positive sword meanings

I feel that all the suits in the tarot deck have both negative and positive sides to them, but when studying card meanings i am disappointed to find that most books etc give swords a negative connotation. maybe it is because I am an air sign (aquarian), but id be most appreciative if anyone can give me some of their positive ways of looking at swords and/or positve meanings. when i look at fire people i can see how they display wand like characteristics, and same with water (cups), and earth (pentacles) but when i read about swords (air) i feel like it doesnt really go with the whole air nature. yes im a thinker, yes im intellectual, but im also very bubbly natured, emotional, intuitive and spiritual. iguess what im saying is why do the air cards get made out to be all about conflict and strife? and the way most books are written it implies the airsigns are not emotional, psychic, intuitive, creative,spiritual or practical, but i am all of the above. ive got a good mind to consider all of the suits as having aspects of all the elements. any insights on this dilemna?

Swords

One good thing about Swords is that they represent the intellect. It's just that often words and the mind can have a cutting effect (especially if your intellect is razor-sharp). Sharp words can cause mental anguish if not handled properly. The mind can spin into anxious states if it does not rest and think positive thoughts. You know how powerful your mind can be, right?...

Ambrosia...

You might want to consider reading the thread: DC's Tarot Notes! The four suits. In this thread, DollChica posted the results of quite a bit of research into the question of what the suits depict in general (among other things about the suits). I found them to be very helpful.

Some of the "positive" things DollChica mentions about the Swords;

Depicts:
(+) Mental Activity-thought, logic, reason. Offers clarity, balance, communication and verbal dexterity. States of mind rather than actual events, conversations rather than actions. Communication, travel, powerful ideas.

Traits:
(+) Manifest in wit and wordplay, precise definition, scientific reasoning & elegant analysis. Mental, communicative, intellectual, detached, cool, calculating, impartial, discerning, serious, analytical.

Click to expand...

These are just very brief excerpts from her write up on the Swords.

I have found, as you also seem to have, that in some instances there seems to be a lot of cross-over of traits and depictions in the suits. For instance, the 3 of Swords is, in some respects, about emotions. The 5 of Wands, in some respects, is about conflict. So... I would say, if you're doing a reading and sense that some non-sword trait applies to a card in the reading... go with your instinct. Thats my thoughts anyway...

All the swords can have a positive aspect, take the 9 of Swords for instance, if you pull that, it could indicate what you need to do to affect a change in circumstances--by pointing out that stressing & internal worrying are self defeating & consciously changing your worry response can change the entire focus of your problem, allowing you to shift it into something better able to be handled. (Boy, was that a meandering sentence or what?).

The 3 of Swords may mean you're now free to pursue someone better suited for you, not just indicating that you had a loss in love.

5 can show a joy in winning, just a caution to not rub others noses in the fact you won. After all, it was a fair contest.

Etc. Look for the positives & I'm sure you'll find them.

in reply

why though, do all (nearly) the sword cards talk about "painful" lessons? why are basically none of the cards related to the "good" air traits? surely swords are not all about "learning the hard way?". eg- 10-ruin, pain, 9-anxiety, dispair, 8-crisis, badnews, 5-defeat, 3-sorrow. geez it depressesme! they all sound the same to me. all the other suits seem to have a good balance of "good and nagative" so to speak, but swords tend to have used all the negative traits in the card meanings and left out all our creativity, wonder, joy, enthusiasm, idealsm, inventiveness, communication ability.... and the list goes on. maybe its just me but there seems to be something missing in the meanings behind this suit.

Hudson Grey

this implies to me that air signs are the "worriers" and they are always involved with conflict. for example, cups arnt all about depression, pentacles arnt all about greed, and wands arnt all about rashness so why is the swords suit all about conflict?

Ambrosia - I don't like all the negatives in the swords either.

I feel that where swords represents intellect, this is positive. I value my mind and don't believe that it is the cause of friction. What causes friction is most often unacknowledged emotions that cloud our thinking. In my experience, anyway

Diana has posted some interesting stuff on interpreting swords - she uses a Marseilles deck (which doesn't have scenes on the pips) so she is able to interpret the pip cards in a more flexible way. For example, a new take on the ten of swords

I wish there were some decks with scenes on the pips which gave a more enlightened view of swords, though.

Ambrosia,

you may want to take a look at the Merryday tarot.
Much more positive takes on the Swords suit there than usual!

All the cards are at:

www.merrydaytarot.com

Maybe I should start charging them a commission....

Hi Ambrosia

Often when swords come up, they are asking you to leave the "emotional, psychic, intuitive, creative,spiritual" part of you OUT of the equation for the particular question you have come to the cards with. They are not saying that these are not part of your - or anyone elses makeup - they are simply pointing to a necessary state to deal with the question at hand.

Hope this helps give you a different perspective

:O)

just my own feeling...
Swords (my favorite suit) cut to the heart of the matter and they have the power to transform!