Make sure you grab the FREE Invictus Tarot TIY (Trust in Yourself!) Tarot workbook, if you haven't already! As a note, I am using the OG Rider-Waite deck for this series of posts, but you absolutely don't have to! Find the deck or decks that speak to you most, the cards you connect to most will always be better for your readings and sharpening your intuitive skills. This is just an example and reference for you to trust in yourself!
Three of Swords
Ah, the Three of Swords! Often the card we least want to see, yet one that carries a profound message about truth, clarity, and the inevitable pangs of the human heart!
Keywords: heartbreak, sorrow, grief, emotional pain, truth revealed, clarity through pain, separation, betrayal, third parties, difficult truths
General Meaning: A moment of emotional pain, often sudden and sharp. It speaks of heartbreak, loss, and the piercing sting of truth, even when that truth is difficult to bear. While it undeniably carries a weight of sorrow, it also suggests a form of clarity that can only come through experiencing and acknowledging this pain. The swords pierce the heart, but in doing so, they can also release what was hidden or denied.
Personal Interpretation: This is a direct acknowledgment of emotional pain you are experiencing or may soon encounter. Don't shy away from these feelings but recognize them as a part of your journey. While the experience will be undoubtedly painful, the Three of Swords also suggests that this pain can lead to greater understanding and emotional honesty. Acknowledge the hurt, process it, and ultimately move towards healing with a clearer understanding of yourself and your relationships.
Reversed Meaning: suppression or avoidance of pain, difficulty in grieving, lingering bitterness, dwelling on past hurts, attempts to intellectualize emotions rather than allow oneself to fully and truly feel them
Affirmation: "I allow myself to feel and process my emotions, knowing that even pain can lead to clarity and healing."
Symbolism: heart, three swords, stormy background
Imagery Notes: heart - universal symbol of love, emotion, vulnerability; three swords - pain in different forms... betrayal, loss, difficult truths; stormy background - emotional turmoil
People: individuals experiencing heartbreak, going through separation or divorce, or have been betrayed
Places:
Media:
Personal Insights & Other Notes: The Three of Swords, while painful, is not a card of ultimate destruction. It highlights the reality that emotional pain is an inevitable part of the human experience. By acknowledging and processing this pain, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our capacity for resilience. The clarity that comes with this card is often hard-earned, but it can ultimately lead to greater emotional honesty and healthier relationships in the future. It reminds us that vulnerability, though painful, is a necessary part of being human.
What difficult truths are you currently facing or have faced in the past? How has acknowledging this pain led to greater clarity or understanding in your life?
