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Suit of Swords
Swords are Air: thought, decisions, words, truth, conflict and mental pain. A sword cuts the problem and the hand that holds it alike.
Swords come from the spade of Italian cards — curved sabres in Mamluk decks — and became spades (♠) in France; the English word 'spade' comes from that Italian name. The Golden Dawn gave Swords to Air, though some European schools swap them, making Swords Fire and Wands Air.
The sky in the Swords cards tracks the mood precisely: heavy cards have dark or clouded skies, while cards that resolve show clear light at the horizon.
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
Summary table
| Card | Upright | Reversed | Astrology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace of Swords | clarity, truth, a breakthrough idea | confusion, misinformation, poor judgement | 0° Capricorn – 30° Pisces |
| Two of Swords | stalemate, a difficult decision, blocked emotions | indecision ending, new information, truth revealed | Moon in Libra (decan 1) |
| Three of Swords | heartbreak, sorrow, separation | healing, forgiveness, recovery | Saturn in Libra (decan 2) |
| Four of Swords | rest, recovery, contemplation | restlessness, burnout, returning to action | Jupiter in Libra (decan 3) |
| Five of Swords | conflict, a hollow victory, self-interest | reconciliation, ending conflict, remorse | Venus in Aquarius (decan 1) |
| Six of Swords | transition, travel, leaving difficulty behind | stuck in trouble, resisting the move, disrupted travel | Mercury in Aquarius (decan 2) |
| Seven of Swords | strategy, secrecy, deception | confession, secrets exposed, changing tactics | Moon in Aquarius (decan 3) |
| Eight of Swords | feeling trapped, restriction, self-limiting beliefs | release, seeing a way out, a new perspective | Jupiter in Gemini (decan 1) |
| Nine of Swords | anxiety, nightmares, stress | easing worry, seeking help, facing fears | Mars in Gemini (decan 2) |
| Ten of Swords | a painful ending, rock bottom, defeat | recovery, survival, the worst is over | Sun in Gemini (decan 3) |
| Page of Swords | curiosity, learning, new ideas | gossip, speaking without thinking, prying | 0° Capricorn – 30° Pisces |
| Knight of Swords | decisiveness, speed, ambition | rashness, aggression, poor planning | 20° Capricorn – 20° Aquarius |
| Queen of Swords | perceptiveness, honesty, independence | coldness, harshness, bitterness | 20° Virgo – 20° Libra |
| King of Swords | intellect, authority of mind, justice | abuse of power, manipulation, ruthlessness | 20° Taurus – 20° Gemini |