3 of Swords

Mellifluous

wandking said:
The Three of Swords departs from positive traits in numerology that express spontaneous creativity. In this card, expression takes on a painful form as the Swords story offers three in an unbalanced state. On this path, the number scatters energy and has difficulty manifesting positive values usually found in three. Generally, the numeric three is sociable, friendly and acknowledges joy as a motivator but this three offers grief.

Interestingly, I've been getting the three of swords lately about situations where I'm happiest and having fun. In trying to come to my own conclusion, the only thing I could come up with was creativity and mental activity/communication, involving other people or a group. Makes the image on the card quite incongruous. lol I'd really have expected three of cups moreso than three of swords. Guess the universe is nudging me to expand my meaning for it after all these years. :)

Edit: I just did a reading asking why I'm getting 3 of swords instead of 3 of cups. Answer: the Lovers. I think this indicates choosing to be happy or do something fun (and creative and social) instead of dwelling on things that might be less than ideal. (Clarified as: means 8 of swords, doesn't mean prince of cups. So, the Lovers here is about mentally freeing yourself to have fun, not anything to do with love or romance. At least, that is my interpretation.) Pretty cool.
 

Curious1

For me, the 3 of Swords is painful knowledge...knowledge that cuts to the heart of the matter allowing you to see things as they really are and not as you thought them to be.

"Sometimes we must get hurt in order to grow; we must fail in order to know. Sometimes our vision only clears after our eyes are washed with tears."
 

LadyKathryn

i posted somewhere else about this card.

I see this card as thoughts and emotions. 3 swords through a heart right...usually... swords are usually intelect or mental...thoughts...

a heart is pretty obvious to me. Emotions... but sometimes it signifies the need to get to the HEART of the matter.


soooooooooo perhaps someone is being TOO logical and ignorning thier heart...


sometimes it means Turn your grief into understanding.. accept that something went poorly...but it's time to learn from it....

I have started to see this card as representing Confusion....usually the querent DOESN'T know thier heart so to speak.. and i see it as a time to really KNOW YOUR HEART... what do you want?! :)


I am the type of reader that sees solutions a lot of the time... not always though. And it's just what naturally comes through for me.

Your intuition will tell you wich meaning is right for the reading

Anyone else see THREES as EXPANSIONS? i figure... ok... male/female... create....baby! for me... 3 of pents is a strong pregnancy card in my deck.

But i guess if you also figure.. the 2 of swords.. is the need for action right... but someone perhaps CAN'T look within for the answers... or is but just CAN'T make the move to act on a decision.... I think you could see the 3 of swords as a call to action... you've made the decision.. though it was painful.... or it could be saying.. i know it's hard...but you need to do it.
 

Chiara

There are so many good interpretations iin this thread.

The Swords that are words used as weapons and sometimes leave a scar much deeper than an actual cut of a knife, bullet, etc. For me personally, those Three of Swords times are ones that even after all these years, even though I have moved on, even though I have grown from it and am a better person from it...the very thought can reduce me to tears.
 

casia

I've been getting the 3 of swords alot lately too. And it comes with the Death card and the 6 of cups card. I guess it is clear that a drastical hurtful situation in my relationship is coming. Or a drastical change that will sooth the pain that has been caused by the 3 of swords in my relationship. What to think???? It is obvious for me the 3 of swords are painful words.
 

loobiloo

Personally, I can't help but jump a little when this card comes up. It was a recurring card for me many years ago, when I was going through a very painful breakup with an ex. So naturally I associate it with deep heartbreak. Even the physical symptoms of anxiety/panic/depression can (to my mind) be indicated by this card.

On the otherhand, if it shows itself in the reversed position I see it as a very positive sign, since the swords are then 'falling out' of the heart, and the heart is being allowed to heal. I have seen other interpretations though, that a reversed card means that the heartbreak is being suppressed, and therefore never fully dealt with and is still being carried inside. I prefer my more positive interpretation, instead of this even bleaker one! But it all depends on context of course.
 

GoddessArtemis

Chiara said:
The Swords that are words used as weapons and sometimes leave a scar much deeper than an actual cut of a knife, bullet, etc. For me personally, those Three of Swords times are ones that even after all these years, even though I have moved on, even though I have grown from it and am a better person from it...the very thought can reduce me to tears.
I really like this interpretation, Chiara.

To add to it, I see this card not only as heartbreak, break-up, sadness/depression, but also when your own thoughts are hurting your heart: "Did I do something so wrong that I deserve this kind of treatment? Could I have done anything differently to keep the relationship going? Did he/she not love me anymore? Am I just not lovable/worthy?" These ruminations/thoughts can hurt one's own heart, sometimes causing more pain to oneself than another person ever could.

GA
 

IsisSophia

Originally poted by Aoife
Leah Samuls defines the card in the Hudes deck as "perceiving how things fit together. Seeing all parts of an issue. Examining something in it's entirety" - which fits perfectly with the image of a woman looking at one of three swords in the ground close to her.

I've always had trouble with the RW image of the 3 of Swords, but the Leah Samuls interpretation makes perfect sense to me! It fits the definition of a three, and it fits the sword suit, which is not an emotional suit. It seems to me that the 5 of Cups is a better card for hurt feelings, loss or feelings of regret. I've continued to use the tradtional interpretation of the 3 of Swords, but I sure like the Leah Samuls better! :) Thanks Aoife!!
 

IsisSophia

Oops!! Guess I'd better review how to post a quote! :(
 

misskatie

Something just occurred to me and I had to post.

Whenever I've seen this card I've always assumed an ending of some sort...I think it's because I associate heartbreak and sorrow with endings. Well, lol my epiphany is that it doesn't really indicate endings and if it's in an outcome position it can mean CONTINUED sorrow...ugh which could actually be worse than the ending of a situation.