II, Suit of SwordsTwo of Swords tarot card meaning
Upright and reversedTwo of Swords in shortIn short
The Two of Swords is a choice you aren't ready to make. A blindfolded woman sits by the sea, two swords crossed over her heart, perfectly still. The balance keeps the peace and keeps you from seeing.
- Stalemate
- Hard choice
- Avoidance
Piece oneThe sea
Behind her lies a dark sea, rocks breaking the surface, hills on the far shore. Her back is to it. The feelings she holds off are still there, out of sight.
Why it is hereThe sea is everything behind her. She sits with her back to it, blindfolded, so she can't see the water or the rocks breaking through. The crescent moon above rules that water, and she ignores both. Her crossed swords keep a balance in front of her, while the feeling stays out of sight at her back.
Piece twoThe crescent moon
A thin crescent moon hangs above the sword on the right. Waite doesn't mention it. The moon is night light, the light of feeling, and she decides by a light she can't see.
Why it is hereThe moon gives the scene its hour: night, or close to it, a time for feeling more than reasoning. It hangs over the sea, the water it pulls on, and over the right-hand sword. She can't see it. She makes her decision in a light she has shut out.
Piece threeThe stone seat
She sits on a plain stone bench, back to the sea, feet together. Nothing moves. Waite reads conformity and the balance it brings, and warns that harmony in Swords comes with conditions.
"Conformity and the equipoise which it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms..."Waite, 1911
Why it is hereThe seat keeps her fixed in place. Stone doesn't shift, and she sits square on it, feet together, with the sea behind. That stillness lets her hold two heavy swords crossed at the chest. One move and the balance breaks, so the bench also holds the stalemate together.
Piece fourThe blindfold
A white band covers her eyes. Her arms cross over her chest, a sword in each hand. Waite calls her hoodwinked. She keeps her eyes covered, and the crossed arms guard her heart.
"A hoodwinked female figure balances two swords upon her shoulders."Waite, 1911
Why it is hereThe blindfold is the choice at the centre of the card. Waite calls her hoodwinked, yet she holds the swords herself, so the not-looking seems to be her own decision. It cuts her off from the sea and the moon behind her. Eyes covered, arms crossed, she guards her heart and keeps everything out.
Colour, and where else it appearsEchoes
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The sea
Deep teal water, dark brown rocks: a cold, wide colour with hard things just under it. Rough water returns in the Two of Pentacles, where ships ride big waves behind a young man juggling two coins. He balances two things as well, but he keeps moving and watches what he holds. The Queen of Cups sits right at the water's edge, eyes on the cup in her hands.
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The crescent moon
Pale gold on teal, one small warm mark in a cool sky. The High Priestess keeps a crescent at her feet, and she sits between her pillars with her eyes open. In the Eight of Cups a moon with a face watches a figure walk off into the dark. Here the moon is the one light in the sky, and the woman under it wears a blindfold.
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The stone seat
A pale robe on grey stone, so close in colour that she looks carved into her seat. Stone seats run through the Swords court. The Queen of Swords sits on a grey stone throne, eyes open, sword pointing up. The King of Swords has the same grey stone at his back. This woman has a bench in place of a throne, and a blindfold in place of a view.
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The blindfold
Pale cream across dark hair. The lightest thing she wears is the thing that blinds her. The blindfold returns in the Eight of Swords, where a woman in a red dress stands bound, swords fenced around her. There it comes with bonds, and she's on her feet in the mud. Here nothing ties her: she sits, holds her own swords, and keeps it on.
Also in
Colour notes are ours, read from the picture; Waite does not explain the colours.
Two of SwordsUpright
A stalemate. You keep two options, or two people, in perfect balance so you don't have to choose. Waite's words: conformity, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms. An armed peace.
He gives a second reading, tenderness, affection, intimacy. Either way, look at what you're avoiding. The balance won't hold forever.
Two of SwordsReversed
Waite's words: imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty. The balance breaks, and something fair turns out false.
Someone may be lying to you, or you to yourself. The blindfold comes off. It may hurt, and now you can move.
Yes or noNot yet.
Not yet. Two sides in balance, no decision made. Take off the blindfold, look at the facts, then ask again.
Two of Swords in your lifeIn your life
Love
A standoff, or a choice between two people. Waite also gives tenderness and intimacy: real feeling, kept guarded.
Work
Two options, no decision. Get the facts you've avoided and set a date to choose.
Money
Ignoring a bill won't shrink it. Look at it.
Health
Listen to your body. A card can't diagnose you; if something's wrong, see a doctor now.
Spirituality
Stillness and inner balance. Sit quietly, then ask yourself what you refuse to see.
Advice
Take off the blindfold and choose with open eyes.
As a person
Calm, guarded, fair. Keeps the peace and keeps feelings close.
Past, present, future
Past: a decision you put off. Present: a stalemate. Future: a choice that can't wait much longer.
Written by us, from Waite's meanings and the picture.
Symbols and correspondencesAt a glance
- Suit
- Swords
- Element
- Air
- Astrology
- Moon in Libra
- Sephira
- Chokmah
- Upright
- Conformity
- Reversed
- Imposture
QuestionsCommon questions
Mixed. Waite gives courage, friendship and concord, and warns that Swords are rarely kind. The peace is fragile.
A standoff, or a choice between two people. Waite also gives tenderness and intimacy: real feeling behind the guard.
Not yet. Nothing's decided. Look at the facts first.
Waite calls her hoodwinked. She keeps two swords balanced by refusing to look: avoidance, and a stalemate.
The Moon in Libra, an air sign, in the Golden Dawn system. Libra holds the scales, a fit for a card about balance.
Waite sees a blindfolded woman balancing two swords: conformity and balance, courage and friendship, with a warning that Swords are rarely kind.
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911Card meanings and quotes: A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911. Element, decan and sephira: the Golden Dawn's Book T. Colours, life situations, yes or no and questions: written by us, from Waite's meanings and the picture.
All 14 Swords