The Suit of Swords: Why It Shows Up So Often
You ever notice how the Suit of Swords seems to pop up in tarot readings like it’s got nothing better to do? It’s no coincidence. In my readings, which are all about guidance, Swords show up because they’re the masters of navigating our thoughts. When our minds are tangled up, when we feel like we’re fighting an invisible battle in our heads, that’s when the Swords come in, ready to cut through the mess.
Swords are all about thoughts, ideas, and the words we speak—to others and ourselves. They don’t come with a soft, comforting vibe. Instead, they come sharp and direct, ready to slice through confusion and get to the truth. It’s like they show up to say, “Alright, enough of this mental gymnastics. Let’s get real.” If you’re sitting across from me, searching for answers, chances are you’re struggling with your own thoughts. That’s where the Swords step in—they don’t dance around the issue; they dive straight into the thick of it.
The Element of Air: Cutting Through Thoughts with the Suit of Swords
The Suit of Swords is ruled by the element of Air, and if you think about it, Air is just like our thoughts—constantly moving, ever-changing, impossible to grab hold of. Air can be a gentle breeze that brings clarity or a full-blown storm that leaves destruction in its wake. Swords capture this perfectly. They’re about the power of thoughts and words, and how they can both heal and harm, depending on how they’re wielded.
When you’re dealing with the Suit of Swords, you’re not just dealing with casual daydreams or fleeting ideas. You’re dealing with the kind of thoughts that have power, the ones that can shape your reality. This suit is all about cutting through the bullshit to find the truth. They’re the cards that force us to look at our mental landscape and confront the stories we tell ourselves. They’re like that blunt friend who doesn’t have time for your excuses—they’re here to make you face reality, whether you like it or not.
Stuck at the Crossroads: The Dilemma of the Two of Swords
Imagine sitting on a fence, with one foot on either side, scared to put both feet down because you’re not sure which side is safer. That’s the Two of Swords. This card depicts someone sitting with a blindfold on, holding two swords crossed over their chest. It’s about indecision, the kind that leaves you paralyzed, afraid to make a move because you’re terrified of choosing wrong.
This card shows up when we’re stuck in binary thinking—when it feels like the only options are A or B, and neither looks particularly inviting. The Two of Swords is like standing at a crossroads, staring at both paths, and refusing to budge because you’re too busy weighing the pros and cons. But here’s the thing: staying stuck in indecision is a choice too, and it’s often the worst one you can make.
The blindfold on the figure in the Two of Swords suggests that this isn’t about seeing the options clearly—it’s about feeling your way through. It’s about trusting your intuition to guide you when logic has reached a stalemate. Sometimes, the best way to cut through indecision is to take a step, any step, and trust that clarity will come once you start moving. The Two of Swords is a reminder that no choice is a choice, and it’s time to uncross those swords and make a move.
But it’s also about opening your mind to the possibility that maybe there’s more than two options. Maybe you’ve been limiting yourself by thinking it’s either/or. The Two of Swords tells you to take off the blindfold, look around, and see that there are more paths than you originally thought. The real power of this card lies in the realization that your options are only as limited as your thinking. Once you see that, you can find a way forward.
Time to Chill: The Healing Power of the Four of Swords
Picture this: You’re a knight who’s just come back from battle. You’ve been swinging your sword, fighting off enemies, and now, you’re exhausted. You lay down, put your sword by your side, and close your eyes. This is the Four of Swords—a card all about rest, recuperation, and taking a fucking break.
We live in a society that worships busyness. If you’re not constantly doing something, you’re made to feel like you’re failing. But the Four of Swords is here to tell you that sometimes, doing nothing is the best thing you can do. This card comes up when you’ve been pushing yourself too hard, thinking too much, and it’s time to hit pause. It’s a signal that you need to step back, breathe, and let your mind rest.
This card isn’t about avoidance; it’s about recuperation. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, our minds need a break. You can’t run on overdrive forever. The Four of Swords is like your mental reset button. It’s about taking a step back so that when you come back, you come back stronger and clearer. It’s like taking a mental nap—you wake up with a fresh perspective, and the problems that seemed overwhelming before don’t look so big anymore.
The Four of Swords also points to healing, particularly mental healing. If you’ve been through a lot of stress or anxiety, this card is telling you that it’s okay to take time to recover. It’s okay to retreat, to find a quiet space, and to allow yourself to heal. This isn’t about being lazy; it’s about being smart. The Four of Swords is your permission slip to take a break, to meditate, to relax, and to come back to your life refreshed and ready to face whatever comes next.
Distracted by Shiny Things: The Trickery of the Seven of Swords
Now, here’s where we get into the real sneaky shit—the Seven of Swords. This card is all about deception, distraction, and mental trickery. It’s about getting sidetracked by thoughts that seem important but are actually just shiny objects that keep us from focusing on what really matters. To illustrate this, let me tell you about a little phenomenon called supernormal stimuli.
Picture this: an Australian beer company comes out with a new design for their bottles. They’ve made them all shiny and textured in a way that catches the light just right. People start noticing that when they’re out in the sun, enjoying a beer, something strange happens. Dung beetles, out of nowhere, start crawling over and humping the bottles. No joke. It turns out the beetles see these bottles and think, “Hot damn, that’s one fine mate!” Why? Because the bottles resemble the scales of female beetles. They look even better than the real thing, so the beetles go for the bottle instead of actual beetles. It’s fucking hilarious, right?
That’s the Seven of Swords in a nutshell. It’s about being lured away by thoughts and ideas that look appealing but aren’t real or valuable. It’s about our brains getting caught up in distractions that look like they matter but are actually just a load of crap. It’s like getting obsessed with that argument you had last week, replaying it in your mind, thinking of all the things you should have said. It feels important at the moment, but it’s just a beer bottle. It’s not real. It’s not worth your time.
Scientists did another experiment with birds. They placed a larger, brighter egg next to a bird’s real eggs. The bird, naturally, goes for the fake egg because it looks better. The Seven of Swords is asking you, “What’s your fake egg?” What are the thoughts that look important but are actually just distractions? Are you obsessing over a petty comment someone made? Are you getting caught up in drama that doesn’t matter? Are you focusing on worries that have no basis in reality?
This card is a wake-up call. It’s telling you to get real, to stop being the beetle humping a beer bottle, and to start focusing on what actually matters. Not every thought deserves your attention. Be smart, be discerning, and don’t let the shiny shit distract you from the truth.
Mental Prisons: Breaking Free with the Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords is that all-too-familiar feeling of being trapped by your own thoughts. It’s the mental equivalent of being tied up, blindfolded, and surrounded by swords, feeling like there’s no way out. But here’s the kicker: the swords aren’t actually touching you, and the binds aren’t that tight. The Eight of Swords is all about perceived limitations, about how we create mental prisons for ourselves that aren’t as solid as they seem.
When this card shows up, it’s like a neon sign saying, “You’re letting your thoughts hold you hostage.” Maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s self-doubt, maybe it’s a story you’ve been telling yourself that you’re not good enough. Whatever it is, it’s keeping you stuck. The Eight of Swords is about those thoughts that whisper in your ear, convincing you that you can’t do something, that you’re not capable, that there’s no way out.
But the reality is, those thoughts are just thoughts. They’re not facts. The person in the Eight of Swords is blindfolded, meaning they’re not seeing things clearly. If they would just take off the blindfold, they’d see that the path isn’t as blocked as they think. The Eight of Swords is about challenging those limiting beliefs. It’s about asking yourself, “Is this true? Or is it just a story I’m telling myself?”
The Eight of Swords is a reminder that freedom starts with your thoughts. If you can change the way you think, you can change the way you live. It’s about taking back control from the negative thoughts and realizing that you have the power to free yourself. You’re not a prisoner of your own mind unless you choose to be. The Eight of Swords is here to tell you that the door isn’t locked—you can walk out anytime you want.
Midnight Madness: The Night Terrors of the Nine of Swords
The Nine of Swords is the card of sleepless nights, the one that shows up when your mind is keeping you awake at 3 AM, bombarding you with worries and fears. Picture someone sitting up in bed, head in hands, with nine swords hanging over them like a cloud. This card is all about anxiety, guilt, and being haunted by your own thoughts. It’s about feeling like your mind is your worst enemy.
When the Nine of Swords appears, it’s like your mind is under siege. Maybe you’re replaying every mistake you’ve ever made, worrying about things that might never happen, or letting fears control you. This card is a call to face those fears, to bring them out into the open. Because here’s the thing: the monsters in our minds often aren’t as scary in the daylight. The Nine of Swords is a reminder that you can’t keep hiding from your thoughts. You have to confront them.
This card is tough, but it’s also honest. It’s saying, “I know you’re scared. I know you’re hurting. But you can’t keep letting these thoughts control you.” The Nine of Swords is about acknowledging your fears, giving them space, and then finding a way to let them go. Because holding onto them isn’t helping—it’s hurting you.
It’s also a reminder that you’re not alone in this. The Nine of Swords can make you feel isolated, like no one else understands what you’re going through. But everyone has their own Nine of Swords moments. The key is to not let them define you. Reach out, talk about what you’re going through, and know that there is a way through the darkness. The Nine of Swords is a call for compassion, both for yourself and from others.
Rock Bottom and Rebirth: The Finality of the Ten of Swords
The Ten of Swords is that card that screams, “Enough is enough.” It’s the image of someone lying face down with ten swords in their back, looking like they’ve been totally defeated. This card is about painful endings, about reaching the point where you can’t take it anymore. But as brutal as it looks, the Ten of Swords isn’t just about destruction—it’s about clearing the way for something new.
This card shows up when you’ve hit rock bottom, when you’ve been battered by your own thoughts to the point where you can’t keep going the way you have been. But there’s a strange kind of relief in the Ten of Swords. It’s over. The worst has happened, and you’ve survived. Now, you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start again. The Ten of Swords is like a cosmic reset button. It’s saying, “All that shit you’ve been carrying? Let it go.”
The Ten of Swords is about cutting ties with the past, with the thoughts, beliefs, and patterns that have been dragging you down. It’s about recognizing that some things need to end so that new things can begin. This card is a reminder that you can’t keep dragging your old baggage with you. You have to let it go to make room for new growth.
There’s a sense of liberation in the Ten of Swords. It’s about finding the strength to let go, to stop clinging to what’s been killing you, and to start fresh. This card is about turning your pain into power, about finding the courage to move forward even after you’ve been knocked down. It’s about embracing the ending and looking forward to the new beginning that’s just around the corner.
Conclusion: Finding Clarity with the Suit of Swords
The Suit of Swords isn’t here to make you feel good. It’s here to bring clarity, to cut through the mental clutter, and to show you the truth. These cards show up when it’s time to get real, to confront the thoughts that are holding you back, and to find a way forward. They’re not always easy, but they’re always honest. They’re a reminder that the power to change your life starts with changing your thoughts.
Now that you’ve seen how the Suit of Swords can cut through the mental clutter, it’s time to ask yourself: What mental battles are you fighting? Ready to take that first step towards clarity? Book a reading with me, and let’s find out which sword you’re wielding and how to use it wisely. Together, we’ll turn those sharp edges into tools of truth and transformation.
If you’re feeling trapped by your thoughts, if you’re stuck in a cycle of overthinking, or if you just need some guidance, let’s see what the Swords—and the rest of the tarot—have to say. Book a reading with me, and together we can cut through the mental clutter and find the clarity you’re looking for.
Or, if you’re interested in learning more about tarot, check out my Learn Tarot section. Dive into the world of the cards and discover how they can help you navigate your own mental landscape. The Suit of Swords is just one part of the story, and there’s so much more to explore.
