3 of swords and other negative cards.

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Jun 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

martyn_uk	01 Jun 2005
When doing a reading,if asked..what does the other person think of me,and the 3 of swords came up,how would it be interpreted?

light2000	01 Jun 2005
hi martyn_uk !!you should do this question on your readings or talking about tarot. but... It´s a lot easier if you put the spread that you used and the encircle cards. Because that change all of the prespective. But whith this only card seems that you made ( if was at present) or you will(if was at future) make suffered this poor person. He think that you disdain him. He thinks that you had suffered a lot and you are a pessimist person. Maybe he think that made you suffered ( the encircle cards give the answer) and he is sad about it. He thinks that you are mad at him. He think that you are crying for him, or for someone. I know that i didnt give you help but is the only thing that i can say. Bye and welcome.

Kyrea Gold	01 Jun 2005
it is of course, depending on the other cards in your spread - but i have seen this card when there is an opportunity to heal something. an insecurity issue, repeated patterns that hurt us, etc. on the robin wood deck the heart is pierced with 3 swords but no blood is dripping. On the Gendron a woman stands with her arms up (in line with the swords) and above the third with the sword aligning with an eye that i feel shows a seeing on the spiritual level, seeing on the non physical. Could you share the entire spread? Kyrea

martyn_uk	01 Jun 2005
The spread that I used was the relationship spread..Card four represented what the persons partner thought of them.The three of swords came up.I understood that this person had been suffering from a lot of anxiety so that's the way I interpreted it.Would you have done it the same way? Thanks for the reply.

sacredashes	01 Jun 2005
hi martin, could it be possible that the person thinks you're sad, maybe? i've always thought the 3 of swards indicated loneliness or heartache or both and if this is the card to your question, could it be that somehow, you might have given this person the impression that you're still healing from a past experience or hurt? is it also possible that there has been a misunderstanding,leading to the heartache (maybe caused by this person and he/she knows it)? would you let me know it any of this makes sense coz i'm trying to figure out how the tarot works too.. thanks.

martyn_uk	01 Jun 2005
I do interpret the 3 of swords that way too..but being such a negative card I always look for something negative to say.All the books that I have read usually says heartache or something along those lines.Do you find it difficult to find a positive meaning for it too?

Al Si'ra	01 Jun 2005
Hi!! 3 of Swords is not a negative card- at least; not always..It could also sometimes mean letting pain and love in- both at the same time- 3 of swords can also indicate deep emotions-releasing of these feelings-which is for me is much better than having no emotions at all.. :)

MercyMe	01 Jun 2005
In the Hudes deck the three of swords indicates that a person is trying to figure out a painful thing in his/her mind, trying to see where things fit. It's serious, but not necessarily heartbreaking. It can also indicate three people involved in something. Three viewpoints coming into play in a serious matter. Three choices, all difficult. _Mercy

Scorpion	01 Jun 2005
I've never really thought about this one before but I just had the thought if I viewed someone as having a 3 Swords personality, I might think they thought too much. Don't know if that exactly makes sense, but I associate the Swords with the mind and the way they pierce the heart gives me the impression of someone who could take the joy out of something spontaneous by being too logical, say. Someone whose head rules their heart, perhaps? Or someone who has been so hurt in the past that they're determined it won't happen again? So, too guarded and not letting their emotions any outlet.

Ace	01 Jun 2005
I tend to see 3 of Swords as making too much out of something small-overreacting. It is a sad card, but not as terrible as say, 9 or 10 of swords (I see Swords as a progession from Ace to 10) It can mean sacrifice or in this case seeing you as needy or demanding. But on the other hand, like evesdropping, when you ask what someone else thinks of you, you may not hear well of yourself. You might ask the cards, how can I change this view of me? and see what they say. Ace

sacredashes	02 Jun 2005
i've always been uneasy with the sword suit since i started reading about tarot and its' meaning. there's always a lesson, a good thing in every difficult situation. we just have to find it. i agree that none of the cards are negative but some are harder to deal with. if this card indicates what this person thinks of you, is it posssible then that this person thinks you will hurt her? maybe based on past relationship, is this person afraid of getting hurt? if you find the "reason" behind this card, you can then work on making changes, for the better. hope this helps.

Little Baron	02 Jun 2005
This is a very good question that has been brought up ... I think that it depends on which deck you use. I am using the Universal Waite deck at the moment for readings, and like you, seeing this card pop up can be a little unsettling. I tend to look at the throw that way since that is how the card is depicted. I think that all cards have aspects of light and dark within them to maintain a balance in the tarot - as much as this could represent heartache, a 'third person' that brings confrontation to a 'union' and over-reaction in the heart, it could also be looking at finding support in others and the clearing of a disruptive thought pattern. A 'three' is growth and moving forward so it could suggest the beginning to 'the end' of negative and obsessive thoughts. When reading with a deck such as the Marseille, there is no 'bleeding' or 'stabbed' hards, which on the whole, works towards a less negative perception of the card. In that case, the growth of the mind and thoughts, with the some kind of 'new realisation' could be possible as it moves from the 'two' into a more stable 'four'. I try to remember these positive ideas as much as I can when using decks that have a slightly darker flavour in such cards. It is important to go with how you feel. The only thing that is consistant in life is 'change' so even though a black cloud may settle over a time in someone's life, it will not be there forever. New energies will soon come into the picture and this card possibly is a hint that they are on their way. Especially (in RWS) when you can see the confusion and barriers of the 'two'. LB

The 3 of swords and other negative cards. thread was originally posted on 01 Jun 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.