Three of Swords Tarot Meaning: Upright and Reversed

What does the Three of Swords tarot card mean, upright and reversed? Symbolism and interpretation in love and career. What it reveals about feelings, advice, and yes/no answers. 

Three of Swords Keywords, Upright and Reversed 

• Upright: Separations, heartbreak, transitions, sorrow, rejection. 
• Reversed: Optimism, forgiveness, resolution, healing after pain. 

Description and Symbolism of the Three of Swords 

This particular tarot card is a simple illustration, yet it has a difficult message. The card depicts a heart, and it is pierced by three wounds. The heart is symbolic of both beauty and emotional love, and the wounds reflect the propensity of logic and power to wound emotionally. The sky in the background is heavily clouded and the rain pours down violently, representing a challenging period of angst. The card represents the harsh realities that often pierce the romantic illusions that can accompany some love affairs. 

Upright Meaning of the Three of Swords 

The upright Three of Swords is synonymous with divorce and relationship breakdown and it encompasses the painful feelings surrounding heartbreak, feelings of rejection, being separated, having to deal with loneliness, and ultimately relationship betrayal. It indicates the need to grapple with issues around grief, betrayal, and loss. However, this particular card serves as a warning sign. It is often a signal that one should prepare for a life transition which is potentially painful, or facing some truth about a relationship eg that it may not be meant to be. 

This card is a reminder that life is never free of painful experiences involving change, especially change which is unwanted, but if we prepare ourselves for these difficult times and are mindful of the potential they offer for growth and moving forward, the blow can be minimized. 

This card reveals the message that while life is filled with sorrow and grief, these painful lessons are necessary to your journey, and without pain there would be no joy, no contrast, no possibility for challenge, and no lessons learned. Grief is the price we pay for love, and pain can sometimes be a great motivator, as when you emerge after a period of sorrow, grief, or betrayal, you will have ultimately learned from your mistakes, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Love Meaning, Upright Three of Swords 

This represents a difficult time in love. A relationship might have ended unexpectedly or may just not be working out, and you may have to face feelings of rejection, betrayal, or sorrow that expectations were not met. Often there’s some emotional pain and disappointment, and it’s okay to feel a little bit lost and confused by the situation as you slowly come to terms with the reality. 

In terms of looking for love and dating, you may have to hear criticisms or negative feedback, and this is never comfortable. However, if you can learn from the experience, you may ultimately be more successful in finding a much more suitable partner. Often this card reveals that you are still carrying deep scars from a previous relationship, and perhaps some time, therapy, or self-care is needed to truly understand how to grow and evolve from that situation. 

If you are looking for love and nothing is working out, perhaps your time is better invested in understanding why past relationships failed, or perhaps rebuilding your self-worth after a narcissistic or damaging relationship. In some cases, it may be a good idea to take a break from the dating game. Maybe you are having a bad run of luck, and what you really need to do is explore ways to be happy away from a relationship, with your own independence. 

If you are in a relationship, this doesn’t necessarily mean divorce or breakdown, it may just mean a partner has really let you down, has failed to live up to promises, and you’re feeling hurt, neglected, or even unseen by a partner who’s possibly a workaholic. Remember, it’s important to always take care of yourself, to draw strong boundaries, and not to accept a situation which is untenable. The good news is the situation represented by the card is often a temporary phase, not something that is likely to continue into the future. 

Career Meaning, Upright Three of Swords 

In terms of career, this card can often mean a rejection, failed job interview, or an opportunity that doesn’t come to pass. There is ultimately a disappointment in terms of a new venture or not much luck in looking for a job. Frequently the ego is impacted, and it’s easy to feel rather disconsolate. You may even suffer a temporary loss of reputation. 

The big takeaway, however, is this is a temporary loss. It’s a blip in the road, something that you should move forward from with confidence. It’s so important that you reassess your options and perhaps put your career in perspective. It’s likely you have neglected friends, family, and other valuable parts of your life, forsaking them for career, and this is a reminder that career is not everything. 

In terms of finances, you may be suffering because the economy has taken a turn for the worst, or you may have lost a big client or had some unexpected costs. This is definitely a time for consolidation and not taking on any more debt. Wait until your luck returns, and then you will be able to move forward again.

Health Meaning, Upright Three of Swords 

This card is symbolized by the heart, and it can literally indicate health issues around the heart. So it is an opportune time to think about your heart health, to prioritize exercise, but to do it gently. It may also indicate a wake-up call regarding your health: something could happen which draws your attention to health issues and which prompts you to make some decisions which will ultimately help you with longevity. 

It’s vital to understand the impact of stress, anxiety, or depression on your immune system and on your heart. Stress produces cortisone, which is damaging to the heart, and therefore embracing lifestyles which lessen stress is critical. 

Spiritual Meaning, Upright Three of Swords 

This card represents a life transition. It is also about your ability to deal with difficult circumstances regarding disappointment and the recovery from loss. It’s important to allow yourself time to grieve over the situation which has either led to disappointment or even to a separation. Part of this process is an evaluation process: understanding what went wrong, why it happened, and not feeling guilty, but being reflective over the causes. 

It’s essential to analyze when it all went wrong and how you can avoid similar situations in the future. It’s vital to always understand that you will be stronger when you come out the other end, and it won’t be long before new opportunities and a new period of growth begins that will take you in a powerful new direction. 

Feelings or Actions Associated with the Three of Swords 

You should remember that the circumstances represented by the Three of Swords are part of life. They happen to everybody at one time or another. Situations regarding loss, broken relationships, and making sacrifices are part and parcel of the human experience. You should not see it as bad luck, but simply as part of a learning process. Often circumstances have arisen because things might have been swept under the carpet and tough choices were not made before. 

The lesson to learn is that in future you may be able to circumvent these problems by acting sooner, either to remedy the situation or to walk away. It’s never easy to admit that something has failed, whether a relationship or job opportunity has not lived up to expectations, but failure is often fertile ground in which success can grow in the future. So it’s important to pick oneself up after a period of grief and move swiftly forward.

Reversed Meaning of the Three of Swords 

This particular card, when reversed, has a much more uplifting meaning, as it signifies that you have survived a difficult period, crisis, or challenging time, and you are beginning to recover. This card often shows up after one has gone through the grieving process after loss, hurt, or a particularly painful experience, and one is beginning to feel like you have survived. 

There is often a joyous feeling after one has endured a crisis and come out the other side, and this tarot card reversed suggests a lot of optimism that you are on the path to recovery. 

The motto for this reversed tarot card is that every cloud has a silver lining, and once you have accepted the truth and the pain and hurt that go on with it, you are ready to move on and establish the foundations of something promising once again. 

Love Meanings for Three of Swords Reversed 

In terms of love, it’s important to give yourself time to heal from a broken relationship. It’s vital not to look back in anger or with guilt. This card reminds you to move through the relationship recovery process by being mindful and seeing the bigger picture. It’s not necessarily always easy to move on, so this card suggests that you should be patient and not too eager to jump into a brand new relationship. This warns against the rebound relationship. 

This card also suggests that there should be some emotional purging to allow you to free yourself from the past. Perhaps counselling, journal writing, or some form of meditation could be needed so that you can come to terms with things and are able to release painful emotions, so that you don’t carry them forward into a new relationship. 

This card implores you not to get stuck in the blame game. It’s also important to stop asking, “Why me?” or “Why did he do this to me?” These things are part of life, and it’s important to make sure that you are in the process of healing rather than going in circles asking the same questions to which there are no real answers. People are what they are. 

Health Meaning for Reversed Three of Swords 

In terms of a health reading, this card reminds you not to fall off the wagon. If you’ve recently made a decision to give up a bad habit, to stop an addiction, or to develop healthier emotional patterns to reduce stress, don’t give up. Stick with the plan and don’t abandon positive new routines. With this card, there are always distractions or a lack of motivation that can lead you to slip back into bad habits, but stay strong. You don’t want to go back to square one.

Spiritual Meaning of the Three of Swords Reversed 

As the song goes, “Don’t look back in anger.” It’s very important not to become bitter and resentful. Forgiveness is absolutely key with this card. Forgiveness doesn’t exonerate the person who hurt you, disappointed you, or caused you grief or financial loss, but forgiveness does free you. Forgiveness isn’t about them; it’s about your healing, and it’s an important process in your journey. 

In terms of career disappointment, it may be a time to recognize the other parts of your life where you are experiencing joy and abundance, rather than focusing too much on material gain. 

Feelings or Actions Related to the Reversed Three of Swords 

What should you do if you receive this card reversed? You should ask yourself, “What went wrong, and did I heed the warning signs?” The other important question is, “Will I know the warning signs next time I see them?” This card indicates that you are on the path to recovery, but perhaps you haven’t fully understood all the lessons. While you shouldn’t be too quick to deny your pain as you don’t want to be in denial about the pain you suffered, you also don’t want to linger on the negative emotions. It’s definitely time to start looking forward, putting the pain behind you, but not forgetting. Forgiven, but not forgotten, is the motto. 

Past, Present and Future Positions for Three of Swords 

Past

A painful experience involving heartbreak, loss, or betrayal from the past still influences how you think and protect yourself today. 

Present

Facing an emotional truth about disappointment or sorrow and acknowledging it honestly is necessary for healing. 

Future

Achieving emotional clarity through release of pain gives way to understanding. Confronting difficult feelings now prevents deeper wounds later. 

Three of Swords – YES or NO to a question 

Upright: No 

This card points to heartbreak, disappointment, separation, or painful truth. It suggests the outcome would bring emotional pain or regret, so the answer is no. 

Reversed: A Cautious Yes 

The Three of Swords indicates healing, forgiveness, and recovery after pain. A “yes” is possible, but only if wounds are acknowledged and resolved first.

Advice and Message of the Three of Swords 

The key piece of advice with this card is that “things” happen. Life can be messy, chaotic, and often our dreams are shattered, but what goes down must come up. We must learn to take the rough with the smooth. It’s important to have a philosophical approach to the pain and sorrow of disappointment in relationships and career, and understand the growth, strength, and lessons which will only serve to help you make better decisions in the future. 

It’s vital you don’t compare yourself to other people or other people’s situations. Everyone has a unique journey through life, with their karma and spiritual lessons to be learned. Rather than feeling inadequate or being filled with regret and anger, it is always important to understand both your role and the other person’s role in what transpired and then start seeing what can be recovered, picking up the pieces, and beginning to generate some positive ideas about what your future can look like. 

Not everything is meant to be. Not every loss is a punishment. It is simply part of a life process, a growth process, and a transition. 

Summary 

The upright card is symbolic of a life transition and the experience of loss, disappointment, and pain. The reversed card signifies that one is some way down the road to recovery, and good things are soon coming on the horizon. 

However, both cards remind us that life is risky. Whether it’s love or career, we take chances, and not everything is always going to work out, but we should never cease striving to find our soulmate and our perfect career. 

Life is an experiment, a series of highs, lows, ups, and downs, but it’s in those contrasts that everything is more poignant and sweeter. It’s vital to remember with this tarot card that none of the trials or tribulations we suffer in life are ever wasted as they all help to round out our character, make us more humble, unique, and beautiful, and one must often remember that some of the most beautiful poetry, literature, and music was actually born out of something that once was a heartache.