3 of swords and 5 of cups similar?

[clarity]

Are there any differences between these 2 cards?
Especially in a relationship question? They seem very similar to me. 5 of cups is about loss, regret and saying good-bye. But that could also be signified by 3 of swords. I am having a hard time distinguishing between these cards in a relationship reading.

 

[Thirteen]

Different types of "heartbreak"

Are there any differences between these 2 cards?
Especially in a relationship question? They seem very similar to me. 5 of cups is about loss, regret and saying good-bye. But that could also be signified by 3 of swords. I am having a hard time distinguishing between these cards in a relationship reading.

They are VERY different.

3/Swords indicates that something is going to be said that is going to cause heartbreak and pain. It may be a nasty lie or a terrible truth. Likewise, the card often implies that there are three people involved. There might be betrayal of friendships or love relationships.

5/Cups is about regret. This is where someone has done something bad or wrong or just stupid and, in doing so, lost or hurt a person they care about. They can't stop fretting and dwelling on what happened. What they've lost, the drink they've spilled. They can't see that there are still two cups standing. All is not lost, but they can't feel that. All they feel is regret.

Yes, both are "heartbroken" but for very different reasons and in different ways.

 

[eastarot]

To add to Thirteen's wonderful interpretation, 5 of Cups is a lot of the past - past baggage, old pain. 3 of Swordsis more current and in it, there's a element of healing as well.

 

[Scion]

I totally agree with the above and I'll add a bit more...

I always think of the 3 of Swords (because of Qabalistic placement above the Abyss) as a subjective knowledge of pain that brings wisdom and clarity and understanding because it cuts so deep, like the Buddhist awareness of the suffering that underlies all mortal life. It hurts because you can grasp it.

The five of Cups (down below the Abyss) is more of a disruption: a martial jangling that overwhelms hope, confuses the heart and muddies vision. It hurts because you cannot take it all in.

For what it's worth...

Scion

 

[star-lover]

3 of swords is final and hurts like hell and leads to the 4 to rest and recover
5 of cups is not final but sadness but there is still hope to make up in the 6

 

[mabthescorpio]

I love these interpretations. They really helped me as well!

 

[Lain_82]

I'm just starting to learn here, but I have a few ideas about these 2 cards:

I see the 3 of swords as breaking an old idea. It brings pain, but it's also very liberating. On my TdM the swords that cuts the other 2's union is orange, and there are flowers growing from it. That tells me that even the most hurtfull events will bring with them a learning experience and an oppotunity to grow, and that's what's important about this card. Not the pain, but the great chance to evolve and enter a whole new mind state.

5 of cups, that's regret. you stand alone thinking about all that is lost, but fail to see the good things that are still standing. Like the others have said, it about the past and the choices you've made that now make you feel bad and lonely. The lesson here is to move on, take what is still standing and leave the past behind. Whenever I see this card I think about loneliness, achieved because of our previous not-so-good choices.

 

[clarity]

Thanks everyone for these great interpretations! Yes they are very different to me now.