Three of Swords (Reversed) | Tarot Card of the Day
“Letting go of negative thinking and embracing healing.”
If the Three of Swords appears reversed, it calls your attention to any self-inflicted wounds that are being perpetuated through negative thinking.
Holding onto negative expectations is a form of self-betrayal. The clouds that appeared in the sky are now on the base of the card. Clouds symbolize the element of Air, and Air represents your thoughts. The Three of Swords reversed can indicate that the negative thoughts you are holding onto, are affecting your outlook. This includes thoughts that project catastrophes into a future that hasn’t even happened yet or replaying past traumas mentally and anticipating they will happen again. Your anxieties aren’t harbingers of disasters to come. They are merely fears, and they rarely resemble the future that will actually come to pass.
Is your inner critic constantly reminding you of your faults and shortcomings?
Are you beating yourself up over past mistakes? Do you feel guilty or ashamed about something that you did?
The Three of Swords represents emotional pain caused by past betrayals, cruelty, unkindness, or abuse. The swords depicted on the card need to be drawn out and released from the heart for it to heal. However, the only way to do this is through forgiveness; when reversed, this is about forgiving yourself.
The heart on the card is heavily wounded by three swords, but it is still resilient and capable of healing. The swords weigh the heart down beneath grey clouds and rain, preventing it from rising above and basking in the sunlight. By holding onto the pain and resentment, you are betraying yourself and preventing your heart from healing.
The Three of Swords reminds us that the seductive sense of empowerment that comes from holding onto anger and resentment is false and leaves us feeling hollow and empty. Practicing forgiveness allows us to release the negative energy and toxic poison within us, freeing us from the burden of carrying it around everywhere. Forgiveness is not about condoning reprehensible behavior, but about letting go of the pain and hurt that it caused.
Forgiveness takes time and continual affirmation, but it is a powerful tool for healing and moving forward. The Three of Swords indicates that it's time to let go of any painful people or things that are weighing your heart down and rise above the clouds into the realm of light.
When the Three of Swords reversed appears, it’s best to avoid “borrowing trouble.”
Negative projections into the future will cause you to miss out on being joyful in this moment. If you are anxious about what hasn’t even happened yet, then you are harming yourself with your thinking. Catch yourself when you notice you are falling into this. Release harmful thoughts and know them for what they are: thoughts. Choose to focus your thinking on something that really interests you or brings you joy. Remember, the heart on this card is much larger, and stronger than any wound it’s experienced. Your heart is stronger than your fears and wounds from the past. Transcendent love is always a viable answer when this card appears.
The Three of Swords (Reversed) in a Love Reading
New Relationship
It may be time to do some “self-work” before attempting to form a deep connection with the other. Using another person to avoid what is uncomfortable within will not result in true love or happiness. Only you have the power to draw your own “swords” from the wounds in your heart. Confront the uncomfortable things that needs to be released gently and courageously.
Long Term Partnership
You (or your partner) are rationalizing away a relationship issue that has been causing inexcusable pain. It’s time to stop deflecting and communicate honestly about what is being experienced. This card can also signify that time has begun to heal a wound from a difficult past episode of your relationship.
Seeking Romance
The grey clouds that appear on this card in many decks can symbolize the use of old mental narratives that “convince” you that there is no hope. This is an illusion, as you can absolutely be happy again. In the Rider-Waite -Smith deck, one cloud is drawn unfinished. Your future is still unformed and provides unlimited opportunities to create a happy life.