Tarot Anatomy

Air, 14 cardsSwords tarot card meanings

See all 14 cards

Air, 14 cardsAce to Ten

The suit of Swords has fourteen cards: ten numbered cards from Ace to Ten, and four court cards. In the Golden Dawn system Swords belong to air. They speak of thought, speech, conflict and hard decisions.

  1. Ace of Swords cardACEAce of SwordsClarity · Breakthrough · Truth
  2. Two of Swords card2Two of SwordsStalemate · Hard choice · Avoidance
  3. Three of Swords card3Three of SwordsHeartbreak · Sorrow · Separation
  4. Four of Swords card4Four of SwordsRest · Retreat · Recovery
  5. Five of Swords card5Five of SwordsConflict · Defeat · Hollow win
  6. Six of Swords card6Six of SwordsPassage · Moving on · Transition
  7. Seven of Swords card7Seven of SwordsDeception · Strategy · Going alone
  8. Eight of Swords card8Eight of SwordsRestriction · Feeling trapped · Fear
  9. Nine of Swords card9Nine of SwordsAnxiety · Nightmares · Worry
  10. Ten of Swords card10Ten of SwordsEndings · Rock bottom · Pain

Page, Knight, Queen and KingThe court

Waite reads the four court cards as people: their age, their temper and the part they play in your story.

  1. Page of Swords cardPAGEPage of SwordsCuriosity · Vigilance · New ideas
  2. Knight of Swords cardKNIGHTKnight of SwordsHaste · Ambition · Charging in
  3. Queen of Swords cardQUEENQueen of SwordsClear thinking · Independence · Honesty
  4. King of Swords cardKINGKing of SwordsAuthority · Judgement · Reason
Ace of Swords card
[ Ace of Swords ]

Swords at a glance

Element
Air
Cards
14
Numbered
10
Court
4

Triumph, the excessive degree in everything, conquest, triumph of force.

Waite on the Ace of Swords, 1911

The other groupsThe rest of the deck

All 78 cards