Swords
Swords belong to the element of air. They stand for thought, speech, truth and decision. In a reading, this suit speaks to how you think, what you say, how you handle conflict and how clear you are. The cards range from the bright insight of the Ace to the hard nights of the Nine and Ten, and they are often the most demanding in the deck.
Swords are not bad news, even when they look severe. They show where thinking has become sharp, tangled or tired, and where clarity is within reach. When several appear together, ask what you are telling yourself, and whether a plain, honest conversation would clear the air.
- AceAce of SwordsRoot of airclarity, truth, breakthrough
- 2Two of SwordsMoon in Libra, 0–10°stalemate, hard choice, balance
- 3Three of SwordsSaturn in Libra, 10–20°heartache, grief, painful truth
- 4Four of SwordsJupiter in Libra, 20–30°rest, recovery, stillness
- 5Five of SwordsVenus in Aquarius, 0–10°conflict, hollow win, tension
- 6Six of SwordsMercury in Aquarius, 10–20°moving on, transition, calmer waters
- 7Seven of SwordsMoon in Aquarius, 20–30°strategy, stealth, avoidance
- 8Eight of SwordsJupiter in Gemini, 0–10°feeling trapped, limiting beliefs, fear
- 9Nine of SwordsMars in Gemini, 10–20°anxiety, sleepless nights, worry
- 10Ten of SwordsSun in Gemini, 20–30°painful ending, rock bottom, exhaustion
- PageEarth of airPage of SwordsEarth of aircuriosity, alertness, new ideas
- KnightFire of airKnight of SwordsFire of airspeed, directness, ambition
- QueenWater of airQueen of SwordsWater of airclear sight, honesty, independence
- KingAir of airKing of SwordsAir of airauthority, reason, fairness
The other groups
Questions about tarot
Each court card is one element within the element of its suit. This site follows the common Rider Waite reading of the Golden Dawn courts: knights are fire, queens water, kings air and pages earth. So the Queen of Cups is water of water and the Knight of Pentacles fire of earth.