A man sneaks away from a camp carrying five swords, looking back. It is deception, strategy, cunning: someone is not playing fair, perhaps you.
Stealth and strategy, something taken in secret.
Waite’s keywords (1911): Design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence; also a plan that may fail, annoyance.
Reversed
Reversed, the deception is uncovered: confession, conscience, or getting caught.
A deception exposed, a conscience stirring.
Waite’s keywords (1911): Good advice, counsel, instruction; slander, babbling.
In love
Upright Infidelity, secrets, a lack of honesty in love.
Reversed A secret comes out; confession.
In work
Upright Strategy, but also theft or deception at work.
Reversed A deception uncovered at work.
In money
Upright Beware of fraud and trickery with money.
Reversed Fraud discovered; money recovered.
At home and in the family
Upright Secrets in the family.
Reversed The truth comes out at home.
On your path
Upright You lie to yourself.
Reversed You face the truth.
Its counsel
Upright Be strategic, but honest.
Reversed Come clean.
Correspondences
- Arcana
- Minor Arcana, suit of Swords
- Element
- Air
- Rank
- Sevens: tests of faith and inner work
Dreams that carry this card
Swords
Ace of Swords · Two of Swords · Three of Swords · Four of Swords · Five of Swords · Six of Swords · Eight of Swords · Nine of Swords · Ten of Swords · Page of Swords · Knight of Swords · Queen of Swords · King of Swords