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The Meaning of 3 of Swords Minor Arcana

Some of the keywords of this Tarot card are Suffering, Distress, Trouble, Tears, and Confrontation. It belongs to the Minor Arcana subset of Tarot.

The element of the "Three of Swords" Card is air. Air means reason, but also instability and mental clearness.

The potential of this card is determined by its number. In this case, the potential of number 3 signifies determination, intensity and pride.

The frequency of the Three of Swords Card is seen in the influence of planet Saturn. Saturn promotes intensity, so persons born in the astrological sign of Libra, and especially those born in the second decade (from 3rd October to 12th October) whose personal tarot card actually "3 of Swords" is, will possess strong intensity in their character.

This Tarot Card is relatively simple to describe. In the Pamela-A Deck, all we see are three swords piercing a heart. In the background, we observe clouds and rain pouring from the cloudy sky.

Personality aspects of this card

Persons of this particular card will be strong and stable personalities, reliable, serious and constructive workers. They have no conflicts in their personality, except probably the ones coming from their overly pronounced intensity.

Positive aspects: understanding of the problems that other people face; passionate desire to help alleviate other people’s sufferings; enterprising and tireless workers with well defined priorities. They never stay idle, they are vital, resistant and above all human.

Negative aspects: fanatically convinced in their theory of progress; they exclude every other opinion; they can become destructive and bring great trouble upon themselves and their surroundings. People born in this period of the year (October 03. to October 12.) are not responsive to criticism, advice and other people&rsquote;s ideas. Because of their insensitivity and blindness to the opinion of others, they will be often faced with additional, unnecessary suffering.

Persons of 3 of Swords character will achieve balance provided that they are able to develop wit, laughter and sense of humor. This in turn will alleviate their Saturnian intensity. The exaggerated seriousness of this Tarot Card, if not tamed, can ultimately lead to actions against ones own benefits, preventing the "engine" from running efficiently. Do you remember the legend where Saturn was eating his own children, destroying the very things he was trying to create?

Divinatory aspects

In tarot readings, Three of Swords can mean trouble and suffering, but also it means keeping promises in material transactions. The potential compromise has failed, and now we are faced with turbulent times, above all on the mental level. Creativity and imagination are being challenged by the three swords of different ideas. The greater the positive side the more pronounced the negative. Other divinatory meanings will include the following keywords: sorrow, pain, suffering, absence, waiting, partitioning, and scattering. It is not difficult to see why — just look at the heart with the piercing swords for a couple of moments. The pain is likely not physical, but it can easily descend, depending on the other conditions, to the physical world as well, in which case this card may indicate physical pain.

Three of Swords Reversed

Some interpretations of the reversed 3 of Swords give positive connotations: the swords have been removed from the heart and now the period of healing of the emotional wounds may approach. Other interpretations suggest chaos and disasters.

About the Author

Article written by Pythia.

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