#lostwitchtarot

"A kind gentleman dressed in elegant earth-colored clothes of green and bronze appears to be showering poor children with six golden pentacles. [...] The six pentacles spill out from the man's generous hand and into children's outstreched ones. "

You may be like the wealthy man in this card, sharing your wealth and abundance with others. You have accumulated great wealth and are now in a position to offer financial assistance to those in need. You give generously through charitable donations, tithing or fundraising and enjoy the good feelings associated with helping others. Even if you are not financially wealthy, you offer up your time, energy, love and support to those who are in need, knowing it will be appreciated. Giving of your time or your wisdom is often just as spiritually fulfilling as giving away money or gifts, and the intangible gift of your presence is received just as well, if not better. There may be times when you wonder if you can truly afford to give generously to others – and the wise advice of the Six of Pentacles is to trust that every contribution you make is valued and will come back to you threefold.

You may have lived long enough in the darkness of the Five of Pentacles to be able to see the light. You are thinking about giving to charities or helping someone who could need your support and was in the same position you were before. The Six of Pentacles does not have to be about material gifts or money, it can also mean your time and presence.

If the card is showing you are one of the beggars, you could be receiving someone else’s charity. This could help you recover, so take the help - you will be able to repay the kindness in the future. You may also be able to find ways of becoming self-sufficient in the future. Despite this situation, you should be mindful that you should not become desperate or submissive during this time.

+Gifts, generosity, charity, donations, money, community, assistance, support, employment, sharing, kindness, wealth, prosperity, power, authority, control, investors, giving/receiving, gratitude, being valued, being well paid, rewards for hard work, fairness, equality

-Lack/abuse of generosity, abuse of power or position, gifts with strings attached, subservience, inequality, lack of charity, scams, fake charity, extortion, unemployment, lack of investment, underpaid, undervalued, bad debts, poor financial decisions, greed, meanness, gullibility, kiss-ass 

"Five golden interwoven pentacles hang upon a barren tree. It is winter, and there is snow around the base of the tree and the hillside. The leafless branches stand out dramatically against the winter landscape. "

More often than not, the Five of Pentacles is a bad omen. However, do not fret, as it can change depending on where it is placed in the reading.

The Five of Pentacles is a card of financial loss and poverty. You have hit hard times, especially when it comes to your work, career, finances, and material possessions. You may have recently lost your job, your home, or your financial security. You no longer feel safe because it has all been stripped away from you in one blow. Your ego may also be bruised, especially since success often correlates to financial wealth; losing either can be a humbling blow to your self-esteem and sense of self-worth. The upside is that this is a Minor Arcana card with temporary effects (rather than a Major Arcana card which has a longer-term impact). This, too, shall pass.

Whenever the Five of Pentacles shows up in a reading, it suggests a time of hardship and insecurity. The meaning of this card can be deep loneliness, illness, poverty or loss. Your status might take a turn for the worse in the near future. There is a chance that you will lose something significant, whether it is financial wealth or an important item. Deterioration of your health might be already ongoing or be very sudden.

At times, the Five of Pentacles highlights a ‘lack mindset’. You are sabotaging your ability to create abundance because you only focus on what you lack. All you can see is what is going wrong. To shift this energy, look for evidence of what you do have, even if it’s very small or seemingly insignificant, and express your gratitude for those blessings in your life. Over time, the positive aspects will continue to grow and soon, ‘lack’ and ‘not having’ will be a thing of the past.

Similarly, the Five of Pentacles suggests that you fear you don’t have ‘enough’ or you may lose something important to you – even if it hasn’t happened yet or is unlikely. For example, you may live in fear that you will lose your job and will be left in the streets with no home and no support. If you stay focused on all the negative things that might happen, then be careful, because your manifesting powers may start to create the outcomes that you don’t want. Instead, redirect your attention to what you have now and what you want in the future, so your manifesting powers get used for good.

+Temporary financial hardship, negative change in circumstances, feeling left out in the cold, financial loss, recession, feeling the world is against you, adversity, struggle, hardship, bad luck, homelessness, poverty, unemployment, financial ruin, bankruptcy, outcast, alienation, illness, divorce, breakups, scandal, disgrace

-Improvement in finances/luck, end of hardship, positive change, becoming financially secure, recovery from losses, making progress, overcoming adversity, paying off debts, forgiveness, health improvement/ treatment, being welcomed/accepted, becoming employed, improving/letting go of relationships,

“A man’s body lies facedown in the grass. There are ten swords stabbing him in the back. He has brown hair, and his cloak is gray. Behind him the sun is setting, and in a tree’s gnarled and twisted branches an owl with bright yellow eyes sits and watches over the body.”

The tale of the suit of swords is a powerful metaphor, one that ends in tragedy. The swords are a symbol of the intellect, of intelligence and logic, and yet we find the final culmination of this suit a complete and total defeat of the spirit. We must realize that the swords are a weapon that can have immense potential for destruction or for good. The story as it unfolds from the ace to the ten is one where an untrained individual uses this weapon for faulty reasons - makes many mistakes, and then spends an entire lifetime attempting to run away from the power that he misused.

Pick yourself up off the ground and reflect upon what happened to you and why, and what you can learn from the experience. When you do this, the hurt and pain will fade, and you will soon see why all of this needed to happen so that you can evolve into your fullest potential. The pain and hurt you have endured have not gone without purpose. Use the positive power within you to learn from your pain and draw wisdom from defeat. 

Meanings:

+ Backstabbing, betrayal, enemies, bitching, badmouthing, bitterness, doormat, failure, ruin, collapse/breakdown, exhaustion, inability to cope, curses, rock bottom, hitting a wall, dead end, severing ties, goodbyes, nail in the coffin, exaggeration, overly dramatic, martyr, attention seeker, playing victim, attack, violence 

Reversed:

The Suit of Swords deal with the problems in your life, your mental processes: learning, writing & speaking. Logic rules here with facts, decisions & intelligence all informing your life.

+Keywords for the Suit of Swords Decisions, worries, problems, issues, tension, communication, intelligence, disagreements; arguments, logic, reason, cognition, ideas, inspirations, balance, equilibrium, the mind, mentalism, thinking, facts and figures, definition.

-Reversed Keywords Vicious, ruthless, manipulative, cold, unemotional, spite and malice, accidents, inertia, indecision, confusion, mental blockages, biased, illogical, mental health issues, negative life changes.

The Suit of Swords Tarot card meanings are associated with action, change, force, power, oppression, ambition, courage and conflict. Action can be constructive and/or destructive.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Swords include anger, guilt, harsh judgement, a lack of compassion and verbal and mental abuse.

Swords Tarot cards often represent the astrological signs of Air – Aquarius, Libra and Gemini. When you see a Swords Court Card in a Tarot reading, it often relates to a person with a Aquarius, Libra and Gemini star sign. Generally, Swords people are intelligent, thoughtful, rational, logical and excellent communicators. They are rational beings and like to experience the world by understanding and analysing what is occurring around them. On the flipside, Swords people can be ruthless, domineering, confrontational and rigid.

Suit of Swords Strengths

This suit's strengths are all in the realm of thought, intelligence and communication. It is how we structure our world, organize and analyze data. This provides us with knowledge and clarity. People that are connected to the suit of swords, are curious, logical, disciplined, moral and fair.

Suit of Swords Weaknesses

Within the tarot, the suit of swords can also be a problematic one. Think of the swords being able to be used for both good and evil; it has the power to save, sever, or to hurt. Therefore, this element is also associated with conflict, aggression and violence. At its worst, the suit of swords can use logic and words to bully and intimidate. Reversed swords cards usually have to do with feelings of ruthlessness, coldness, and confusion.

The Element of Air and the Suit of Swords

“The King of Swords is a handsome middle-aged man with brown hair, moustache and beard. [...] This king announces his associations to the element of air with yellow tunic ang golden cape trimmed with feathers.”

Meanings:

+ Structure, routine, intelligent, rational, logical, power, authority, strength, manners, conversation, discerning, detached, cool, honesty, integrity, ethics, morals, clinical, stern, methodical, self-discipline, head over heart, use your head, military, law enforcement, legal matters, judge, father

- Lack of structure/routine, intelligence used in a bad way, irrational, illogical, power-crazed, dictator, oppressive, inhumane, aggressive, brutal, violent, intimidation, controlling, cynical, cold, ruthless, weak, powerless, rude, dishonest, lack of integrity/morals/discipline, losing your head, judgemental, absent father 

In a general context, the King of Swords represents structure, routine, self-discipline, power authority. It is a Minor Arcana card of being methodical, using your head, mind over matter and the head over the heart. This card signifies logic and reason, integrity, ethics and morals. The King of Swords can represent legal matters, law enforcement, military, police and judges. As a person, the King of Swords is a mature male who is cool, self-disciplined, intelligent, honest and strong. He is rational, logical and a deep thinker. He may be an air sign such as Aquarius, Gemini or Libra. He does not like to publicly display his emotions and prefers to use his intellect over his emotions to deal with situations. He is a great conversationalist and fiercely loyal and protective of his loved ones. He does well in structured environments and needs to have a routine to operate at his best. He can be clinical and stern. In the extreme negative, he can be a bully or a tyrant and he can be cold or distant if someone is too irrational for his liking. But generally he is analytical and fair-minded. He takes his responsibilities seriously, is dependable and plays by the rules 

If you have not engaged the help of an expert, the arrival of the King of Swords suggests that it may be worthwhile getting legal or financial advice. If you are expecting changes or particular circumstances that will require an expert opinion, you can be on the front foot by seeking help before they happen. That way, when they do roll through, you are ready to demand your rights and find an outcome that benefits you. You may also benefit from finding an advocate or mentor who can provide you with smart advice. 

“The beautiful Queen of Swords sits at the top of high mountain, and bright white clouds are billowing in the wind. “

Meanings:

+ Honest, truthful, candid, protective, independent, chatty, communicative, witty, funny, principled, fair, constructive criticism, strong, quirky, realistic, objective, discerning, problem solver, sceptical, intelligent, sharp wit, self-reliant, open-minded, sophisticated, mother, repressed pain or sadness, divorced, hard knocks

- Overly critical, pessimistic, lack of empathy, rude, malicious gossip, manipulative, harsh, bitter, spiteful, vindictive, nasty, cruel, deceitful, cheater, unforgiving, scatter-brain, mental fogginess, poor communication, dysfunctional, obsessive, dependant, not learning from past, absent mother, repressed trauma, infertile 

The Queen of Swords is an archetype of an older, wiser feminine intellect. She could be thought of as the most masculine of the all the queens, and may come off as quite stern and emotionless. This card represents the importance of making judgments without relying on emotion alone. The Queen of Swords beckons you to look at all the facts before making a decision. This queen does have compassion, which is why she has her hand reaching outwards in offering, but she wants to connect to people using an understanding that is intellectual. 

This card represents the importance of making judgments without relying on emotion alone. The Queen of Swords beckons you to look at all the facts before making a decision.

“The handsome young Knight of Swords and his war horse are leaping into battle. [...] He is in control and at his best. The Knight of Swords is dangerous, magnificient, and a daring warrior. “

Meanings:

+ Big changes/ opportunities, seize the moment, jump in, arrival/departure, assertive, direct, honest, quick-wit, talkative, impatient, impulsive, intellectual, daring, rebellious, brave, courageous, focused, single-minded, perfectionist, ambitious, risk-taker, forward-thinking, champion, hero, soldier, go against the flow, leader

- Missed opportunities, out of your depth, out of control, left behind, rude, tactless, hurtful, sarcastic, insincere, forceful, bully, aggressive, vicious, dangerous, know it all, follower, go with the flow, unfocused, coward, criminal, self-obsessed, arrogant, leading others to danger, heading for a fall, inferiority complex 

Once the knight sets forth towards his goals, there is absolutely no stopping him. He doesn’t see - and he doesn’t care - about any upcoming challenges. He is filled with sheer ambition, strength and determination to succeed with his quest no matter what. However, this determination could also blind him to see the potential consequences of his actions on others as he makes his way to success. He may charge forth into a very dangerous territory without preparation or actual foresight, and this could lead him to great danger.

When this card appears in your Tarot reading, it can indicate that you go against the flow and have great leadership qualities and that you are a perfectionist and a risk taker. If representing a person, the Knight of Swords is an adult (20-35 years of age and usually male) who has a strong personality, is quick-witted, a fast talker, intelligent, daring and rebellious. He may be an air sign such as Aquarius, Gemini or Libra. The knight is assertive and rational but can be impatient and impulsive. He has a very direct manner and this can sometimes make him seems a little insensitive. However, he is also exciting and adventurous which draws people to him. Champions, heroes and warriors charging into battle are signified by this card and as such, it can represent a soldier or someone in the military.   

The Knight of Swords suggests that you are quick to take action and tend not to plan ahead, instead preferring to dive right in. You thrive on high levels of energy that propel you forward and inspire you to take action to manifest your goals.

The Knight of Swords reminds you to be assertive in getting what you want. He doesn’t hang back and wait for something to happen. He is always making the first move and actively pursuing his goals. You can harness this energy in your life too by being proactive and forward-thinking. See yourself as the creator of your future and be ready to take the necessary steps to make it happen.

The downside of the fast-thinking, quick-acting Knight of Swords is that sometimes you act too quickly and haven’t thoroughly thought things through. You may be unaware of potential challenges and issues that will stand in your way, or the unintended consequences of your actions. You may be prone to rushing things or cutting corners to get a job done. Or, you may pursue a specific goal, thinking it is what you want, but later realise that it’s out of alignment or a dead-end. Sometimes a little planning and preparation can go a long way

“A woman in a mauve gown is bound and blindfolded. A breeze blows her brown hair and the tails of the blindfold off to the side and away from her face. Around her, eight swords are stuck in the grass at various oints in a loose circle.”

The general meaning in the Eight of Swords is that of a feeling of being trapped and victimized. You may feel powerless because, in your mind, you feel that changing the situation might be beyond you. This feeling of helplessness that you have, the feeling that you have no agency in your life, has played a major role in making your situation worse.

However, the overall theme of this card is that you are the one keeping yourself in this situation through negative thinking and allowing yourself to be paralysed by fear. The swords depicted in the card are surrounding you but you can take the blindfold off and walk away at any time! This card also represents consequences and judgement which may take the form of trial by jury, imprisonment and punishment.

Meanings:

+ Feeling trapped, restricted, backed into a corner, hands tied, victimised, paralysed by fear/terror, anxiety, feeling pressure, hopeless, helpless , powerless, silenced, crisis, dilemma, drama, imprisonment, punishment, slavery, persecution, judgement, trial by jury, consequences, negative attitudes, psychological issues, major weight-loss 

Reversed: