Ace of Cups(YAY!), 3 of Swords(BOOOO...)

eyeDEEclaire

I drew my favorite card, Ace of Cups, with the card I dread most...sigh...3 of Swords. It was in a kind of freestyle spread, future position, and I meant to only draw one. How does one interpret two opposing cards together? Does the positive card diffuse the negativity of the "bad" card or visa versa? I know cards have both good and bad qualities but I would have been much happier if I had pulled JUST the Ace of Cups! I'm not sure how to feel about the 3 of Swords raining on my parade.
I'm so confused. Any thoughts?
 

pasara

Why do you see these cards opposing each other? To me they can reinforce one another, because they both involve intense emotions.

Sometimes one's love for another creates the foundation for being able to examine some painful truths. Or it can be that those words that cut to the quick release a flood of emotion. Or it can be telling you that those flowing, gushing emotions need to see a person or a relationship for what it really is. These are just a few possibilities.
 

Thirteen

Be thankful!

eyeDEEclaire said:
I'm so confused. Any thoughts?
We all have biases when it comes to the cards. Our favorites and not favorites. But we have to try and get over that; because no card is trying to "rain on your parade." It's just trying to give you useful advice. Remember, this is a future position. That means you can change it. Why and how would you want to change it?

I don't know your situation, but this is the sort of combo you get when you've got a friendship with someone who likes you more than you like them. And someone new comes into your life (Ace/Cups). In order to be with that new person you lie to your friend, maybe sneak around, keep secrets--then it all gets found out (maybe you confess it), and (3/Swords) everyone is hurt and there's a big break-up with the friend, but at lest the truth came out.

You don't want that, right? You might not be able to avoid it, but you can certainly make it easier on both you and your friend. How? Tell that friend NOW that things aren't working out. Tell them before someone new comes in and lies and secrets build. Before you have to tell them you're leaving them for another, crushing their ego. Break it to them NOW that the relationship can't work. Do so not only to avoid that 3/Swords, but because you know it isn't working and that you're using them for a place-holder. And that's not right, even if you don't like being alone.

It'll still hurt them--but not nearly so much. And you'll be free of having to do it when you find someone new. So that 3/Swords won't rain on your parade when the Ace/Cups arrives.

Do you see? The cards aren't raining on your parade. They're making sure that you know, honestly and straightforwardly, what needs to be done to avoid a worst-case scenario. If you do nothing, then it will happen that way. If you do something, then it won't be that way. But it's a mistake to think that the cards are behind this. All the cards are doing is warning you of what will happen if things stay as they are. That 3/Swords warning gives you a chance to act and make sure it doesn't happen that way. Don't be hating on it. Be thankful it's there to help you see it and avoid it.
 

nisaba

eyeDEEclaire said:
I drew my favorite card, Ace of Cups, with the card I dread most...sigh...3 of Swords. It was in a kind of freestyle spread, future position, and I meant to only draw one. How does one interpret two opposing cards together? Does the positive card diffuse the negativity of the "bad" card or visa versa? I know cards have both good and bad qualities but I would have been much happier if I had pulled JUST the Ace of Cups! I'm not sure how to feel about the 3 of Swords raining on my parade.
I'm so confused. Any thoughts?
the Ace Cups is any kind of fullness-of-heart, including grief. Cups are about feeling, swords are about thinking, so I'd expect there to be some intense feeling going on here, exacerbated by some negative thinking.

Try to "reprogramme" your thinking with some positive affirmations.
 

eyeDEEclaire

You've all made excellent points. I actually have been trying to shed some hurtful feelings that have been haunting me for the past month or so. I was basically doing a spread to figure out how to let go of this hurt and move on. It's not like I've been dwelling on it (I'm staying busy & enjoying the Spring weather) but it's one of those feelings that just lingers even when I'm having a good day.
I wanted to know how my "love" life might evolve once I'm able to move past the hurt and to me it looked like a brand new hurt approaching. Does that make sense? Maybe it's showing me that I'm not letting go of the pain & disappointment.
I really appreciate everyone's insight.
 

eyeDEEclaire

pasara said:
Why do you see these cards opposing each other? To me they can reinforce one another, because they both involve intense emotions.

Sometimes one's love for another creates the foundation for being able to examine some painful truths. Or it can be that those words that cut to the quick release a flood of emotion. Or it can be telling you that those flowing, gushing emotions need to see a person or a relationship for what it really is. These are just a few possibilities.
I guess I see the Ace of Cups as a very positive beginning and intensely good emotions. Whereas, the 3 of Swords would be intensely painful with all that heartbreak and betrayal.
 

eyeDEEclaire

Thirteen said:
We all have biases when it comes to the cards. Our favorites and not favorites. But we have to try and get over that; because no card is trying to "rain on your parade." It's just trying to give you useful advice. Remember, this is a future position. That means you can change it. Why and how would you want to change it?

I don't know your situation, but this is the sort of combo you get when you've got a friendship with someone who likes you more than you like them. And someone new comes into your life (Ace/Cups). In order to be with that new person you lie to your friend, maybe sneak around, keep secrets--then it all gets found out (maybe you confess it), and (3/Swords) everyone is hurt and there's a big break-up with the friend, but at lest the truth came out.

You don't want that, right? You might not be able to avoid it, but you can certainly make it easier on both you and your friend. How? Tell that friend NOW that things aren't working out. Tell them before someone new comes in and lies and secrets build. Before you have to tell them you're leaving them for another, crushing their ego. Break it to them NOW that the relationship can't work. Do so not only to avoid that 3/Swords, but because you know it isn't working and that you're using them for a place-holder. And that's not right, even if you don't like being alone.

It'll still hurt them--but not nearly so much. And you'll be free of having to do it when you find someone new. So that 3/Swords won't rain on your parade when the Ace/Cups arrives.

Do you see? The cards aren't raining on your parade. They're making sure that you know, honestly and straightforwardly, what needs to be done to avoid a worst-case scenario. If you do nothing, then it will happen that way. If you do something, then it won't be that way. But it's a mistake to think that the cards are behind this. All the cards are doing is warning you of what will happen if things stay as they are. That 3/Swords warning gives you a chance to act and make sure it doesn't happen that way. Don't be hating on it. Be thankful it's there to help you see it and avoid it.

I see what you mean...it's nice to have a "warning" of sorts and things can't always run smoothly or go my way. I guess I was looking for hope...not that all is "hopeless", but I got a sort of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of vibe of of that combo. I guess I should just look at it as advice and try to figure a way to turn it into a positive. Thanks!
 

Fostha

pasara said:
Why do you see these cards opposing each other? To me they can reinforce one another, because they both involve intense emotions.

Sometimes one's love for another creates the foundation for being able to examine some painful truths. Or it can be that those words that cut to the quick release a flood of emotion. Or it can be telling you that those flowing, gushing emotions need to see a person or a relationship for what it really is. These are just a few possibilities.

Beautifully put Pasara~I almost wanna say that phrase 'Truth hurts,but lies are worst'.
 

eyeDEEclaire

Fostha said:
Beautifully put Pasara~I almost wanna say that phrase 'Truth hurts,but lies are worst'.
Hmmm, I guess I see it as lies and not truth. Isn't 3 of Swords all about lies, betrayal...backstabbing? That's why it bums me out. It kinda feels like that's what I already went through and it's about to begin, again! If it had been the Sun & 3 of Swords, then maybe I could have seen it as learning a painful truth. What bothers me is the Ace of Cups being about beginnings. The beginning of more lies? I guess like Thirteen pointed out, I can use it as a means to avoid that kind of future....I hope. :)
 

pasara

eyeDEEclaire said:
Hmmm, I guess I see it as lies and not truth. Isn't 3 of Swords all about lies, betrayal...backstabbing?
No, this isn't what 3 of Swords is all about. Actually, I seldom have found this meaning come up in actual readings I've done. Where I usually begin with this card is the idea of the core truths being communicated. Sometimes those truths are revealed through words spoken that previously had not be expressed, sometimes through the pain someone or something caused in our life that we now have to deal with. Sometimes these truths are that someone has betrayed you or hurt you in some way, but more often it is just that by getting to the core of a matter we are no longer protected by all our protective layers of denial, deflections, defense mechanisms, etc. Instead our openness leaves us fully vulnerable.

If you look at it as a progression from the 2 of Swords, you see that the peace of the 2 was maintained by not choosing a course, by holding things at bay, detente, keeping the peace but without movement. Often the image of the 2 includes a blindfolded figure. Eventually to go forward you have to choose which way you're going to go, and that will make you have to face something, and leave something behind. After the 3 comes he 4, our chance to regroup, heal from our wounds, and consider what we have learned so far.

You might enjoy perusing the 3 of Swords section in the Table of Contents at the top of the Using Cards forum. There are several threads there on this card and the variety of ways people interpret it. If you look at any card with just one very specific manifestation of its meaning you may get frustrated in your readings.