The Three of Swords tarot card isn’t subtle and it’s one of the most upsetting cards in the deck.
Traditionally, the image of this card shows a large heart being pierced by three swords, covered in blood, and floating in a thunderstorm.
The Three of Swords is about heartbreak and loss.
There’s not any way to avoid sorrow in life, unfortunately. Every relationship has down periods, where quarrels and miscommunication seem to happen more often than joy, adventure, and love.
Most people fear this card because it’s seen as the “breakup” card for romantic relationships. This card doesn’t always indicate the ending of a relationship, but the down periods will be ruling for awhile.
And although this card is generally negative, there is some comfort in knowing you can and will heal from this and move on.
Keywords for the Three of Swords Tarot Card
- Heartbreak, loss, betrayal
- Sorrow at its deepest level
- Heart problems
- The need for surgery
Keywords for the Three of Swords Reversed
- Recovery after loss
- Physical healing
- Reconciliation, apologies
Patterns and Correspondences of the Three of Swords Card
- The Swords = rules the mental and intellectual world
- Suit of cards = spades
- Timeline = hours to days
- Number 3 = confronting reality
- Zodiac sign = Libra
- Element = Air
Keep reading for sample tarot readings using The Three of Swords card, but first…
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Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings for Love
I’m sorry to say there are no good meanings for this card when it relates to your romantic relationships.
You may be suffering from depression, loss, divorce, or other heartbreak. You must move on from the past before you start to heal.
This is not the time to look for a new relationship. You have too many wounds and unresolved emotions to be a good partner right now. This time is for healing and forgiveness. Anything else is a distraction. Don’t avoid the pain. Work through it with patience, compassion, and self-love.
If you are currently in a relationship, you may be fighting and feeling angry, resentful, and unloved. Not all relationships are made to last, so a breakup or betrayal may be the result.
However, this card is not a guarantee for a romantic breakup. If you and your partner are committed to each other, you can work through this trying period. Couples counseling (and individual therapy) is strongly recommended. If you want this relationship to last, you must fight for it.
But whatever happens, you will come out of it stronger and with more clarity about yourself, your needs, and your values. Just because this period is hard doesn’t mean it’s bad.
Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings for Work
The Three of Swords indicates quarrels, delays, and betrayals. Your professional relationships may suffer. There are strong personalities at play and not everyone is telling the truth.
If you are job-hunting, triple check that your references will be completely positive. If you are looking for a promotion or raise, be aware there may be forces working against you.
Whatever the situation, it is temporary and you will come out stronger for it. Maintain your high standards and don’t play petty politics.
Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings for Health
This card can indicate heart problems, a miscarriage, or the need for surgery.
Not particularly good news, is it?
You can’t predict what will happen in the future. You can only control how you act today. Take care of your body to prevent those traumas and know you will be strong enough to handle whatever comes your way.
The Three of Swords can also indicate more emotional trauma, the kind of pain caused by sorrow at the deepest level. This isn’t physical pain directly, but it often results in pain in the body from trying to hold in the sorrow and process the loss.
The only way out of the pain is through it. You will have to feel it and you can’t run away from it. But you can (and will) heal from this, so don’t be afraid of your feelings.
Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings for Money and Finances
There is no good news here, financially-speaking. The Three of Swords is a card of loss and separation.
Think of the two swords as cutting through your finances, slicing into the heart of your assets and income. If you have built your finances on wishes and dreams, on hope, or on a house of cards, it’s all going to fall apart now.
Do not focus on winning the lottery, getting rich, investing in something new, or dreaming about being rescued. Do not ignore your reality. All the lies will soon come out.
To be proactive, focus on protecting what you already have. Get brutally honest with yourself and the people who are affected by your financial situation. Make sure your money is well guarded and you are fully insured for any problems.
This is your problem and only you can fix it.
Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings for Spiritual Guidance
Your life has been fairly easy up until this point. All of the problems from your past were reasonable and understandable (even if they were unwanted and horrible).
You do not grow stronger when times are easy. Strength is built when you are challenged. You build your character when you rise to the challenge and thrive despite the obstacles.
This is time when you put your previous lessons into practice. How will you live, love, survive, and even thrive from this point moving forward?
You absolutely are going to get through this. And when you do, you’ll look back with gratitude and amazement. This is the period when you are forged into something new. You will become someone stronger, more compassionate, and more human than you’ve ever been before.