The Meaning Of The Five of Swords Tarot Card

New to Tarot? Just pulled the Five of Swords? If the Five of Swords was pulled out of your deck and you want to know what it means, keep reading!

The Five of Swords lets you know that you might be in for a battle! The Five of Swords is about being a warrior, winning vs. losing, and fighting for what you believe in. It could also indicate that aggression, conflict, and the idea of winning are taking over your mind. 

The Five of Swords is powerful and can lead you to defend yourself and others, which is admirable. Still, it can also represent a hollow victory where the only thing you win is a title and resentment from others, especially if you went about winning in deceptive ways. 

Want to know what else this card is wanting to share with you? Read on!

Key Facts

Upright Meaning of The Five of Swords

The Five of Swords is a fighter through and through. It’s all about fighting for what you believe in, winning in competitions, and making sure that you fight fairly. As long as you’re coming from a good place and avoiding hollow wins, you’re on the right track. 

You may be realizing that certain fights are not worth their consequences, even if you disagree with the other person. This card knows that fighting for what you believe in is a good thing, but there is such a thing as losing the battle and winning the war. 

The Five of Swords wants to see you reflect on the outcome of disagreements. It encourages you to be open to listening to others, being empathetic, and being aware of your surroundings before you go on the offensive.

You are now able to use your empathy and fair play to mend disagreements, heal emotional wounds, and find a way to get what you want without needing to resort to conflict. The Five of Swords requires you to ground yourself to avoid lingering resentment from others. 

You’re standing your ground, being assertive, and being honest about what you believe in, and this is admirable, but make sure that you’re not going overboard. It’s best to find a balance between your staunch beliefs and understanding where others are coming from.

Love and Relationships – Upright, The Five of Swords

In love, the upright Five of Swords is asking you to engage in caution and self-reflection. This card indicates potential conflicts and disagreements that could show up in your romantic life or that are already ongoing.

When this card appears, know that you need to handle conflicts with your partner with sensitivity. Winning an argument at any cost may not be the best approach, as it can leave your partner feeling defeated and resentful.

This card reminds you that certain situations or arguments can lead to hurt feelings and damaged connections. Instead of depending on arguments, try to go for open communication, empathy, and compromise to find common ground in your relationship.

Career and Work – Upright, The Five of Swords

In a workplace reading, the upright Five of Swords may be warning you that you’ll be handling challenges and competition in your professional life. Conflicts and power struggles may arise in your workplace, and that’s no good!

When this card appears, it lets you know that you’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar, AKA your aggressive or cutthroat approach to success isn’t working. 

While ambition can be beneficial, stepping on others to get ahead may lead to a toxic work environment and strained relationships with colleagues. Instead, focus on building your achievements through merit, teamwork, and collaboration.

Health and Wellness – Upright, The Five of Swords

In a wellness reading, the upright Five of Swords wants you to engage in more self-care and balance toward health. Even though you may encounter challenges or conflicts concerning your well-being, both physically and mentally, you need to stay positive.

When this card appears, try to be cautious of self-destructive patterns or extreme behaviors that may harm your health. Pushing yourself too hard or neglecting self-care can lead to burnout and physical exhaustion.

This card encourages you to find harmony and balance in your journey toward good health. While you may be tempted to go on extreme diets or start intense exercise routines, it’s better to seek moderation and consistency in your lifestyle choices.

You’re also encouraged to be more mindful of negative thought patterns that may be bringing you down. Engage in positive self-talk and avoid comparing yourself to others because everyone’s wellness journey is unique, and progress takes time and patience.

Spiritual Context – Upright, The Five of Swords

In a spiritual reading, the upright Five of Swords wants to show you the need for spiritual growth and understanding. You might be facing internal struggles or disharmony on your spiritual journey, and it’s time to elevate yourself!

This card advises against becoming too rigid or trying to prove yourself right in spiritual arguments. You might be too dogmatic and drive people away with your need for spiritual superiority. You shouldn’t be in charge of other people’s inner beliefs!

Embrace a more open-minded and compassionate approach, allowing diverse beliefs to coexist peacefully. Be cautious of holding grudges, as this can hinder your personal growth. It’s time to prioritize humility and a willingness to learn from others’ experiences.

The Five of Swords is assertive, competitive, and ambitious rather than peaceful, cowardly, or stagnant.

Reversed Meaning of The Five of Swords

When reversed, the Five of Swords offers a message of resolution and learning from past conflicts rather than aggression and competition. You may have a chance to mend broken relationships and heal from the aftermath of arguments.

When this card appears, it lets you know that there’s an opportunity to let go of grudges and resentments. You can release the negative energy tied to past disagreements and move towards forgiveness and understanding.

This card knows that seeking revenge or harboring ill intentions towards others doesn’t help you or the person you’re mad at. Instead of stewing over the past, focus on finding common ground, forgiveness, and seeking peaceful resolutions.

The reversed Five of Swords also reminds you to be cautious about excessive competitiveness or winning at any cost. Winning without integrity is worse than losing, so you should be an honest loser than a dishonest winner.

Love and Relationships – Reversed, The Five of Swords

In love readings, the reversed Five of Swords wants you to find healing, forgiveness, and freedom from grudges. This card suggests that there might be unresolved issues or lingering tensions in your romantic life.

When the reversed Five of Swords appears, it calls for a change in approach towards resolving conflicts with your partner. Instead of holding onto grudges or seeking revenge, it’s better to open up lines of communication and express your feelings calmly.

You’re meant to release negative energy from past arguments and avoid dwelling on the pain that has been caused in the past. Embrace the potential for healing and growth within your relationship because it’s likely there. 

Be wary of negative behaviors that may be harming your partnership. Work together with your partner to create a safe and supportive space for open dialogue and understanding. Fight for your partner, not against them!

Career and Work – Reversed, The Five of Swords

In career readings, the reversed Five of Swords shines a light on challenges and conflicts that demand your attention. It’s a warning to stay vigilant and avoid confrontations or unhealthy competition in the workplace.

This card suggests that there might be disagreements or power struggles within your workplace. Avoid manipulative behavior, revenge against coworkers, or stepping on others to achieve your goals.

Instead, focus on building collaborative relationships and finding common ground because you never know whose help you will need in the future! However, toxic coworkers who may try to undermine your efforts should be kept at arm’s length.

The reversed Five of Swords can also be letting you know that you need to take a step back and reassess your career path. It may be time to let go of unproductive projects or commitments that you’ve been fighting for but that no longer serve your best interests.

Health and Wellness – Reversed, The Five of Swords

When it comes to health, the reversed Five of Swords warns that too much competition or aggression could be harmful to your health. You might be engaging in self-destructive behaviors or even literally being in fights that cause you injuries. Be careful out there!

Inner conflicts or self–destructive behaviors may need your attention, and engaging in harsh self-criticism or pushing yourself too hard can lead to burnout and physical, mental, or emotional strain. Or worse, all three!

This card wants you to avoid unnecessary confrontations or power struggles with others because holding grudges or being overly competitive can create stress and negatively affect your overall health.

Focusing on building positive relationships and seeking support from friends, family, or professionals might be what would improve your health the most. Embrace a more harmonious and compassionate approach towards yourself and others!

Spiritual Context – Reversed, The Five of Swords

The reversed Five of Swords in a spiritual reading serves as a reminder to be cautious of negative thought patterns, holding onto grudges, and spiritual disharmony. If you’re not in alignment with your truth, you might be struggling to stay calm and collected now.

This card suggests that there might be feelings of disconnection or disempowerment that are leading you to lash out or start arguments with others more often. You might want to avoid engaging in self-defeating behaviors or dwelling on past regrets.

The reversed Five of Swords wants you to realize the importance of avoiding conflicts or power struggles in your spiritual journey for your own peace of mind. Instead, seek a path of understanding, compassion, and forgiveness.

When you’re able to let go of ego-driven desires, aggressive tendencies, and the desire to be right, you’ll be freed up to focus on your inner growth and self–awareness. It’s all about mindfulness, meditation, and gratitude!

When the Five of Swords is reversed, you may need to pull back on the aggression and ambition and provide a more compassionate and calm approach to life.

The Five of Swords: Yes or No

The Five of Swords is usually a no, or that you will have to fight to get what you want. The outcome that you’re asking about might require you to put in an intense effort to get it, or it might be that it will be too tumultuous to try to make happen. 

Conflicts, difficulties, and obstacles are all very connected to this card, making it very unlikely to get a yes answer, but if it is a yes, it’s likely to be a very hard-won yes. 

When the Five of Swords is here, the answer is no, or that you will have to fight for what you want.

The Five of Swords and Astrology

In astrology, the argumentative conflicted Five of Swords is associated with Aquarius. Ruled by Saturn and Uranus, Aquarius also fights for what they believe in and embraces individuality, like the Five of Swords.

The Five of Swords’s energy will feel more natural to you if you’re an Aquarius, and similarly, if you are an air sign, as Gemini will understand debating and challenging others, while Libra will align with creating balance through due process and discerning what’s right.

The air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius will emotionally identify with the Five of Swords!

The Five of Swords Tarot Card and Numerology

In numerology, the Five of Pentacles is represented by the number 5. 5 represents change, freedom, struggle, and liberation. 

The number 5 knows that being free isn’t easy, and sometimes you have to struggle when you’re trying to make it to a goal or when you’re trying to preserve something worth keeping. While it’s nice to be free, taking care of yourself in the wild can be difficult. 

Unpredictability, isolation, and adaptability are key themes for the number 5, so make it known what you want and let the universe support you.

Number 5 can help us to fight for what we want, even though it can be hard. 

The Five of Swords as a Daily Card

The Five of Swords wants you to be mindful today! Be aware of potential conflicts or power struggles that can arise for you today, especially if there’s someone in your life with whom tensions have been rising. Try to avoid unnecessary arguments because who has the energy?

This card tells you to try and avoid the fights that don’t need to be fought, fights where there are no winners, only losers. Don’t let others goad you into fighting out of your ego or pride because this isn’t going to shine a positive light on you. 

Stay mindful of how you’re conducting yourself, and make sure that you’re not quick to pick up your boxing gloves, metaphorically. Act with integrity, and you’re unlikely to come out of the situation looking worse than the other person. 

The Five of Swords wants you to fight for what matters but not to fight with whoever, whenever!

The Five of Swords in Relation to Other Cards

All tarot cards have other cards in the major and minor arcana that back them up by complementing their energy or that challenge them by contrasting their energy. Are you doubling down or finding a balance? Let’s find out!

• Five of Swords’s power struggles + The Empress’s nurturing = A need to balance assertiveness and empathy
• Five of Swords’s competition + The Chariot’s ambition = Finding a middle ground between being ambitious while competing against others versus working with others
• Five of Swords’s conflicts + The Emperor’s tradition = Struggling with authority figures or traditional structures encourages open-mindedness.
• Five of Swords’s conflicts + The Two of Cups cooperation = Arguments in partnerships or relationships, a need for compromise
• Five of Swords’s defensiveness + The Four of Pentacles’s possessiveness = Holding onto grudges, being overly defensive, a need to let go of past conflicts

Complementary Cards

When interpreting The Five of Swords tarot card, certain complementary cards can enhance its meaning and provide deeper insights, offering valuable guidance on how to approach conflicts and challenges with empathy and mindfulness.

These may include the:

1. The Knight of Swords: The Five of Swords shares the tenacity, ambition, and intensity with the Knight of Swords
2. The Knight of Wands: The Five of Swords has the same fire, drive and assertiveness as the Knight of Wands
3. The Tower: The Five of Swords has a shared destructiveness and emotional intensity that can amplify the Tower
4. The Nine of Wands: The Five of Swords shares guardedness and defensiveness with the Nine of Wands
5. The Five of Pentacles: The Five of Swords has a similar struggle to survive, stress, and lack of support like the Five of Pentacles

Contrasting Cards

In contrast to The Five of Swords tarot card’s themes of conflict and challenges, certain contrasting cards offer different perspectives and energies, presenting opportunities for growth, harmony, and resolution in the face of adversity.

These may include the:

1. The Three of Cups: The Five of Swords isn’t as celebratory or friendship-motivated as The Three of Cups, indicating a need to celebrate more or make friends
2. The Four of Swords: The Five of Swords isn’t as restful or peaceful as the Four of Swords, indicating a need to cool down and be more grounded
3. The Three of Pentacles: The Five of Swords isn’t as cooperative or a team player as the Three of Pentacles, indicating a need to work with others rather than fighting
4. The Two of Cups: The Five of Swords isn’t as cooperative or open to partnership as the Two of Cups, indicating a need to be more collaborative or speak up for yourself in partnerships
5. The Empress: The Five of Swords isn’t as nurturing or healing as the Empress, indicating a need to soften your approach

When the Five of Swords is with a complementary card, it might be telling you to go for it, but in a specific way! If a card in the Five of Swords is with a contrasting card, figure out what needs balancing out.

Conclusion

The Five of Swords wants you to pick your battles well and fight with integrity, or you might feel worse after you win! Beating the other person in an unfair fight or losing in the face of someone else’s unfair actions just results in no one really winning. 

Empathy, understanding, and cooperation should be attempted first before you resort to conflict, but if the other person is truly being too intense and refusing to play ball, then it may be time to fight fairly and take on a more assertive approach. 

The Five of Swords knows that you can become an honorable warrior, even if your only battlefield is in a verbal arena. Know who you are, and try to diffuse the situation before going on the defensive. Maybe we can all win at the end of the day!

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