 The Nine of Swords is a card of anxiety, pain, and nightmares. While not the worst card in the deck, it is nevertheless foreboding and very rarely divines anything positive. The person in this card is agony and loss personified.
It is a difficult challenge to find practical and simple answers to a card so involved with matters inside the head - but I will try not to get too Nine of Swords about it. Clear and annotated meanings do exist for this card. Questions answered by Nine of Swords: Who? The most anxious person What? A nightmare Where? Your dreams When? The first week of June; Nine hours; Anxious moments Why? Situations we do not deal with right away can haunt us later Yes or No? Oh gosh, no. No no no Nine of Swords Before any card: Severe anxiety associated with (card) After any card: Anxiety, nightmares, being frightened The Nine of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Black, blue ...a movie theme? fear, anxiety, insomnia
...a new career?
Nine of Swords combinations With Hanged Man: A great sacrifice leads to anxiety and hopelessness. With Ten of Wands: Taking on too much responsibility is a nightmare. With Knight of Cups: A sensitive lover feels anxiety about a relationship. With Three of Swords: Grief is overwhelming and unlivable. Seek therapy. With Queen of Pentacles: An anxious mother or parent.
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The person usually depicted in the Eight of Swords looks trapped, bound, and jailed. However, upon closer look the bindings are usually loose, and there is space between the swords to escape. The person may be suffering self-victimization and refusing to see the way out. This is a great card for me today, because I was just complaining about the tons of clutter in my home office. It's my home office, so the clutter is mine, so I'm not sure to whom I'm complaining, exactly. After I hit "publish" on this, I'll try to make a dent in my office clutter. Hopefully I can make some headway before the middle of may. You win, eight of swords. Update 05/11/2022: I came back to update this post with some metadata, and I wanted to report that I never did completely clear the office clutter. I'm on new ADHD meds now, so maybe this time I'll get to it? Maybe. Maybe not.  Commonly depicted on the Eight is a person tied and blindfolded, surrounded by eight swords stuck in the ground. The person feels helpless and is afraid to move.
However, the blindfold and ropes are a metaphor for the person's own fears. If they would just take a moment to gain perspective, they would see that they are not bound tightly at all, and that there is a way out of the cage. The Eight of Swords is about breaking free of self-victimization and finding your way out of a bad situation. Questions answered by Eight of Swords: Who? Someone who feels or is trapped What? An excuse Where? Your thoughts When? The middle of May; Eight units of time; When your inner critic stops Why? Often our limitations are self-imposed Yes or No? no Eight of Swords Before any card: Being unable to break free of (card) After any card: Imprisonment, self-victimization The Eight of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? grey, blue ...a movie theme? prison, helplessness
...a new career?
Eight of Swords combinations With Justice: Cause and effect causes feelings of entrapment, but it is likely self-victimization. Look for the truth. With Ace of Wands: Someone stubbornly defends their position, and it could limit their ability to succeed. Move forward. With Queen of Cups: A wise and caring helper can guide you out of trouble. With Five of Swords: A desire to win at all costs leads to fear or loss. With King of Pentacles: Until you break free of the chains that bind you, you may not find abundance; Also, find a new job. The cat in my Seven of Swords should not be on the counter. He's a sneak! Now go be sneaky, too. For a limited time, you can get away with 10% off in my shop using the coupon code: 7SWORDS  The Seven of Swords is about stealth, manipulation, and getting away with something sneaky. In the Rider-Waite, a young person is running away with a collection of presumably stolen swords, glancing over a shoulder to make sure no one sees.
The person represented by the Seven knows they are doing something wrong, but they are doing it anyway. Questions answered by Seven of Swords: Who? A trickster What? A robbery Where? A vault When? The middle of February; Seven days Why? Sometimes a bit of manipulation is called for, but be mindful of who gets hurt Yes or No? Probably not Seven of Swords Before any card: Getting away with (card) After any card: Thievery or manipulation The Seven of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Yellow ...a movie theme? Thievery, crime
...a new career?
Seven of Swords combinations With Wheel of Fortune: Be strategic in your tricks - karma has a way of exposing deviance. With Four of Wands: A deception takes place at home. With King of Cups: An otherwise loving adult has a trick up their sleeve. With Knight of Swords: A thief or trickster dives right in, but impulsivity might spoil the plan. With Ten of Pentacles: A legacy of deception is left behind; The culmination of deviance might have met its end.  The Six depicts a gradual change or difficult journey. This is a troublesome trip, and one that is not wanted but is absolutely necessary for survival.
In most decks, a family paddles a ship across the sea, huddled with only the clothes on their back and each other. The Six of Swords is about a painful but necessary transition. Questions answered by Six of Swords: Who? Someone undergoing a huge transition What? A necessary trip Where? A boat When? The first week in February; Six weeks from now Why? Great relief is on the other side of difficulty Yes or No? If you make the necessary changes, yes Six of Swords Before any card: A difficult transition involving (card) After any card: Travel, leaving behind The Six of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? grey, blue ...a movie theme? a difficult journey
...a new career?
Six of Swords combinations With Hermit: You may need more time alone to contemplate big changes. With Seven of Wands: You're being defensive about your next big transition - why? With Ace of Cups: New emotions lead to an important situational change. With King of Swords: The logical move is to change course; A knowledgeable person knows they need to make a difficult transition. With Ace of Pentacles: On the other side of a difficult journey is a new and amazing opportunity.  The swords are never at rest for long. The Five represents the time after a battle or conflict. If it is a victory, it is an empty one. If it's a defeat, it requires a major regroup and re-plan.
In the Rider-Waite, a person stands holding the swords they have acquired in battle, but they have lost their comrades in the meantime. While at first it appears to be a win, the card itself represents nothing but discord and trouble. Questions answered by Five of Swords: Who? Either the defeated, or a winner who is not proud of his or her victory What? A fight Where? A boxing ring When? The end of January; After a battle; Five units of time from now Why? Winning is not the most important thing right now Yes or No? No Five of Swords Before any card: A battle over (card) After any card: defeat, empty victory The Five of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? grey, green ...a movie theme? defeat, arguments
...a new career?
Five of Swords combinations With Strength: This may be a rare time where a fight needs to happen, be brave and compassionate. With Knight of Wands: Jumping in with uncontrolled ambition will lead to a hollow victory. With Two of Cups: An argument with your partner goes nowhere and is disappointing. With Six of Swords: After a conflict there is a long and arduous adjustment. With Two of Pentacles: Before you start a battle, weigh the pros and cons carefully - there is more at stake than anticipated. I'm willing to bet every Tarot reader has a card that they just don't like. The Four of Swords is mine. It's not a bad card - in fact, it's one of the more positive swords cards! - but the problem I have with it is that it's a card about rest, waiting, delay, and contemplation. I'm a go-getter. When I get a bright idea I like to act on it immediately. So, when the Four of Swords shows up and tells me to wait, sleep on it, or think about it some more, I become unreasonably angry and frustrated! Maybe the Four of Swords is something that will work better for you. Let's find out!  After the dark and upsetting three comes a period of rest and contemplation. The four of swords is about withdrawal and retreat, perhaps temporary, so you can recover. When the four does not follow a painful experience, it might indicate that there is a delay in plans, or that things may not be going quite as expected. Questions answered by Four of Swords: Who? The sleepiest; a therapist What? A nap Where? A bed When? The middle of October; Afterwards; Four days from now Why? Requiring rest is not a weakness. Yes or No? A mild yes Four of Swords Before any card: meditate on (card) After any card: nap, rest, serious consideration The Four of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? grey, yellow ...a movie theme? Rest, mental work
...a new career?
Four of Swords combinations With Chariot: Restore yourself by maintaining control of your thoughts. With King of Wands: A great leader overcomes challenges through retrospection and patience. With Three of Cups: A restorative getaway vacation with friends, such as a camping trip or retreat. With Seven of Swords: Taking a nap feels devious but may be exactly what you need to think of new strategies. With Queen of Pentacles: A practical and secure person needs to contemplate an idea a little while longer; Mom needs a nap. One thing I refuse to meditate or wait on is the next book in my series, Applied Runes. I have a tentative release date of January 1st, 2021, so I'd best get a move on. In a strange coincidence, earlier I was working on the Rune Isa, which is about - you guessed it - waiting, delays, and meditation. It's a Four of Swords and Isa day. Nothing will get accomplished, so I might as well take a nap.  Pictured is the Four of Swords from the Sasuraibito deck, and Isa, a cold and unmoving Rune.  This is a card of pain and sorrow. The three bloody swords indicate that the head has won over the heart, and the result is loss or devastation. It could be the end of a job or relationship, an accidental injury or death, or something else causing deep and difficult grief.
After despair comes a new beginning, but you must face the grief head on in order to push through it. Questions answered by Three of Swords: Who? The ex; Someone grieving a terrible loss What? A dead body; The end Where? A grave When? The beginning of October; Now; Three units of time from now Why? Failure is the greatest teacher Yes or No? No Three of Swords Before any card: Tragedy surrounding (card) After any card: Loss, sorrow, despair The Three of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Grey, red ...a movie theme? Loss, sorrow, unwanted truth
...a new career?
Three of Swords combinations With World: (3 before World) Total heartbreak eventually leads to fulfillment, or (3 after World) the loss of all you hold dear. With Queen of Wands: You possess the courage required to face the heartbreak, plan your way through the stages of grief. With Four of Cups: Failure or loss leads to apathy and disconnectedness. With Eight of Swords: You are imprisoned in your own heartbreak - get help. With Knight of Pentacles: Pain leads to a greater sense of responsibility.  The Two represents an equal distribution of forces in opposition to each other. It may indicate a dilemma with no clear path forward, a decision with no right or wrong choice, or two paths - neither of which is better than the other.
In any situation, just choosing a course of action helps alleviate distress. Questions answered by Two of Swords: Who? The decision maker; The most confused person What? A set of knives Where? Twin Cities When? The end of September; Two days from now Why? Remaining indecisive is not an option Yes or No? Maybe The Two of Swords Before any card: A choice about (card) After any card: indecision and questions The Two of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to Eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Grey ...a movie theme? Indecision
...a new career?
Two of Swords combinations With Lovers: A difficult decision must be made regarding a partner. With Page of Wands: There are many options - do not get weighed down by them all. With Five of Cups: After the decision is made, there is regret over the unpicked options - keep looking forward instead. With Nine of Swords: Anxiety over a difficult choice may lead to a stalemate. With King of Pentacles: If King precedes, avoid indecision about how to manage your wealth. If King follows, deciding now will lead to prosperity.
My horoscope blatantly told me that today I'd discover my life's purpose. That's a bold and presumptive astrology prediction, so although I don't put much (if any) faith in random star-based predictions, I'm kind of excited to see if it comes true.
I'm trying to pay attention to every message I see, to figure out if it means something. What a great day to introduce our next set of practical Tarot cards! Swords are about thoughts, air, and discovery, but also sorrow and misfortune (I hope that's not my purpose!) 
One of the most positive swords cards in the deck, the Ace represents a strong element of determination, intelligence, and focus. It may suggest a victory using the mind or one's wits.
Occasionally, the conflict and resulting win represented by the Ace of Swords is an internal battle, rather than an external one. Questions answered by Ace of Swords: Who? The smartest What? A paper airplane; a puzzle Where? In the air When? Now; December through March - The entire season of Winter (Northern Hemisphere) or Summer (Southern Hemisphere) Why? The truth is out there Yes or No? Yes The Ace of Swords Before any card: Obtaining wisdom about (card) After any card: Knowledge, clarity The Ace of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...what should I clean?
...where are my keys?
...something to eat?
...a color? white ...a movie theme? Clarity
...a new career?
Ace of Swords combinations With Hierophant: A sharp-witted and ethical person knows what to do. With Three of Wands: Keep your head clear and your eyes on the prize. With Six of Cups: Think fondly about happy memories and how to recreate them. With Ten of Swords: Complete failure leads to mental clarity and a breakthrough on the next project. With Ace of Pentacles: A clear head and intense focus leads to a new and prosperous opportunity. Back to my personal journey toward a new job. I'm not interested in legal work or police, so maybe my life's purpose is either mental work or blacksmithing? I opt for blacksmithing. I'd really like to stop all the mental gymnastics. So there it is, I'm going to take up blacksmithing! ...but most likely I'll merely continue to ruminate on my life's purpose. Mental work it is. I think I'll write down my notes in the Divination Journal! Now available in Paperback for less than five bucks! In my interpretation, the baby King is seen here enjoying his riches without regard to formality. You can order the Applied Tarot deck here.  The King of Pentacles is a person possessing immense power, both personally and materialistically.
While a loving parent or father akin to the Queen, this person is more stubborn and has a bigger ego than the Queen counterpart. The King of Pentacles is conservative and miserly, but generous when there is a reward or thanks in it for him. Questions answered by King of Pentacles: Who? A dad or parent; A business owner What? A bank account; a store of luxury goods Where? At work When? Mid-August to early September; When the business is in the black Why? Because you need to be careful with your resources Yes or No? Yes King of Pentacles Before any card: A business involving (card) After any card: Business, environment, Dad The King of Pentacles as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Green, yellow, purple ...a movie theme? Success, stubbornness
...a new career?
King of Pentacles combinations With Justice: Being honest in business leads to abundance. With Four of Wands: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”13 With Ace of Cups: Following your heart leads to security and prosperity. With Queen of Swords: A complicated person and a pragmatist form a successful partnership. With Ace of Pentacles: When you think you have given enough, give more. 13 Helen Keller |
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