The Five of Swords tarot card reveals a complex and sometimes dark truth: that we can only truly succeed when we allow ourselves to accept our suffering.
This card symbolizes the struggles, defeats, and heartache that come with striving for greatness.
It warns us not to get so caught up in the pursuit of glory that we lose sight of our humanity.
Despite its grim outlook, this card also offers a glimmer of hope.
Though it may be hard-won, the rewards of persistence and resilience are worth the effort.
Let’s dive into the deep meaning of this card.
Five of Swords Tarot Card Keywords
Upright Keywords: Surrender, walking away, self-sabotage, underhanded behavior, aggression, crime, standing up for yourself, fighting back, hard-won battle, abusive relationship, pyrrhic victory, victory through deceit, dirty tricks, hostile takeover
Reversed Keywords: Compromise, peaceful resolution, moving on, communication, ending conflict, release of stress, more harmonious relationship
Five of Swords as Feelings
When the Five of Swords appears in a tarot reading about feelings, it represents feelings of defeat and surrender. You may be feeling frustrated with a situation or relationship that has you feeling like you are constantly getting the short end of the stick.
However, this card also suggests that it is time for you to walk away and give up on this situation or relationship, as trying to continue down this path will only lead to more hardship and frustration.
It’s also a sign of feeling intimidated or harassed by others, or engaging in aggressive or underhanded behaviors yourself.
However, this card can also represent the courage to stand up for yourself and fight back against these negative feelings and situations.
Oftentimes the Five of Swords brings a feeling of having won a very hard battle, but looking around afterward and wondering “was it worth it?”
The best thing to do is to learn from the experience and move on, rather than dwelling on the past.
Five of Swords as How Someone Sees You
When the Five of Swords appears in a tarot reading about how someone sees you, it can indicate that this person views you as a threat. They may feel threatened by your success or achievements, and they may be feeling aggressive or angry towards you.
However, this card can also represent a situation where your actions have caused someone to think less of you. Someone may be judging you or gossiping about your behavior, and this is causing feelings of defeat and animosity towards you.
The best way to handle this card when it comes up in a tarot reading about how others see you is to focus on kindness and compassion.
Try not to engage with the person or people who are gossiping or judging you, and work to repair any damage that your behavior may have caused.
Remember that everyone makes mistakes sometimes, so try not to be too hard on yourself!
Five of Swords as What Someone Wants From You
When the Five of Swords appears in a tarot reading about what someone wants from you, it can indicate that this person is looking for a confrontation or conflict. They may be trying to intimidate you or manipulate you into doing something that you don’t want to do.
To handle this situation, try to remain calm and assertive at all times.
Stand up for yourself and your beliefs, and don’t let anyone push you around or take advantage of you. Remember that you are worthy of respect, and that you deserve to be treated with kindness at all times.
If this person is trying to convince you to do something that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and don’t go along with it.
Remember that you always have a choice, and the decision is ultimately up to you.
Whatever happens, be sure to stay true to your own values and beliefs, no matter what others say or do!
Upright Five of Swords Tarot Card Meanings
Generally speaking, the upright Five of Swords brings with it messages of defeat, surrender, and change. You may be experiencing feelings of stress or hostility, or you may be trying to overcome a difficult challenge in your life.
This card can also indicate that you are engaging in underhanded behaviors such as deception, bullying, or intimidation.
However, the upright Five of Swords also suggests that you have the courage to stand up for yourself and fight back against these negative feelings.
With perseverance and determination, you can overcome this challenge and regain your sense of control over your life. Just remember to stay true to yourself no matter what!
In some serious cases, the Five of Swords may indicate serious or dangerous – even criminal – activity.
In this case remember to seek professional help and don’t try to go it alone.
Upright Five of Swords Card For Love
If you’re in a committed relationship and the upright Five of Swords shows up in your reading, it means that the relationship is going through a period of change and conflict.
There may be underlying feelings of hostility or resentment, or you may feel as though your partner is trying to intimidate or manipulate you in some way.
In some cases, this can be a seriously threatening time so use your instinct and get yourself out of any dangerous situations.
While there may be a hint of hope, sometimes it’s not worth it.
You have to be the judge and use discernment.
Furthermore, the upright Five of Swords can also indicate that your partner is being unfaithful or is hiding something from you.
If this is the case, it’s time to have a serious conversation with your partner and figure out what’s really going on here.
Communication is key if you want to get through this difficult time but sometimes it’s still better to cut your losses and move on.
The juice may not be worth the squeeze.
Upright Five of Swords For Money & Career
If your main concern is your career path when the Five of Swords shows up, you should know that this card suggests a period of conflict and defeat in your professional life.
Perhaps you’ve run into some serious roadblocks with achieving your goals, or perhaps you feel like you’re struggling to prove yourself in the workplace.
Whatever the problem is, know that this is only a temporary situation, and things will get better if you keep an open mind and know your worth.
Sometimes this can reflect underhanded behavior in your workplace. Someone could be sabotaging your goals or playing dirty politics behind your back.
In this case, you’ll need to confront them directly and stand up for yourself in order to overcome these negative forces.
However, if the situation is truly toxic, it may be time to look for other opportunities elsewhere.
After all, sometimes it’s best to cut your losses and just move on.
Whatever you do, always remember that respect is key in any situation, no matter how difficult it may be. Never forget this!
The upright Five of Swords also suggests the need for more financial security and caution with your spending habits.
If you’re feeling particularly impulsive right now, it may be better to step back and re-evaluate your situation before making any big financial decisions.
Remember that money doesn’t buy happiness, so always treat it with care and know how to manage your resources wisely.
No one else is going to do it for you!
Reversed Five of Swords Tarot Card Meanings
When the Five of Swords appears reversed, it represents a peaceful resolution to a period of conflict or defeat.
Perhaps you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the demands on your time and energy, but now it seems like things are starting to even out and get back on track.
If the upright card suggests that you were dealing with hostility or aggression in your personal relationships, reversed, this card can indicate that you’ve come to a place of forgiveness and compassion.
You may have been experiencing stress, but things are now starting to look up for you.
Just remember that this is only temporary, so don’t get too comfortable!
However, if the upright Five of Swords suggests serious conflict in your workplace, reversed, this card may indicate that you’ve come to a peaceful truce with your colleagues or peers.
Perhaps things were getting too intense and aggressive in the workplace and it was starting to interfere with your productivity.
Now that tensions have simmered down, you can get back to focusing on the tasks at hand without all of that extra drama.
Things are looking good!
The reversed Five of Swords can also indicate a need to let go and forgive yourself for any past mistakes or failures you’ve experienced.
Remember that it’s never too late to start over, so keep your head up and know that things will get better in time.
Reversed Five of Swords Card For Relationships
If you are in a committed relationship and the Five of Swords shows in a reversed position, this can be evidence of a peaceful resolution to a period of conflict.
Perhaps you have been struggling with communication issues or problems dealing with the stress and pressure of your relationship.
The coming together of the Five of Swords reversed suggests that you’ve reached a place where you can both come to an understanding, forgive each other, and move forward stronger than ever before.
In some cases, however, this can represent revenge.
If one party feels done wrong by, they can present a facade of forgiveness but still feel vengeful inside and cause problems down the line.
If you’re the vengeful party, remember that it’s better to live in the present and focus on moving forward than holding onto grudges.
On the other hand, if you’re the one who has been wronged, be aware of your partner’s true intentions and try to find the truth.
Sometimes if you’ve been dealing with a situation of escalating aggression or violence, it may seem to calm down for a bit.
If this happens and you pull the Five of Swords reversed, this is a sign that you should not take this as a peaceful resolution – things are likely to still get worse in the future.
Don’t stick around for something you might soon regret.
Reversed Five of Swords For Money & Career
The Five of Swords reversed in a career reading means that you are finally starting to get some stability and order in your workplace.
Perhaps you struggled with major stress, aggression, and hostility at work, but now things are finally getting back on track.
Perhaps there has been a conflict of interest between colleagues or a dispute over necessary changes in the workplace, but now you can finally put that behind you and move on.
If the upright Five of Swords suggests that you were dealing with major conflicts in your career, such as bullying or intimidation, reversed, this card can indicate a peaceful resolution to those issues.
Remember that even though things may be getting better now, there is still more work ahead for you on the road to success – don’t get too comfortable!
In some cases, the reversed Five of Swords can indicate that you are moving towards a major sacrifice in your career – whether it’s giving up a position or position, putting all your energy into something new that may not succeed, or taking on an unreasonable workload.
However, this is a necessary part of achieving success, so keep going and know that things will get better.
For money readings, the reversed Five of Swords can indicate a risk you are taking in order to reach your financial goals.
Perhaps this is an investment or a loan that you’re putting all of your energy into hoping will pay off.
Whatever it may be, this card suggests that you may need to keep a close eye on this situation and be prepared for the possibility of things going wrong.
If you’re willing to take the risk, though, there is a good chance it will pay off in the end.
Just stay calm, and focused, and remember that no matter what happens, there is always a lesson to be learned.
Whatever direction your life is heading in, the Five of Swords reversed reminds you that it’s important not to give up on yourself and know that things will get better in time.
Final Thoughts On The Five of Swords Card
Congrats on taking the first step to work with the tarot and learning to read for yourself and those you love!
The Five of Swords is an interesting card because although – like many Fives – it carries a more tense and hectic energy, you have the benefit of movement and change.
No situation ever stays the same for long when the Five of Swords is present in your reading.
And this means that you can have hope for changing outcomes in your life.
Now that you’ve already begun your journey, the next natural step is to make sure you receive your free numerology reading.
Few things are as powerful as numerology for helping you improve your tarot readings.
But I’m not going to tell you that the information you’ll uncover will make you a better tarot reader.
It’s better for you to get your reading and find that out for yourself.
That way, it’ll be a much more personal, special, and beautiful experience.
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