Ten of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
Nine of Swords |
Ten of Swords |
Page of Swords |
General Meaning
The Ten of Swords card symbolizes a painful ending, complete failure, misfortune, and emptiness. This Arcana represents a truly hopeless situation that you must accept and come to terms with. Changing anything is beyond your control.
Card Motto
It won't get any worse; you have suffered defeat. Accept it and await the dawn of a new day.
by Marta Winter
Core Card Meanings Ten of Swords
Description and Symbols of the Card Ten of Swords
This Tarot card represents losses and the complete collapse of human plans, a true Game Over moment. In the foreground of the card lies a figure pierced and pinned to the ground by ten swords.
Above, a heavy dark sky, filled with clouds, stretches as a symbol of the hopelessness and despair that reign in the heart of the fallen individual. Yet, there is hope for the future—a new day is dawning in the distance...
Meaning in Upright Position
The upright Ten of Swords Tarot card can indicate a painful breakup, perhaps even a divorce, complete financial ruin, or the loss of a significant amount of money—in short, a major setback in one area of your life. The cause of these unfortunate events could be truly bad luck or perhaps the deceitful schemes of adversaries.
The Ten of Swords often warns that there may be people around you who wish you harm or seek to confuse and disrupt your life. Judging by the events unfolding, they seem to be succeeding in their efforts.
This Tarot card has a frankly unfavorable meaning. You need to brace yourself for troubles and shocks, face them with resilience, and simply endure this challenging phase. Fortunately, there may be close friends or family who will prevent you from falling into despair. The Ten of Swords reminds us that a crisis is also a turning point; the end of one chapter in life can be the beginning of another. All you need to do is wait for the dawn...
Key Meanings of the Upright Ten of Swords
- Deep despair, personal defeat, disaster, robbery, severe illness, grief, lack of control over the situation.
- Financial losses, betrayal, treachery, imprisonment.
- Ceasing to fight, disappointment, regret.
Reversed Position
The reversed Tarot card Ten of Swords symbolizes recovery from a severe illness and restoration after a heavy loss. You have faced a downfall, experienced pain, despair, and fear that life threw at you, and now you're slowly returning to your usual rhythm.
The reversed Ten of Swords indicates that the dark times in your destiny are fading away. It's a period of rebirth and renewal, where you can plan for the future and pursue your goals.
However, it's important not to forget past mistakes, hardships, and losses. This bitter experience will guide you through challenging situations on your path to prosperity. Moreover, the reversed Ten of Swords in a reading signifies future success due to a long memory of past disappointments and troubles. Having overcome difficulties, you have become stronger and wiser, and therefore, more successful!
The reversed Tarot card Ten of Swords urges you to be cautious with your words and actions, to think things through carefully, and not to trust others blindly. This was likely the main mistake of the past that triggered the crisis.
Key Meanings of the Reversed Ten of Swords
- End of a difficult period, reflection, uncertainty, reevaluation of thoughts, views, and plans.
- Gradual improvement in affairs, a new rise, renewal of relationships, profit, better health.
- Success, realization of plans, prosperity, benefit.
Meaning in Love Readings
In love readings, the upright Ten of Swords card foretells a sudden breakup or disappointment in love. It indicates a sharp cooling of feelings between lovers or those who have mutual affection, without clear reasons or visible signs leading up to it.
However, it's possible that an unseen rift in the relationship had been there all along, but neither wanted to acknowledge it. This happens sometimes: everything appears sunny, the sails are catching the wind, yet the relationship is sinking. The Ten of Swords can also signify emotional detachment and "frozen" feelings, where someone, after experiencing drama, is not inclined to start new relationships.
When reversed, the card's meaning shifts to the opposite, suggesting a revival of emotions after a loss.
When asking about a suitor or loved one
In readings about a suitor or partner, the upright card suggests that your chosen one has gone through a tough emotional blow in love. This bitter experience weighs on them, and they haven't fully recovered from it yet.
The reversed card indicates that your chosen one has endured a very difficult period of disappointments and losses in love but is now open to happy and fulfilling relationships.
Reading for Money, Career
In business readings, the Ten of Swords card predicts job loss, stress from overexertion, the collapse of a business project, or a lost power struggle. It brings a feeling of being an outsider in the realm of success and being at the brink of emotional and physical exhaustion.
Your financial resources may be depleted, things seem to be going as poorly as possible, enemies surround you, and no light seems to be in sight. All you can do is accept the situation as it is because changing it might be beyond your power. However, personal defeat often teaches us wisdom better than the smartest books and enriches us with experience that allows us to achieve great success.
When reversed, the card's meaning shifts to the opposite, signaling the end of a difficult phase in business.
Reading for a Person
When interpreting the Ten of Swords in a reading, an upright card indicates someone who has faced significant hardships, defeats, or losses that they must accept but are struggling to come to terms with. This affects their thoughts and actions.
In a reversed position, the card represents someone whose difficult period has come to an end. They have learned valuable lessons from their mistakes and now look toward the future with optimism, as every change is for the better.
Reading for Advice
When upright, the card suggests that you come to terms with a tough situation. Remember the inscription on King Solomon's ring: "This too shall pass."
Appearing in reverse in a reading, the card advises you not to repeat past mistakes and to bravely face the future: the best is yet to come!
Reading for Outcome
If the card appears upright, the forecast for your situation may not be very favorable. It could lead to disappointment, or perhaps even betrayal by someone close to you.
In a reversed position, the outlook for your situation is more complex. You might achieve your goals, but only if you learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating them.
Meanings In Combination with All Tarot Cards
Major Arcana Combinations
With the 0 card Fool – Health problems, carelessness to oneself, shocking news.
With the 1 card Magician — Terrible news, complete collapse, conscience torment, irretrievable loss, death.
With the 2 card High Priestess — Find a way out of depression, realization of mistakes, acceptance of defeat.
In combination with the 3 card Empress — Mental illness, nervous breakdown, severe health pathology.
With the 4 card Emperor — Problems with consciousness, obsession with false values, suppression.
With the 5 card Hierophant — Defending a diploma, end of a life stage, restraining morality.
With the 6 card Lovers — Crisis, a streak of bad luck, being left alone with problems.
With the 7 card Chariot — Sense of danger, worrying for loved ones, seeing nightmares or ominous signs.
With the 8 card Strength — Defeat at work or in personal life, emotional burnout, professional callousness.
With the 9 card Hermit — Lose faith in oneself, illness or malaise, nervous exhaustion or imagined difficulties.
With the 10 card Wheel of Fortune — A test of strength, flattering but dangerous proposal, extreme measures.
With the 11 card Justice — Insult, being humiliated, receiving a shock.
With the 12 card Hanged Man — Manic state, serious danger, poverty or total dependency on someone.
With the 13 card Death — Illness of a close person, problems with household members, need for professional advancement or reconsideration of beliefs.
With the 14 card Temperance — Suffering as a renewal, going through a difficult stage and tempering the character, light sadness.
With the 15 card Devil — a multitude of bad news at once, knowledge that upset the balance, emotional disorder.
With the 16 card Tower — Becoming a victim of evil intent, cruel bullying, persecution, loss of faith in people.
With the 17 card Star — Star disease, arrogance, loss of work or relationships due to own arrogance.
With the 18 card Moon — Painful detachment, mental problems, heavy blow or bitter understanding.
With the 19 card Sun — Moral relief after hardships, bright memory, mourning.
With the 20 card Judgement — Nervous breakdown, illness due to exhaustion, loss of support from loved ones.
With the 21 card World — Crisis at the completion stage, go through a divorce or dismissal, lose faith in oneself.
Wands Suit Combinations
With the Ace of Wands - A failed venture, a direct approach won't yield results, one motivation is not enough for success.
With the Two of Wands - Certainty of failure, false promises, inadequate justifications.
With the Three of Wands - Complete failure, dismissal or the end of a romantic relationship, feeling suppressed.
With the Four of Wands - Losing a home or apartment, a dark period, divorce.
With the Five of Wands - Taking on someone else's responsibility, playing the role of a scapegoat, final termination of relationships.
With the Six of Wands - Total failure, ineptitude in leadership, leading a company to ruin, failing to consider the negative consequences.
With the Seven of Wands - A nervous breakdown, losing on all fronts, ending up with nothing.
With the Eight of Wands - Finding oneself in trouble, inevitable end of relationships or loss of job, emotional devastation.
With the Nine of Wands - Remembering past grievances, relying on past negative experiences, living in isolation.
With the Ten of Wands - Heading towards defeat, company's collapse, news of bankruptcy, accumulating debts.
With the Page of Wands - Dismissal or expulsion, a bad start, feeling abandoned.
With the Knight of Wands - Failed adventure, danger of being judged, a painful break in relationships.
With the Queen of Wands - Total failures, a project that won't come to fruition, a vanished prospect, lack of knowledge.
With the King of Wands - Abandoning active actions, career problems, learning something very unpleasant.
Swords Suit Combinations
With the Ace of Swords - Oppressive understanding, burdensome thoughts, temporary obsession or a complete revision of worldview, bad karma.
With the Two of Swords - The final straw, an irreversible decision, divorce or relationship breakup, a definitive choice.
With the Three of Swords - Shattered hopes, lost love, a cruel blow of fate.
With the Four of Swords - Helplessness, a real threat of a serious illness, feeling defeated.
With the Five of Swords - One failure after another, the effect of a curse or hex, the need for radical changes in life and thinking.
With the Six of Swords - Self-destruction, taking the wrong path or behavioral strategy.
With the Seven of Swords - Outplaying a strong opponent, a long-planned move worked, eliminating a competitor, false bankruptcy or complaints about a difficult life.
With the Eight of Swords - Feeling like giving up, helplessness, reaching a breaking point, clouded consciousness.
With the Nine of Swords - Nightmares or a sense of impending doom, bad omens, nervousness, and psychological distress.
With the Page of Swords - Deceitfulness, mocking others' misfortunes, being scornful or derisive.
With the Knight of Swords - Cynical attitude towards life, maximalism, and fatalism, rejecting compromise, a decisive and categorical man or lover.
With the Queen of Swords - Accidents, tragedies, events beyond a person's abilities and preparedness, the intervention of fate.
With the King of Swords - Punishment, the inexorability of the law, a verdict or imprisonment, the end of the familiar life.
Ten of Swords and Swords Suit Combinations
With the Ace of Cups - Inevitable separation, emotional breakdown, profound emotions.
With the Two of Cups - Being dependent on someone dear, painful relationships, or the end of a pleasant connection.
With the Three of Cups - Serious betrayal or deceit, suffering due to one's own trust, becoming disillusioned with people.
With the Four of Cups - Ignoring warnings and encountering trouble, suffering due to one's own foolishness, neglecting safety precautions.
With the Five of Cups - A difficult period, feeling lost in complexities, total pessimism.
With the Six of Cups - Infertility, facing harsh truths, falling into the hands of fraudsters.
With the Seven of Cups - Becoming disillusioned with illusions, the end of the familiar life, insurmountable problems.
With the Eight of Cups - Preparedness for defeat, inner strength helping to endure difficulties, a strong character.
With the Nine of Cups - Reckless self-assurance, when a good person is pursued by misfortunes, realizing the complexity of the situation.
With the Ten of Cups - A crisis of self-identity, breaking away from societal norms, starting a new chapter in life.
With the Page of Cups - Severe betrayal, dashed hopes, the need to start life anew.
With the Knight of Cups - An expected negative outcome, openness leading to failure, emotionalism becoming the enemy of a clear mind.
With the Queen of Cups - Becoming callous, suppressing emotions, experiencing professional burnout.
With the King of Cups - Losing tender feelings, the end of a passionate romance, outgrowing infatuation or becoming disillusioned with a partner.
Pentacles Suit Combinations
With the Ace of Pentacles - Putting money above everything, losing capital, needing to start anew, a new beginning.
With the Two of Pentacles - Financial naivety or insufficiency, getting by on random earnings, lacking the means to start over.
With the Three of Pentacles - Going bankrupt, losing a major contract, losing clients, terminating a profitable agreement.
With the Four of Pentacles - Losing stability and confidence in the future, major changes, fear of the unknown.
With the Five of Pentacles - Losing health, being left with nothing, a dire situation, losing the means to sustain oneself.
With the Six of Pentacles - Psychological instability, losing trust in close ones or becoming disillusioned with a specialist, being poorly informed.
With the Seven of Pentacles - A hopeless situation, joyless depression, seeing no prospects, not attempting to change the current situation.
With the Eight of Pentacles - Losing a regular job, being affected by downsizing, becoming disillusioned with one's profession.
With the Nine of Pentacles - A bad idea, a futile project or investment, chasing after empty promises and losing everything.
With the Ten of Pentacles - Sad news, family breakup, feeling oppressed, grieving the loss together with loved ones.
With the Page of Pentacles - Poor preparation, an ill-conceived plan, childishness and ignorance of consequences, a harsh awakening.
With the Knight of Pentacles - A wasted effort, an overly optimistic and unrealistic plan, expecting too much.
With the Queen of Pentacles - False promises of wealth, abortion, shattered trust or reputation.
With the King of Pentacles - Bankruptcy, turned-away luck, a bad businessman or worker, gradual degradation.
Example Interpretation In a Daily Spread
A Card Has Fallen for You Ten of Swords? This Signifies:
Today, the situation will not be in your favor. You may encounter troubles, losses (including financial), health problems, and intense conflicts with loved ones. It's possible that in a certain matter, you'll have to completely give up your position or at least temporarily step back. The card of the day suggests that it's pointless to argue with destiny. Focus on doing everything within your control and accept what you cannot change.