TAROT CARDS: TEN OF SWORDS
“It's always darkest just before the dawn.”
DESCRIPTION
It is a deathly silent morning. Beside the still waters, a man stabbed from the back with ten swords is laying down on the ground. First light of the day is rising through the black skies, signaling the end of the dark.
The imagery of the Ten of Swords is one of the most strikingly terrifying to look at. All its symbolism points to one direction: a tragic end. One of the most obvious themes is ‘’being stabbed in the back’’. Betrayal is the ultimate lesson on letting go: Not forcing what isn’t and accepting what is. It is a painful process, which triggers a change to evolve and grow.
Another theme is death- metaphorically. Which, just like the Death card, symbolizes end of a cycle, the old giving birth to the new. It is an extremely rare occasion where it represents a physical death. The act of surrendering and dissolving the ego feels like death. Entering a new cycle of understanding through major transitions and adversities in life is a process which passes through death of old belief systems.
If you can see beyond the unpleasantness of this card, you will see that right in the background, sun is rising again. Every ending is a new beginning.
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Number 10 represents completion, rebirth and infinite potential.
Ten of Swords Keywords
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- Betrayal
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Loss
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Completion
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Ending
UPRIGHT
REVERSED
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- Recovery process
- Inability to let go
- Emotional turmoil
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Upright Ten of Swords
Guidance: You are passing through a major struggle. This painful event; such as a betrayal, devastation or a loss, has completely forced you to look at things differently. The good news is the worst is now behind you and it can only get better from now on. It is time for you to sever your ties with the past, with no resentment attached. Walk into the future with confidence.
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Love: The Ten of Swords represents your turning point after hitting a dead-end. Betrayal, divorce, break-up and rejection are often the themes of this card. However, it is not the end of all things. Perhaps it is just a rough patch. Once the shock passes, you will come to new realizations as to why this has happened. You are being cleared of the things that were no longer serving you or making you happy. Before you jump into something new, process this period internally, and focus on what will make you fulfilled in the future.
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Work/Finances: The Ten of Swords represents loss, failure, dead-end, disappointment and betrayal. It is also your new beginning. As you move on to the next chapter in your life, make certain that there are no loose ends. If it arrives in the future position, make sure to get to the bottom of the problem now in order to reduce or the impact. The most successful people fail most often. The key here is not giving up. Keep a clear head, don’t spread yourself too thin, especially financially.
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Health: It is highly important for you to focus on your wellbeing and happiness at this time. External issues may be taking a toll on your health. Reducing stress, exhaustion and sadness should be your primary goal. If you recently received unpleasant news about your health, don’t worry. The Ten of Swords marks the end of your troubles.
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Spirituality: A difficult situation has made you evaluate things differently. This is a spiritually transformative process, a ‘dark night of the soul’. Heart wrenching events such as betrayal or loss are there for you to clear out the parts of your life that doesn’t work out, to make way for a fresh beginning. As time passes, you will persevere and bloom into harmony. Be kind to yourself through this period.
Guidance: The Ten of Swords reversed asks you to face your fears that are holding you back. When you have no other choice but to leave what you know behind and move forward, the unknown horizons are always intimidating at first. But change is inevitable. No matter how difficult and painful the circumstances are, you always have the option to make the journey easier to yourself. Best way to do this is accepting, healing and growing.
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Love: You got deeply hurt in the past. And instead of allowing yourself time to clear your head, you are trying to force things to work. Perhaps you keep giving and giving, thinking that if you stop putting effort, it will all end. Or you feel like there is no end to your suffering, that you lost everything. Let it be. Maybe it is just a rough patch, maybe it is an end. Only if you truly allow your heart to heal, you will see the light at the end of the tunnel again. You are the person who deserves your love the most.
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Work/Finances: Things didn’t work out as you hoped. Certain people or situations that caused a major disappointment must be put behind, but something is holding you back. Perhaps you are afraid to accept that things have changed. If you experienced a financial loss, you may feel like you can never recover again, which is not true at all. Success and prosperity will follow you as long as you are willing, patient and strong. This is just a hiccup. You will just have to make some adjustments, learn from the mistakes and alter your course if necessary.
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Health: Regards to your health, the Ten of Swords reversed has two meanings. First, it represents slowly but surely being released from pain and stress. And second, you still neglect to make the necessary changes in order to recover. If you are going through a major ordeal, you need to work on your coping mechanism.
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Spirituality: It is time for you to accept your role as the creator of your reality. Life has many ways to wake your true self up, one of them is going through obstacles. Think of how many times you fell, you brushed off your knees and lifted yourself back up again and again. Doesn’t that show you how strong you are? Once you accept that as a fact, and never fear the future, nothing will ever feel like a suffering.
