3 of Swords

Phoenix Rising

This card literally can mean 3 swords, I did a reading for a girl, which showed up in her long term future. She was stabbed 3 times! Horrible I know. The woman who stabbed her was in the hidden influences position Queen swords! Now are those cards literally or what?
 

mythos

Aoife said:
L Samuls says "this is not a card of action or emotion or even intention, but rather of simple examination". Perhaps its got something to do with heart-searching?

Care to share your views?

I'm with Mary Greer on this one ... every card in the deck contains emotions, because it is out of emotions and feelings that our thoughts arise. We make assessments of a situation and we decide to take action. This, to me, is a card of deep sorrow and heartbreak. When you add the three to the mix ... expansion ... it is saying that the pain is in an expanded state, and that is okay. We need to 'feel' our heartbreak, think about it ... sit with it, before we make decisions about when we are ready to move on, try and resolve the cause, go for a second round ... and so on - in other words, before we use the thinking aspect to make decisions about what we will do. We need to 'feel' the heartbreak and sorrow and pain because, otherwise, we are merely repressing it and it will jump up and bite us on the behind when similar circumstances present themselves.

The position in the spread, and the surrounding cards will tell us where the sitter is in the process. Whether it is going out, coming in or in the present moment. Then is the time to assist the sitter in feeling the pain, voicing it ... experiencing it ... grieving from the wounded heart.

mythos
 

minotaur

I see the three of swords as "forgiving someone who doesn't deserve to be forgiven."
 

mythos

mota said:
I see the three of swords as "forgiving someone who doesn't deserve to be forgiven."

Now that is a really interesting take on the card Mota. In order to move on from such terrible heart wounds, we often do have to forgive, even when the other person doesn't deserve it, for our own peace of mind and healing. You have really gotten me thinking ... helping me to see outside my usual view.

mythos
 

Sechat

I use the Cosmic Deck primarily and it portrays 3 figures very formally dressed (suit, tie, long skirt, veil) in black, perhaps for a funeral or some other sombre occasion. The foremost figure has the sigil for Saturn on his jacket breast pocket. They stand in a walled area of some kind, perhaps some part of the building portrayed on the Tower card. The sky is full of dark roiled clouds. Before them on the parapet is a flower, it is impaled by three swords. I usually begin by interpreting this card as distress(mental --of the type caused by the conflict between what we name as our duties/obligations as imposed by society(threes) and our urge to our unique self-expression(the synthesis/integrative aspect of three). This causes mental suffering. The flip side of this is dispassion--the ability to engage the divide between self and external without bias.

peace,sechat
 

Dark Eyes

Hi Belly Dancer,
Glad you have a positive outlook in your sitiuation. It does sound very "three of swords" to me. When all is out in the open, and the cards are on the table (so to speak) , you can then move forward knowing where you stand. Life can go on and no need to look back. The relief in a way, after the stress. Hope life is good to you.
Debs.
 

casia

I use the scapini deck. In the picture there is a family that is rejecting one of the members of the family, or some other person. Everyone seems mad and this young man that is leaving is bowing his head in kind of like shame. I´ve always interpreted this card as someone who is beeing left out, rejected, someone that is out of the loop sort of speak. And I guess that could also be heart breaking, even if it is for the better good at the end that parting moment must be terrible for what it is at that specific moment.
 

wandking

i'll just do the math

I've been reading Papus lately and these aren't his words but it sort of goes like this: 1 is active and the ace of swords is pure intellectual insight coupled with an overly passive two, which in swords lacks the clarity usually associated with the suit. This causes creativity shown by the three of swords to take on painful overtones. Here's the offspring(which deals with RWS imagery and the Crowley name):

THE THREE OF SWORDS
The stark picture, provided by this card, straightforwardly stabs at the obvious meanings of sorrow or suffering. A powerful image on the Three of Swords offers dismal skies with three swords impaling a heart to symbolize slicing truth as it pierces emotions. This card represents external events cutting through the physical body or feelings of a person. Even honesty can slice into fragile human emotions. Brutal dialogue, physical rejection or an uncaring attitude wound as deeply as swords. The Three of Swords is a misty jewel of many facets but each shines with suffering. This card shows alienation; betrayal; sadness; separation; misery or loss. Stormy events seem especially painful when they strike unexpectedly. Often this three suggests a series of disheartening events if it appears in a spread. Each Swords card offers lessons and the Three of Swords is the cruelest instructor in this suit.

In a double-edged suit, this three can show either the intention to inflict or ability to overcome injuries. Preparing for an injury the Three of Swords predicts, reduces emotional distress or prevents it entirely. This card teaches us to expect agony in our lives but that is not the primary lesson. Although it appears dreadful, pain becomes essential to existence. Without pain, there can be no pleasure. It makes sense, that to appreciate a bounty of pleasures available in this world you must experience the ravages of grief. Evidently, not only humans but also most life forms exhibit an instinctive tendency to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Being hurt provides the stimulus to overcome pain and regain a tranquil existence. Emotional anguish presents unique potential to learn from errors and eventually grow wiser. Rainy skies, featured on this card, show a bleak time but clear sky follows rain. When disaster strikes, lightning-like pain tends to cloud your vision but as Emily Dickenson writes, wisdom is “never quite concealed: The Apparatus of the Dark; to ignorance revealed.” From agony, we ultimately gain the insight to move on from a stormy past. Life continues, despite a feeling of futility.

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. Voltaire said, “Tears are the silent language of grief.” By seeing past tears, you still gain clarity of the Swords, as an element of vision, usually associated with three but optimistic numeric traits reverse along this third path of the Swords saga. As numerology drifts into dark areas, three offers someone so delighted with the joy of living that life becomes frivolous and superficial. By scattering abilities with little sense of purpose, they tend toward escapism and become moody. If any of this describes you, take this card as a warning. The round shape of three implies that what it emits usually returns. Perhaps Karma is a problem on this path.
All positive numeric values are lost due to the lack of balance this card presents but keep in mind in numerology; three imparts a promise of growth.

Learning from life is a key issue when this card appears because it draws energy from the lesson planet Saturn in the sign of Libra. An Influence of Saturn usually brings sorrow and disappointment into relationships. Though Libra even seems out of balance as it energizes the Three of Swords, it still gifts this card with good judgment. Slicing directly into the heart of a primary lesson offered by this suit, the Three of Swords teaches that pain offers mental clarity, which leads to wisdom. By perceiving pain as an opportunity to develop, you instantly allow life to become less threatening. Ominous clouds might still hang low on the horizon but if you no longer characterize a challenge as painful, it loses potency. In recognizing only anguish, you lose sight of the solution. Instead of looking at pain, focus on the lesson it teaches. Whether you attain wisdom from Tarot or living, pain – not pleasure, is the best teacher.
 

cosmic_bubble

so interesting...

i did a general reading for myself last night and this card was the one that came up (cosmic tarot deck)...

my heart did give a little jump when i turned the card over - it seemed so solemn..

in short, i'm faced with three 'suitors' at the moment..two of which i have to somehow wave 'byebye' to..

:)
 

Confucious

All of your comments on this card is interesting and helpful. I've been studying Tarot for 2 years now and just began to give open readings in August. This card recently came up in a reading in the near future position I gave myself, with the focus being about a job I'm hoping to get.

Needless to say, I always compare the cards to the surrounding cards in the spread. With the 3 of swords being my NF and the rest of the spread being positive, I interpreted it as a separation/alienation from long-standing situation I'm currently in. I'm having issues with my mom and sister and I truly feel like I need to separate myself and go on my own path to "find myself" so to speak. So, in essence, I see MYSELF inflicting some pain on my family and separating myself....but sometimes its needed in order to grow. I feel stagnant being so attached to my mom specifically now, so I'm looking forward to leading my own life for a chance.

Sorry so long!