The Three of Swords
Ouch, ouch ouch! There’s no way around the Three of Swords. For my money – the scariest card in the Tarot deck. Watch me put a positive spin on any card – I can turn Death into a teddy bear, The Tower into a fun ride at Disneyland, The Eight of Swords a detoxing body wrap at a glorious spa but don’t give me the Three of Swords.
I had to get some stitches removed from my gums. On my way out the door, I pulled a card and I asked, “Do I need to know anything else before I get there?” Swords scraping and scratching on a blackboard rang into my ears as I looked at the Three of Swords piercing through that soft red heart. Oh no!
An hour later, lying in his Park Avenue office, the procedure was gross and uncomfortable. The kicker? What was so Three of Swords about it? He actually looked at me with a straight face and said, “Now, your teeth may feel a bit loose. That’s normal. They will settle in a month or so.”
Excuse me??? Sure enough, that night I brushed and felt every tooth on the left side of my mouth shifting from side to side. Well, if there is anything to make me feel like a skeleton just in time for Halloween it is a mouth full of loose teeth. Shake, rattle and roll baby!
But we humans are a resilient group and it is amazing what you can get used to. And I suppose when the Three of Swords is finished having its way with you and find yourself at the Four of Swords – you are in for a very well deserved rest. Sleep tight.
Tarotgirl's Weblog 
TarotByArwen said,
September 23, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I do so love your style, Sasha. What a hysterically funny if painfully real observation of the heartbreaker 3 of Swords!
tarotgirl said,
September 23, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Thanks Arwen!
Between laughter and tears I do aim for laughter.
Danielle said,
September 23, 2008 at 10:15 pm
This is a great post. I love learning about the cards 1 by 1
tarotgirl said,
September 23, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Thanks Danielle,
Learning Tarot one at a time takes a while – but one day you wake up and realize you can throw the Tarot definition books right out the window! And that is an amazing day.
Sasha
dovelove said,
September 27, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I know whatya’ mean, Sasha. That’s the worst one in my opinion too, and, eek, definitely not a good thing to see before a procedure like that.
To put it in perspective for others… I’ve let a couple of young people (one male, one female) that I work with know what I’m actually doing with this regular deck of cards at my desk 🙂 But wildly enough, BOTH of them pulled the 3 of Spades (i.e., 3 of swords in the for-real Tarot) in asking about their near future (and it was weeks between pulling cards for each of them that first time).
Both of their lives seemed to be going well at that point, and I tried to keep it light in sharing the meaning. I asked both if things were good with their spouses, if they were worried about or fearful about anything… Both of them said everything was fine. Now, several weeks later, the guy is now separated from his spouse (married for about 14 years), and he feels its over for good… The female who drew that card has now missed a lot of work due to migraines, and everyone here is getting very worried about her… It was weird to me how they both drew that card for their near future. They’re not related, but they are good friends.
Lordy, I do loathe seeing that card too, BUT I will say, like in your case, it’s not always such a significant loss (like losing a spouse). In fact, I’ve had it simply mean that I was thinking negatively or worrying too much. That’s why when I draw it, I’ll keep drawing to get clarity. If I keep drawing those “negative” cards, one after another, it’s usually about thinking negatively (being fearful, feeling powerless and all that).
Also, I’ve learned that this card can reflect a potent need to cry and/or a need to release pent-up emotions (including anger). I often see it as a need to heal the heart. Ah, and I feel compelled to add, as much as I adore the Star card, it too can sometimes reflect a need to cry.
Peace,
Dove
tarotgirl said,
September 28, 2008 at 2:23 am
That’s so interesting Dove. I often look at the Ace of Cups as a need a good cry card, an emotional outpouring but I can see the Star in that light as well.
So funny your friends both pulled the Three of Swords. Have to say I’m happy I wasn’t sitting in your seat when that happened. I do hope things are looking up for them!
Yeah, the Three of Swords is a tough cookie!
dovelove said,
September 30, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Hiya’ Sasha,
Hey, I was perusing some of my older Tarot books at home on that mean ole 3 of Swords, heh, and I believe it was the “Easy Tarot Guide” by Marcia Masino where I found a statement that seemed very on-point for your situation. She said this card can simply mean surgery, but more specifically, it can be the “necessary removal of something” so as to make room for new growth or the new — or something like that 🙂 Essentially, it was saying this was reflecting a necessary procedure. I felt it was saying if you get this card in asking what you should know about having surgery, then the positive take would be, this is necessary to make ya’ all better 😉
Ah, and I had forgotten, but it just came to me that SOMETIMES (prolly very rarely, lol) this card can actually mean a depth of emotion, even a depth of love. Love hurts? But I would think it would more than likely be wishful thinking to see this card as love in a relationship spread, but I s’pose you might consider it if it has the Ace of cups on one side of it and the Ten of Cups on the other — and lots of other “friendly” cups cards thrown in for good measure, lol 😉
Peace,
Dove