3 of Swords

Last night a new layer of meaning added to my understanding of 3oS.

Normally it has something to do with hurt, heartache, betrayal, stabbing somebody in the back, or being stabbed yourself. This just did not fit in the overall reading, so I was a bit puzzled, and to be honest I don't really like getting this card ;o) I have problems relating to this card because of the above mentioned interpretations, somehow I have always felt that there had to be more to it - and last night - it came to me.

By looking carefully and thinking about it for a while - it took some time to "meditate" on the matter - it occured to me, that this card in this particular reading was a depiction of the union of intellect and feelings - (And I must say the other cards was also about this - I don't know if its appropiate to tell what the other cards were, since this is not the Readings forum?)
I just intuitively understod that the deeper meaning (to me) of this card is that union or balance of emotion and intellect is a tough maturity process, that will hurt, but it will also bring experience of life, or maybe even wisdom.

Just thought I would share this - maybe one or two of you has a comment on this. Maybe you would just think that it is quite obvious, and not at all "deep", but it did help me.

Hi Gazel,

That's a very interesting take on the 3S. Instead of focusing on the effect of the merging as depicted in versions of the card that show three swords piercing a heart, you actually looked at the component pieces - the sword for the intellect and the heart for the emotions. Don't know if I ever would have made that connection, but I'll definitely consider it in the future!

Rodney

I think that is an excellent way to read this card because you are thinking about it yourself and not just remembering the meanings given to you by others. Each method has it's place but it's when you start to see beyond the obvious that you are 'reading' Tarot and not 'remembering' Tarot.

rwcarter said:

but I'll definitely consider it in the future!

Rodney

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Nice to hear that someone can use this aspect ;o)

Gazel

Moonbow* said:

I think that is an excellent way to read this card because you are thinking about it yourself and not just remembering the meanings given to you by others. Each method has it's place but it's when you start to see beyond the obvious that you are 'reading' Tarot and not 'remembering' Tarot.

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Yes. Thank you, Moonbow.

Lately, when I read, I have tried to do it without all my books (and I must say I have got a few down the line;o)), Instead I try to use them for reference, but don't take them out on the table before I have thought about/meditated on/"read" the cards first. I.e. gotten a first impression.

I simply need to let go of all the book stuf, if I shall reach the next level - so to speak.

I think the books are good to read, but not with the cards. Or more precisely - the cards should not be read with the books. And I do think that each time I lay out the cards, I manage to do a little bit more reading than remembering as you put it.

Gazel.

Good point, Gazel. And I agree; going by book interpretations alone can make for a dry (boring) reading. You have to bring your intuition into it to make the reading unique.

Another thing about the 3 of Swords and the combo of mind/heart is...that your mind/thoughts are hurting your heart. So it's less of a purely feelings-based situation, and more of an over-thinking issue, where you end up hurting yourself. For example, you start to wonder if your significant other is interested in someone else romantically. The more you think about it, the more your imagination gets the better of you, and then you start giving yourself heartache over it...whether the concern is true or not.

Another way to look at this card is that the realization about the truth of a situation hurts your heart...as in the above example, if you find out that your significant other was unfaithful...even if you suspected it all along, it's the "knowing" and realizing of that truth (Swords) that hurts the heart. That's how I often see the 3 of Swords turn up.

Hope that makes sense.

GA

GoddessArtemis said:

Another thing about the 3 of Swords and the combo of mind/heart is...that your mind/thoughts are hurting your heart. [...]

Hope that makes sense.

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It does indeed makes sense.
I often has wondered about this very "emotional" card in the suit of the swords. But I have come to the same conclusion as you bring forth here, that the mind/thoughts can be very hurtful, or words for that matter (just think about the words of Iago in the Othello play, and the hurt and agonizing thoughts they bring about). And it is not the only card among the Swords that is about this theme; the Two, the Eight and the Nine could all be interpreted to be about how the mind can hurt or cause obstruction to the heart/emotions/peace of mind - imho.

The three of swords used to freak me out a lot, I never got it in readings a lot but it certainly fascinated me. It is one of the most plainly painful and sorrowful cards in the deck and there is little else there except for hurt, but the image itself is so beautiful. The energy is shocking, but liberating at the same time. Cleave away the excess and all that.

So here's a wee poem I wrote to the 3 of Swords:

My 3 of Swords
Sometimes things break,
Sometimes despair *bleeps* you.
It gets inside and leaks out.
Forcing all your love out,
Forcing all the beauty to the floor.
You stare at yourself in wonderment,
That the sorrow could feel so good on the way out.

Gazel said:

it occured to me, that this card in this particular reading was a depiction of the union of intellect and feelings

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Pollack, in 78 Degrees, describes this card as the act of taking sorrow into one's heart and turning it into knowledge. She, more than anyone else, has taught me to look for the deeper meanings in the cards.

Mosaica

mosaica said:

Pollack, in 78 Degrees, describes this card as the act of taking sorrow into one's heart and turning it into knowledge.

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Yes. And it can take time to reach that point of acceptance.

She, more than anyone else, has taught me to look for the deeper meanings in the cards.

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Oh, yes. Pollacks 78 Degrees was what led me on to Tarot in the first place, 16 years ago, and I really like her interpreations, I often use it for reference, and it a bit -used - now, for lack of a better word.

Speaking of turning hurt into acceptance and knowledge - The one card personalising this process and state of maturity must be the Queen of Swords. It occured to me last night after writing about other Swords having to do with the hurt of knowledge.

She is the water of air, so she must know about the interplay between emotions and intellect. She must know how knowledge can hurt, and about sorrow, but also how to to turn hurt in to knowledge. To me she is the wisest of the Queens, I've always thought life must have taken its toll on her.

Around the left wrist, she (in the RWS version) has a band or a scrap of a rope. Something has tied her, maybe she's been in the Eight's position, but has used her intellect and skills to free herself from whatever that was.

...

So there is some kind of cyclus here; knowledge can hurt, and hurt can bring on knowledge - and freedom of the mind.

Yours truly, Gazel.