enemy masquerading as friend, spying, lack of conscience, strategy, resourceful, flexible, escaping detection, getting away with it, adaptable, courage, daring, sharp wit, mental manipulation, cunning, overly rational
Reversed: Confessing, coming clean, turning over new leaf, conscience kicking in, ignoring warnings, pathological liar, serial cheat, slander, dangerously two-faced, malicious, con artist, blackmail, unworkable strategy, being outsmarted, getting caught, running away from consequences, coward, no backbone, stealing credit, military
Upright: Feeling trapped, restricted, backed into a corner, hands tied, victimized, paralyzed by fear/terror, anxiety, feeling pressure, hopeless, helpless , powerless, silenced, crisis, dilemma, drama, imprisonment, punishment, slavery, persecution, judgement, trial by jury, consequences, negative attitudes, psychological issues, major weight loss
Reversed: Escape, freedom, release , finding solutions/ options, relief, taking control, standing up to abuse, self belief, survivor, facing fears/ truth, releasing anxiety, hopeful, empowered, healing, mental strength, clear mind, overcome obstacles, prison release, end of punishment, severe depression, paralysis, oppression, surrender
Upright: Fear, anxiety, terror, negativity, deep unhappiness, stress, burden, overwhelmed, at breaking point, inability to cope or face life, mental anguish, guilt, regret, remorse, focusing on past, subject of gossip, isolation, making mountains out of molehills, joylessness, despair, nightmares, insomnia, hormonal, menopause, migraines
Reversed: Light at end of tunnel, recovering, improving, letting go of negativity/stress, learning to cope, facing life, opening up, accepting help, extreme guilt/regret/ remorse/shame, scandal/malicious gossip, night terror, total collapse/breakdown, hallucinations, giving up, depression/ problems/fears escalating, self pity/loathing
Upright: Backstabbing, betrayal, enemies, bitching, badmouthing, bitterness, doormat, failure, ruin, collapse/breakdown, exhaustion, inability to cope, curses, rock bottom, hitting a wall, dead end, severing ties, goodbyes, nail in the coffin, exaggeration, overly dramatic, martyr, attention seeker, playing victim, attack, violence
Reversed: Rising above problems/haters/bitchiness, over the worst, surviving disaster, being saved, things getting better, NDEs / OBEs, escaping ruin, pulling yourself together, learning from past hardships, fears coming true, being beyond help, worst is yet to come, despair, total ruin, relapse, problems coming back
Upright: Big changes/ opportunities, seize the moment, jump in, arrival/departure, assertive, direct, honest, quick wit, talkative, impatient, impulsive, intellectual, daring, rebellious, brave, courageous, focused, single-minded, perfectionist, ambitious, risk-taker, forward-thinking, champion, hero, soldier, go against the flow, leader
Reversed: Missed opportunities, out of your depth, out of control, left behind, rude, tactless, hurtful, sarcastic, insincere, forceful, bully, aggressive, vicious, dangerous, know it all, follower, go with the flow, unfocused, coward, criminal, self-obsessed, arrogant, leading others to danger, heading for a fall, inferiority complex
Upright: Honest, truthful, candid, protective, independent, chatty, communicative, witty, funny, principled, fair, constructive criticism, strong, quirky, realistic, objective, discerning, problem solver, skeptical, intelligent, sharp wit, self-reliant, open-minded, sophisticated, mother, repressed pain or sadness, divorced, hard knocks
Reversed: Overly critical, pessimistic, lack of empathy, rude, malicious gossip, manipulative, harsh, bitter, spiteful, vindictive, nasty, cruel, deceitful, cheater, unforgiving, scatter-brain, mental fogginess, poor communication, dysfunctional, obsessive, dependent, not learning from past, absent mother, repressed trauma, infertile
Upright: Structure, routine, intelligent, rational, logical, power, authority, strength, manners, conversation, discerning, detached, cool, honesty, integrity, ethics, morals, clinical, stern, methodical, self-discipline, head over heart, use your head, military, law enforcement, legal matters, judge, father
Reversed: Lack of structure/routine, intelligence used in a bad way, irrational, illogical, power-crazed, dictator, oppressive, inhumane, aggressive, brutal, violent, intimidation, controlling, cynical, cold, ruthless, weak, powerless, rude, dishonest, lack of integrity/morals/discipline, losing your head, judgemental, absent father
