Four of Swords Tarot Card Meaning

This Tarot card shows a knight lying on a tomb, taking a break from his duties and the hustle and bustle of life. His still position and prayerfully folded hands convey a sense of detachment and peace. Three swords hang on the wall directly above him, while one rests on the tomb itself.

The only vibrant detail on the card is a stained-glass window depicting a biblical scene. The key message of the Four of Swords is to use this time of rest to reflect, contemplate your situation, and plan for the future.

The circumstances at the moment suggest that active efforts and pushing things forward are neither suitable nor truly possible. Rushing and trying to swim against the current will only waste your energy and time.

Take advantage of this situation by setting your worries aside and perhaps embarking on a journey, visiting friends, or simply enjoying some relaxation at home, in peace and comfort. Especially since the presence of the upright Four of Swords in a spread indicates exhaustion and fatigue from recent activities.

If the Four of Swords appears in your Tarot spread, it’s likely that you've been through a hectic period, where you felt like you were running in circles all day. Or you might have recently faced a difficult emotional or physical challenge and need time to recover. This period of calm might be what you need to mourn a loss, heal emotional wounds, or come to terms with a setback.

In any case, this Tarot card in your reading suggests: it's time to catch your breath, heal up, and distance yourself from the hustle and bustle. This way, you'll be ready to jump back into the flow of life with renewed energy and face new twists with confidence!

Key Meanings of the Upright Four of Swords Card

• Weakness, pause in affairs, stagnation, delay in matters.
• Rest, relaxation, reflection, calm after the storm, detachment, leisurely pace, absence of rush.
• Recovery, gathering strength, planning, voluntary or necessary solitude.

The reversed Four of Swords Tarot card takes on an opposite meaning. Now is not the time to be lazy and rest; it's time to roll up your sleeves and take action! You need to get down to business, even if you're feeling lazy or melancholic. Otherwise, you may lose control of the situation.

The reversed Four of Swords warns you that you might be delaying and passively distancing yourself from problems, trying to escape unpleasant realities. Are you perhaps using fatigue as an excuse to avoid life's challenges? By withdrawing from tasks, disconnecting from the world, and hiding in your "shell," you may miss out on good events and opportunities that Fate has prepared for you.

If your voluntary isolation is truly due to exhaustion and accumulated stress, then the Four of Swords advises: try to find a reasonable balance between work and rest, treat yourself to pleasant things more often, and find a hobby that distracts and inspires you. This will allow you to recharge and view the world more positively.

Key Meanings of the Reversed Four of Swords

• Returning to action, being active, no time to relax.
• Frugality, saving, being calculative.
• Exile, banishment, confinement, isolation, resentment, illness.

In love readings, the upright Four of Swords card suggests a temporary period of solitude. Perhaps a recent romantic drama has left the heart singed, leading one to shy away from new encounters and romances, creating a barrier around their emotions to avoid further distress.

New relationships may unfold slowly, with a sense of distance and unspoken words lingering in the air. After the first date, your partner might vanish from sight, avoiding communication. It's important to take some time to organize your thoughts and feelings, preparing yourself for a fresh, positive start.

In its reversed position, this card indicates that a period of solitude—whether chosen or imposed—has lingered too long, signaling that it's time to step out into the world and seek new love.

When reading about a suitor or beloved

When asking about a suitor or partner, an upright card suggests that your chosen one is currently seeking calm waters in love. At this moment, they prefer quiet comfort and coziness with their beloved over the chaos of passions.

The reversed card reveals that your partner is quite cautious and reserved in matters of love. Sometimes they let things take their course naturally. Encouraging them to make a new move in the relationship would indeed be a great stroke of luck!

In business readings, the Four of Swords card signifies a pause or lull in activities. This could manifest as a career standstill, a stalled project, lack of profits, or simply taking a vacation or retiring.

In any scenario, the Four of Swords suggests that it's time to wait for better days, using this break as an opportunity to rest — which will be beneficial. Active efforts and initiatives may prove fruitless; trying to speed things up is a futile endeavor that only wastes energy, resources, and time.

When reversed, the card's meaning shifts to the opposite, indicating a resumption of activities and forward movement in your career.

When drawing this card upright for a person, it represents someone with inner strength, responsibility, and perseverance. They are used to relying solely on themselves and their own abilities.

In the reversed position, it signifies a cautious individual who finds it challenging to connect with others, sometimes leading to feelings of loneliness.

In its upright position, this card suggests that you take a moment to truly relax and rest, ideally in solitude.

When appearing reversed in a spread, the card advises against burying your head in the sand when faced with problems—such avoidance is unlikely to help.

If the card appears upright, the outlook for your situation is positive. You have every chance of achieving your goals, but only if you can relax and view the situation calmly and objectively.

If the card is reversed, the outlook for your situation is uncertain. This might indicate a tendency to hide from problems instead of addressing them directly.

With the 0 card The Fool – Disappointment, halt in journey, indisposition.

With the 1 card The Magician — A need for rest, isolation, sudden illness.

With the 2 card The High Priestess — Deep introspection, psychological trauma, reclusiveness.

In combination with the 3 card The Empress — Complicated situation, viewing from the outside, enlightenment.

With the 4 card The Emperor — Disarray in affairs, loss of professionalism, sick leave.

With the 5 card The Hierophant — Presence at a funeral, powerlessness, necessity to step aside.

With the 6 card The Lovers — Thoughts of leaving a partner, emotional burnout, lack of support.

With the 7 card The Chariot — Failure to receive support, sticking to one's guns, a state of oppression.

With the 8 card Strength — Need for rest, relieving tension, burning out or disillusionment with an idea.

With the 9 card The Hermit — Mental agony, wandering, lacking a specific goal or desires.

With the 10 card The Wheel of Fortune — Hospitalization, physical healing, health examination.

With the 11 card Justice — Forced isolation, house arrest, problems coming from all directions.

With the 12 card The Hanged Man — Restlessness, uneasiness, inability to find one's place.

With the 13 card Death — Funeral rites, graveyard, dark energy.

With the 14 card Temperance — Fear that hinders progress, imaginary problems, issue not solved, but deferred.

With the 15 card The Devil — Disgraceful obsession or vice, repulsive secret, public humiliation and fleeing the scene.

With the 16 card The Tower — Losing inheritance or property, risk of incarceration, destiny pushing out of comfort zone.

With the 17 card The Star — Nervous exhaustion, being mentally elsewhere, daydreaming while stuck in routine.

With the 18 card The Moon — Need to understand oneself, required respite, fatigue or indisposition.

With the 19 card The Sun — Improve health, come out of depression, emergence of motivation for an active life.

With the 20 card Judgment — Left with nothing, an attempt to hide and avoid condemnation, preliminary investigation, house arrest.

With the 21 card The World — Need to distract oneself, enforced stop, a new source of energy is required.

The Four of Wands — Decline of energy, misunderstanding the situation, time to reflect on oneself and plan future actions.

The Two of Wands — Planning a vacation, leisure time for relaxation, family activities.

The Three of Wands — Halt, feeling unwell or emotionally low, loss of ambition.

The Four of Wands — Misunderstandings with parents, seclusion or family secrets, procrastination or delayed important decisions.

The Five of Wands — Stepping back and taking cover, retreating to a safe place, feeling exhausted from confrontation.

The Six of Wands — Losing enthusiasm, inner conflicts, lack of prospects and stagnation.

The Seven of Wands — Being attacked, retreating into deep defense, losing hope for the better.

The Eight of Wands — Running late or facing delays, minor setbacks, exhaustion from defending oneself.

The Nine of Wands — Indulgence, computer addiction, a desire for complete seclusion, depression.

The Ten of Wands — A state of enslavement, feeling trapped, a mental trap, possibly a psychological disorder.

The Page of Wands — Slowing down progress towards a goal, taking a break, forced rest.

The Knight of Wands — Slowing down progress towards a goal, taking a break, forced rest.

The Queen of Wands — A short break, a work hiatus, sick leave.

The King of Wands — A period for rest, tranquility, exploring new directions, getting a little lost.

The Ace of Swords — Thoughtful analysis of the situation, a solitary nature, unpredictability in conclusions and actions.

The Two of Swords — Thoughtful analysis of the situation, a solitary nature, unpredictability in conclusions and actions.

The Three of Swords — Thoughtful analysis of the situation, a solitary nature, unpredictability in conclusions and actions.

The Five of Swords — Enclosing oneself while expecting troubles, a bad premonition, nervous tension, and an attempt to hide from something inevitable.

The Six of Swords — Unwillingness to leave or embark on a journey, emotional decline, anxious uncertainty.

The Seven of Swords — Pretending to be calm and confident, wearing a mask or acting illogically to deceive others, a hidden agenda.

The Eight of Swords — Restrictive circumstances, accepting fate and going with the flow, waiting for an inevitable resolution, a bleak outlook.

The Nine of Swords — Medical intervention, a period of uncertainty and suffering, an exhausting situation.

The Ten of Swords — Powerlessness, a real threat of serious illness, feeling defeated.

The Page of Swords — Lack of arguments, a losing position, taming an impulsive nature, wounded pride.

The Knight of Swords — Becoming entangled in facts, losing composure and self-control, making uncharacteristic moves, acting without thinking.

The Queen of Swords — Nervousness and anticipating disaster, inventing horrors or exaggerating danger, being suspicious and giving foolish warnings.

The King of Swords — A state close to madness, inaction from authorities, taking justice into one's own hands.

The Ace of Cups — Finding self-control, tranquility, and learning to master oneself.

The Two of Cups — Deciding to live separately, reevaluating a romance, receiving friendly support to overcome depression.

The Three of Cups — Stepping back from festivities, retreating from social interaction, time for oneself and contemplation.

The Four of Cups — Unwarranted pride, rejecting help from professionals, nervous disorder.

The Five of Cups — Isolation, deep reflection and emotions, seclusion and secrecy.

The Six of Cups — Being stuck in the past, a need for spiritual development, indulging in memories, forgetting the bad.

The Seven of Cups — Lack of motivation, seclusion, getting lost in illusions.

The Eight of Cups — Pondering new information, melancholy, feeling loneliness.

The Nine of Cups — Internal doubts, playing to the audience, losing energy and enthusiasm.

The Ten of Cups — Keeping a secret from loved ones, seclusion, and fear of judgment, hidden emotions.

The Page of Cups — Locking oneself into a dead-end idea, unsuitable circumstances, a short-lived truce.

The Knight of Cups — Cooling off or briefly stepping back from initial plans, losing interest, considering a different direction.

The Queen of Cups — Spiritual healing and time to ponder, preventing troubles, leaving the stage at the right time.

The King of Cups — Temporarily stepping back from affairs or socializing, allowing oneself to relax, a period of stagnation.

The Ace of Pentacles — Preserve your health, stay away from conflicts, go to a sanatorium, or find another way of self-isolation.

The Two of Pentacles — Time to pay the bills, living on a tight budget, sudden changes in health, seasonal illnesses.

The Three of Pentacles — A break from work, seasonal or shift-based employment, a time of rest and declining energy.

The Four of Pentacles — Unemployed, spending what was saved for unforeseen circumstances, reevaluating one's relationship with possessions.

The Five of Pentacles — Hospital conditions, public assistance housing, deteriorating living conditions, declining health, deep depression, and isolation.

The Six of Pentacles — Calculating losses, reducing expenses on non-essential items, asceticism, and being prepared for the worst.

The Seven of Pentacles — A glimmer of hope, anticipating a meeting with a friend or a pleasant event, a chance to improve one's mood.

The Eight of Pentacles — A break from work or being laid off due to downsizing, feeling lost, unfamiliar idleness, loss of motivation for personal development.

The Nine of Pentacles — Comfortable seclusion, receiving encouragement from a friend or successful colleague, increased enthusiasm or returning from vacation.

The Ten of Pentacles — Retirement, transitioning to an unfamiliar state, forced interaction with relatives.

The Page of Pentacles — Observing from the sidelines, soberly assessing one's chances, not trying to achieve the desired.

The Knight of Pentacles — Fulfilling one's duty, not reaching beyond one's position, lack of initiative, and a desire to blend into the crowd.

The Queen of Pentacles — Thriftiness and frugality, emotional reserve and introversion, having modest needs despite significant resources.

The King of Pentacles — Passion for order and tranquility, balance, being slightly detached from the real world, unpreparedness for changes and progress, pessimism.