Ten of Swords
An unlikely beacon of hope.
I drew several cards this morning. This is a new ritual, something I have started to do after morning meditation, when my mind is clear and intentions are good. I like the way it sets my tone for the rest of the day, providing me with a sort of cosmic purpose. This particular spread didn’t initially feel as powerful as the spreads I pulled in previous days, but after further examination, I found it contained profound lessons. Such is the nature of tarot.
I would like to preface this by stating that I am a tarot novice. I dabbled in tarot throughout college, but I didn’t get my first deck (a centennial Smith-Waite) and really try it for myself until 2020 when the world was turned upside down. I also held somewhat fastidiously to the notion that you needed to be gifted your first deck, which I quickly debunked after spending a significant amount of time on the /tarot reddit thread. Recently I stumbled upon this gorgeous deck at a local shop and ultimately talked myself out of buying it out of “practicality”, (my Virgo sun really does get in the way at times) but for the rest of the day I could not stop thinking about it. I felt so drawn to it, I returned the next day and bought it.
The reading below I did for myself. I felt compelled to share the themes that kept appearing in my life, hoping they could provide someone else with the reassurance they gave me. The past several months have been characterized by great upheaval and self-discovery for me, and I find it naïve to assume I am the only one experiencing them. That being said, please take this all with a grain of salt and do not feel compelled to consider this reading if it really does not resonate with you!
I pulled a simple past-present-future spread, with the Knight of Cups in the past position, The Knight of Pentacles in the present, and the Ten of Swords in the future. Later, when gathering my deck to put it away, the Ten of Cups fell out. I took this as a good sign.
The Knight of Cups initially felt very straightforward and factual when I drew it. Knights are associated with very active and masculine energy; I see them almost as bearers of news. In this particular instance, however, this felt like a reminder of the importance of perseverance while still maintaining and paying attention to your emotional world. Since this was pulled for the past, I saw this as a depiction of what I failed to do in years prior. I tend to go to extremes and finding balance has always been difficult for me until recently. The Knight of Cups is characterized by this dual energy of activity and introspection, the yin and yang, creating an interesting tension when examined alongside the other cards.
The Knight of Pentacles contains the symbolism of the scythe, representing harvest and the result of one’s perseverance. This feels like a natural progression from the Knight of Cups: the symbolic crops borne from one’s hard work. However, the Knight of Pentacles can also serve as a warning that the same tools used for harvest and abundance can also be used for harm, particularly to the self if not used correctly and with integrity. Both cards, the Knights, are characterized by forward motion and determination, and each carry warnings of what could happen if you push too hard in one direction and ignore your inner world.
Next was the Ten of Swords, which is regarded as a rather ominous card. It often represents great suffering, depicting a fallen wounded knight weeping in pain, ten swords in his back. With the number 10 comes endings; it is the final number in the suits, indicating a forthcoming chapter. I have (and perhaps we have, collectively) reached an ending, a catharsis of sorts. I find it no great coincidence that this is happening in the final weeks of my twenty-ninth year, just before I complete three decades of rotations around the sun. This also feels apt considering that fall will soon be upon us with the September 22nd equinox. Summer will end, and with it another season of our lives. This presents us with an opportunity for healing and rebuilding our internal worlds before the next season arrives.
This leads me to the final card, the Ten of Cups, which jumped out at me in a way I can only describe as "enthusiastically”. It was as if the universe felt obligated to provide me with reassurance that the pain associated with the previous card, the Ten of Swords, would ultimately lead to expansive growth and self-improvement. I learned recently that the Ten of Cups is a card of great prosperity, joy, and divine love. In traditional decks, this card depicts a family standing together with a rainbow of ten cups unfolding above them like a banner. I felt that it signified the well-deserved reward at the end of a long period of devotion and effort. In my deck, ten cups are pictured overflowing with abundance. It is the abundance we have worked so hard for, ready to be poured and shared with those we love in celebration of what’s to come.
If you enjoyed this and would like to read more things of this nature, please let me know ~ I am fascinated by the worlds of tarot, mythology and archetypes, and love any excuse to dive deeper and discuss it further with other likeminded people!
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Yes yes yes, more of this! Beautiful exploration, Kate
We have the same sun sign! I salute you my Virgo sister 💗 I love these kind of topics and would be more than happy to read about them from you xx.