Archetype
The Three of Swords (also known as Our Lady of Sorrows) represents sudden emotional pain—that feeling of having your heart pierced by something sharp, leaving behind an open wound. It captures deep disappointment from devastating news, heartbreak, betrayal, rejection, or even a cruel comment that hits too close to home.
The Three of Swords also signifies a painful truth. Trust has been shattered, the people closest to you have let you down or betrayed you, and you feel backstabbed—ready to turn against the world.
This card reminds us that everyone's capable of cruelty sometimes. We're all human, and we all make mistakes—sometimes devastating ones. Ultimately, all we can do is continue to believe in humanity and strive to live up to humanistic ideals.
This card holds important wisdom: from birth to death, everything and everyone experiences constant change. The changes within our souls are as natural as our skin renewing itself. The process of change may be very painful, but eventually, we accept it, learn from our mistakes, and become wiser, stronger, and more experienced than before. The painful situation this card represents actually clears the path for positive changes ahead. It might be hard to believe right now, but eventually, the pain will pass.
Symbolism of the Card
The card depicts a heart floating in the sky, pierced by three swords. Clouds gather, and it rains.Heart. The Three of Swords is one of the few tarot cards that doesn't show a human figure. The focus is on the most vital part of our physical and spiritual being—the heart. It's the center of our emotions—a symbol that's essential for reading tarot cards. Its large size signifies its importance.
Three Swords. They pierce the heart, but there's no visible blood. You can interpret this in different ways. Positively, it represents the unity of intellect and emotions. Negatively, it symbolizes the pain we feel when someone betrays or disappoints us. But the card offers hope: even after trauma, the heart can heal. No matter how much pain we endure, it won't break us.
Rain. The melancholic atmosphere reflects the pain of the pierced heart. The rain streaks resemble a mirror surface, suggesting that this card is a reflection of ourselves.
Key Meaning
The card's meaning becomes immediately apparent when you look at the image. It conveys sadness, a broken state, unfulfilled desires, mental pain, and depression. This represents a difficult life phase that requires self-care, healing, and patience as circumstances gradually improve.
However, the arcana also has a positive side. It encourages complete honesty, faithfulness, and sincerity in relationships while warning against manipulation. The Three of Swords also represents creating order from chaos, seeing situations with fresh eyes, and releasing limiting patterns.
The Three of Swords strips away pretense and reveals truth, as tarot readers at zoomboola.com observe. All illusions and ideals collapse. Life's harsh realities hit with painful clarity. The bleeding heart symbolizes resistance to accepting reality—but this resistance won't last forever. Acceptance is just one step away.
The General Meaning of the Upright Card
The Three of Swords brings difficult news, signaling profound grief. You're facing ongoing conflict that creates persistent emotional pain. The most common reason for this conflict is a breakup or separation from a loved one.
The Three of Swords represents chasing impossible dreams, denying reality, yet being trapped within it. Essentially, it's about using the wrong approach to fix what's broken.
The presence of this card in a spread can indicate that people you trusted have hurt, insulted, or betrayed you. This might involve deception from a partner, business betrayal, backstabbing friends, or devastating arguments. A love triangle is possible. A third party or new situation triggers a messy breakup—expect aggressive confrontations and bitter feelings.
Like the Death card, the Three of Swords suggests that endings create new beginnings when you face reality head-on.
General Meaning of the Reversed Card
The reversed Three of Swords signifies an intensification of the negative aspects of the upright card. Your emotional pain cuts deeper, breakups hit harder, and this dark emotional phase threatens to drag on.
The reversed Three of Swords may also indicate that you're holding onto many resentments. These might be grievances against life or specific people. But no matter how justified they feel, this card often suggests they're largely in your head. Try to look at the situation from another perspective and honestly ask yourself: is it really so? Or maybe it's simply time to let some things go?
In any case, remember that grievances can harm you the most. The Three of Swords in this position suggests it's time to let them go. When you let go of these pointless worries, everything will turn around.
The Meaning of the Card in Love in the Upright Position
In a love reading, the Three of Swords predicts a broken heart. Fights, misunderstandings, betrayals. Disappointment, hurt feelings, and mutual accusations.
The card also often points to unrequited love or a love triangle.
Sometimes, the card represents fear of losing someone you love, emotional pain, and dashed hopes.
If you are single, you might be stuck in thoughts about past relationships, making it difficult to find new love.
The Meaning of the Reversed Three of Swords in Love
In relationship matters, the reversed Three of Swords often signifies a difficult period, but it will be temporary. A fight will likely end in making up, and a breakup could lead to a second chance.
The reversed Three of Swords often points to a fragile relationship that was doomed from the start. Traditionally, it means relationships growing cold.
In terms of events, the reversed Three of Swords signifies the revelation of betrayal, unpleasant past details that are no longer secret, or carefully hidden aspects of life.
Three of Swords as the Card of the Day
When the Three of Swords shows up as your "Card of the Day," here's what it might mean:- Pain or disappointment. The Three of Swords suggests you might face a day heavy with painful emotions or letdowns. This could be related to past events or difficult situations causing emotional pain.
- You might face a direct confrontation with an enemy or rival.
- Injustice, broken promises.
- Decision-making challenges. You might feel uncertain and anxious.
What the Three of Swords Warns About
Here's what the Three of Swords might be warning you about:- Conflicts and Arguments. This card suggests potential conflicts and heated exchanges coming your way. You might encounter obstacles that stir up negative emotions and spark disagreements.
- Relationship Endings. A romantic partnership, friendship, or business relationship might come to an end.
- Emotional Pain and Letdowns. These feelings might stem from past events or challenging situations you're dealing with.
- Uncertainty Ahead. This card might signal unclear situations or missing information that could leave you feeling anxious and worried.
Zoomboola
