The Three of Swords in Tarot

The Three of Swords is an extremely graphic card, where three swords mercilessly pierce a heart. The rain falls continuously, and there are heavy clouds, creating a painful and gray scene that represents a dark and difficult time in life.

Visual Description of the Card:

The Three of Swords is a simple yet powerful illustration, with a tough message: A heart, suspended in the air, is pierced by three swords.
The heart is a symbol of emotion and beauty, while the piercing swords reflect the intellect’s ability to cause harm to the physical body and emotions.

The sky is stormy, and the rain falls heavily, representing a gloomy moment in time.

The Three of Swords is undoubtedly a painful card, where your heart and emotions are pierced by one or more things that push you to the emotional limit, but at the same time, its message is that you will get through it and heal, to enjoy life again.

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The Three of Swords Upright:

General Meaning:

The Three of Swords embodies everything related to emotional pain, to the point that it can also be felt physically.
When this card appears, your life is flooded with sadness caused by heartbreak or a significant loss.

There could be unexpected betrayals, sudden breakups, the heavy cloak of loneliness, the pain and heartbreak of separation, and the relentless sting of rejection.

Usually, it’s about an unexpected event, something that catches you off guard, something unplanned. It’s not just about heartbreak—pain can come from other tragic circumstances, like illness or the loss of a loved one.

Whatever the case, the Three of Swords depicts a time of absolute pain in your life. However, like all cards in the deck, it’s about finding the lesson, the positive aspect that can be drawn from this dark moment you’re going through.

Life also includes pain; we all experience it one way or another, and pain, as much as we hate it, is a great teacher. Pain teaches, allows us to learn from experiences, and serves as motivation in many cases, pushing you to face challenges and overcome whatever stands in your way.

It’s not what you or anyone prefers, but since pain is inevitable at some point (or multiple points) in life, there’s no choice but to try and learn from it. The saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” rings true.

In this case, the Three of Swords tells you that in time, you will gain clarity and overcome the pain of the events, leaving the past behind. Even if it doesn’t seem like it now, you will recover, and move forward.

If everything is seen through a certain lens, viewing pain as an opportunity to learn makes things less terrible and painful. This is not easy, and since the beginning of time, overcoming pain has been humanity’s spiritual Achilles’ heel.

There are pains that seem like they will never heal, or ones that you can only partially overcome, while another part of you carries the wounds as a symbol of how intense, uncontrollable, and random the experience of existence can be.

The Three of Swords can also be seen as the result of the choice made in the previous card, the Two of Swords. Remember, the tarot is a journey, passing through stages. You’ve faced a difficult choice, and now you may be dealing with the consequences of that decision.

The Three of Swords also serves as a reminder to release everything that afflicts you. Your spiritual cleansing process must be carried out, so now is a good time to let out everything—anger, tears, sadness, the words that torment your mind.

Take the necessary time to process the grief and pain, let go of all the burdens, cry yourself to sleep, but after that, a period of recovery must begin. You may feel devastated by the loss inflicted upon you, but you must move forward and continue your journey.

You are the one who decides when it’s enough. No one can tell you when that time comes. Only you can manage your emotions, and if you surrender to the pain, your process will be a slow one of learning, overcoming, and forgiving.

In Love

This is where the Three of Swords truly hits home. On one hand, it can indicate difficulties in a relationship, misunderstandings, hidden betrayals, arguments, and disappointments.
This might just be a moment, and the relationship can be saved if there’s honesty and true feelings involved. On its darker side, the Three of Swords points to breakups, divorces, betrayals, and abandonment. There is deep heartbreak, and everything tends to happen quickly, almost without warning.

If you’re single and looking for love, you may experience a series of disappointments, where people seem one way but turn out to be something else when you dig deeper. It’s undoubtedly a challenging time. You need to live through that pain to release it, to express it. If you bottle it up and don’t process it properly, you’ll never truly move on.

In Work

Your feelings or ego may feel bruised by something that happens at work. There might be an unexpected betrayal, the cancellation of an important project, or someone else taking credit for your work.
In the worst-case scenario, it could mean job loss, but it’s usually more about a painful event related to disappointment or a major obstacle that suddenly throws off your plans.

If you’re job hunting, consider fields or activities different from what you’ve done before. Change your approach, try your luck in something new, even if it’s outside your usual expertise.

In Money and Finances

The Three of Swords holds disappointments. If the situation feels overwhelming, don’t try to look at the big picture all at once. Break it down into smaller pieces, analyze them, and solve them bit by bit, day by day. Look for the causes that have brought you to this point and work to fix them.
Ask for help if you need it, and don’t let pride make things worse. It’s a bad time for investments and spending, for expanding and growing. It’s also a bad moment to enter into partnerships, as there’s a risk of betrayal and disappointment.

In Health

The Three of Swords indicates you’re going through a tough time, mainly associated with sadness, deep depression, or severe anxiety. You might also be dealing with a complicated illness.
The best thing you can do, despite the difficult situation, is to try to maintain a positive attitude. Everything can be overcome, from spiritual pain to physical illness, and a positive mindset can work wonders, beyond the appropriate and necessary treatments.

In Spirituality

This is not the time to hold on to things, ideas, people, or situations that may have run their course in your life. You must release all that pain and open your heart to new experiences ahead.
Only the passage of time will help, and it is the best healer. However, if you can’t bear the weight, seek help from the right people to assist and support you in moving forward.

The Three of Swords Reversed:

General Meaning:

The Three of Swords reversed indicates that things are starting to get better for you.
You’ve definitely been through a dark storm; the pain and sadness have hit hard. Maybe you’ve suffered a significant loss or ended a relationship that left you shattered, but now the dark clouds are slowly starting to give way to rays of sunshine.

However, you’re still suffering internally from this difficult situation. You’re in the process of healing and cleansing, but you haven’t fully moved on yet.

You’re beginning to understand and accept some things in this process of emotional cleansing, and slowly you start to see that it has taught you something valuable, something you will carry with you into future experiences.

You must be careful to continue progressing or risk getting stuck in the pain, which can sometimes follow us like a faithful dog. You must keep moving forward, focusing on the future, accepting everything that has happened.

If necessary, continue to express that pain, as this is the best way to cleanse it. A good cry can be incredibly healing, and it would do you harm to keep those emotions inside without letting them out.

The worst is behind you, without a doubt, and in your acceptance, in rationalizing and understanding what has happened, you’ll find a way back to hope, to believing again that there are still countless opportunities for you—happy times and new chances to embrace joyful moments.

You’re recovering, standing strong thanks to yourself, and that is a great strength to hold onto: If you’ve survived this darkness, you can rise from the ashes like the Phoenix, stronger and more whole.

In Love

The Three of Swords shows that you’ve been through an incredible amount of pain, but you’re starting to overcome it, to understand and accept it, to make it conscious. Even in such a bleak context, you manage to find the positives in what has been a brutal blow.
You know that one door closes, but another opens. Without a doubt, you’re not ready for love or a new relationship just yet, but you’re on the right path.

If you’re searching for love, the most disappointing people are starting to fade into the background, and through this spiritual cleansing, you’re learning to choose what’s best for you, almost with a sixth sense that pain has sharpened.

In Work

The Three of Swords signals that the time of misunderstandings has passed, and the confusing work situation, along with any clashes with others, is slowly being replaced by new order, where you’ve drawn important conclusions.
Now, you’re less concerned with others’ opinions, focusing instead on your own efforts and abilities. If you’ve been worried about losing your job or facing professional challenges, things are starting to calm down and stabilize.

If you’re looking for work, new opportunities are starting to emerge.

Regarding Money and Finances

The Three of Swords says that the worst is behind you. The bad results, lack, errors, frauds, and betrayals you may have been exposed to are starting to fade, and the outlook is becoming clearer.
You’re still a bit weak, so it’s important to keep saving and avoid risky ventures, but slowly, things are coming together, and new, happier opportunities may be just around the corner.

In Health

The Three of Swords suggests that you may not have all the information you need about your health. If you’re facing issues, listen to your doctors, but don’t settle for just one opinion. If your gut tells you something different from what the experts are saying, trust your instincts and follow those leads—they could be very valuable.
The most challenging health aspect with the Three of Swords is that you may be dealing with emotional distress: depression, anxiety, insomnia, or eating disorders.

Find ways to address and resolve these issues with the help you need. When our body is sick, we run to the doctor, but when our mind suffers, we often don’t seek help, and that’s undoubtedly a serious mistake.

In Spirituality

The Three of Swords indicates that you’re in a phase of recovery and improvement, but still fragile, so you may feel the need to hold onto things, beliefs, or people. Be cautious of those who claim to have all the answers and crystal-clear solutions, as they may just be offering false promises.

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