Ten of Swords card

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Supporting / Blocking Tarot Card

support

The Ten of Swords can be a supportive card for someone who has experienced a period of breakdown or a challenging lesson. It signifies that the person has learned from their hardships and is ready for recovery and a new beginning, echoing the saying, “”He who falls and rises gains a step.”” As a future card, however, it can represent a block. It suggests that the individual has not yet fully overcome the crisis and must complete their lesson before they can move forward. This card emphasizes the need to confront and understand past difficulties in order to truly advance and rebuild.

Relationships

Career

Finances

Relationships

Career

Finances

The Meaning of The Card

Ten of Swords is part of the suit of Swords, which represents the realm of thought and logic. This card signifies the culmination of the intellectual and rational process, where the individual understands that they must act on their ideas. The Ten of Swords indicates a period of significant action driven purely by intellect, without the influence of emotions. In the suit of Swords, there is an inherent challenge to learn whether one desires to or is pushed by the universe to learn. After facing fears and failures as symbolized by the Nine of Swords, the person learns their lesson and, like a survivor of a storm, reaches a place of safety. As with all Ten cards, the Ten of Swords represents an epilogue. It signifies the end of a story that began with a mistake, continued with suffering and learning, and concludes with the individual’s ability to start anew and rebuild.

Ten of Swords card: The Meaning of The Symbols

Card Symbols	Symbol Meaning
Black Background	Represents fear, danger, threat, negative traits, dark desires, but also sophistication, authority, power, and learning. It conveys a sense of mystery related to the cycle of death and rebirth.
Blue Background	Symbolizes potential, optimism, opportunities, freedom of expression, independence, and hope.
Yellow Background	Symbolizes intellect, diligence, strength, and self-image. These are the forces that will enable the figure to open a new chapter.
Sword	Represented by the element of air, which symbolizes cold logic. The sword’s strike is quick, sharp, cold, and calculated, just like thoughts originating from the intellect. It symbolizes authority, justice, power, strength, and the separation of good from evil.
Lying Person	Represents the difficult lesson learned. It expresses helplessness but also the gathering of strength.
Red Garment	A symbol of action, construction, and doing.

Mythology

Mythology: Orestes is pursued by the Furies, but he feels that this is his atonement for killing his mother. After years of suffering, during which Orestes feels he has served his punishment, he goes to Apollo and asks for his help. Apollo turns to his sister Athena and tells her that Orestes seeks justice for his actions. Athena, impressed by his sincerity and the severe punishment he has imposed on himself, persuades the Furies to release him and lifts the curse from his lineage. Orestes returns home and restores his life and kingdom.

Representation of the Card in a Reading

The card represents the part of life where the querent is after having gone through a challenging lesson. It signifies a phase where life begins anew. The reader should ensure that the querent has indeed undergone a difficult lesson and that this card does not serve as a warning that the querent is ignoring the lesson and the difficulties. The lesson will come, and the querent will learn it the hard way. The card reminds us that we learn from hardships and develop spiritually after learning the lesson.