Tarot Cards of Deception, Conflict & Drama
3 of Swords
The swords crossing each other symbolise pain in the past, present and future. When pain and heartache hits us, we know we are alive! Grief can occur in different ways, such as a difficult relationship break up, or the death of a loved one. In any case, fighting acceptance only serves to keep this grief alive and wishing for a different outcome will not change what has happened. Pain and heartache isn't something to wash away, it serves to teach us about love, compassion and wisdom through direct experience and deep understanding.
5 of Swords
We all experience a personal or professional attack at some stage and acts of aggression can be difficult to deal with. On the other hand, equally we have all been the aggressor at some point, failing to rise above our self interest , instead using aggression to get what we want. The 5 of Swords symbolises defeat and its mental consequences, highlighting the fact that there are no real winners.
The 5 of Swords indicates failure, in that we are forced to admit defeat (victim), or that we have failed to rise above the situation and perpetuated aggressively for personal gain (perpetrator).
7 of Swords
The man is taking action and making away with a bundle of swords, which appears a little daring, if not dodgy. Perhaps he's steeling the swords, given that the characters in the background seem blissfully unaware of his actions. The 7 of Swords reflects craftiness although sometimes we have to take matters into our own hands.
What's to say that he hasn't been forced into this situation, or that he isn't taking something back that is rightfully his? Two swords have been left behind, symbolising a lack resolution to the situation, so there are bound to be repercussions from these actions.
8 of Swords
The 8 of Swords is a card of oppression. The castle on the hill top is a symbol of authority, holding a manipulative influence over the situation. This influence manipulates the individuals perception with oppressive ideas, leading to fear, isolation and limitation. This individual isn’t limited by a direct force, just led to believe in their own helplessness, they are free to walk away at any time.
Freedom is only limited by conditioned understanding, as opposed to direct experience. Think George Orwell's 1984, an oppressive political regime like Stalin, or the propaganda and brainwashing found on TV.
9 of Swords
The 9 of Swords is a card of fear, sorrow and pain. The swords are pointing in a forward direction and the individual is overwhelmed and consumed by an experience in their mind. The bed base shows two figures fighting to the death, indicating aggression towards us or to someone very close to us.
No amount of worry is going to change anything, the problem at this point is all in the mind and just inhibits sleep. No matter how much there is to lose, there are times where no amount of thinking and worrying will change the outcome. In fact if we lose ourselves to our minds worst fears, we will begin to lose control altogether.
10 of Swords
The 10 of Swords is a card of betrayal, violence and wrong doing. But all is not lost, the darkness of the situation is beginning to clear and a brighter day appears in the distance. In this context the 10 of Swords is not as extreme as it initially appears, because there is hope and a new day is dawning.
Therefore the card can reflect a melodramatic or hysterical reaction to a situation that isn't as bad as we really think, the reality is that things aren't going to get any worse, the damage has already been done and life still goes on.
King of Sword
The King of Swords is an authority figure with a powerful intellect. He maintains the principles of order, law and society but is often limited to his viewpoint and has little time or consideration for anything that falls outside of the facts. The King of Swords tends towards arrogance and tough minded common sense loaded with prejudice and preconception. He holds a remote attitude and his thinking is divorced from the ideas of what other people want or need. The King of Swords can be a controlling and domineering person, involved in corruption for the sake of power and control. His detachment lends to cold, ruthless tactics that carry out singled minded ideas with little or no consideration for others.