Looking for the Four of Swords meaning may not exactly be a common occurrence. After all, this card isn’t part of the Tarot Major Arcana. However, this doesn’t mean that people should just take it for granted! The Four of Swords is a meaningful card in itself. Knowing what it is really about can then be instrumental in helping you change your life. Who knows, it just might be the game changer that will steer you towards the direction you should be going.
What is the Four of Swords Tarot Card Meaning?
Before studying the Four of Swords meaning, you need to make sure that you know its design inside and out. This way, you will be able to understand fully what it is all about. After all, tarot cards are very explicit on what they truly mean. All you just need to do is to look closely at their finer details.
The 4 of Swords Tarot Guide
Four of Swords Description
The standard card design for the tarot is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Thus, it will be the basis for the description, as well as the Four of Swords meaning in this article. In the Four of Swords, a knight is lying down on his back. However, he is on top of a tomb, and is still wearing his armor. Despite this, his hands are folded in prayer. He seems to be resting, despite the seemingly uncomfortable situation he is in. Above his sleeping form is a stained-glass window depicting a woman and child. To those familiar with antiquities, the knight’s form is more like a funeral effigy on his final resting place.
But the spotlight of this card is on the four swords on it, hence its name. One sword is lying underneath him. It almost seems like the knight purposefully placed it there so that he can sleep. However, upon closer inspection, the sword is actually embedded on the side of the tomb. But the three other swords are placed in quite a shocking position. They are hanging over the knight, pointing downwards on his head and his body. It is almost as if they are about to drop on the body soon enough.
Four of Swords Upright Meaning
The Four of Swords meaning revolves much around the concept of resting and exhaustion. In its upright form, the Four of Swords is telling people to rest. The world is so fast paced nowadays that people forget to pause and look around. Indeed, you have just completed something major in your life. While it is tempting to strike while the iron is hot, you must not. You may not realize it yet, but every fiber of your being is exhausted. Give yourself the time to rest and recover. Process what has happened when you feel like you are ready.
Go somewhere you can truly relax and assess everything that has happened. Start from the top of your experience, and be objective in examining things. Look at what you and other people said and did. As you go through your introspection, be mindful of what you feel at present. Bear in mind, though, that you must be careful not to make any major decisions. You are still too vulnerable and fragile. Wait for when you are emotionally and mentally stronger before doing anything major.
Do not do things that can be potentially stressful for you. Meditate, and find peace in the things that you do. If needed, go somewhere you can be alone. As you isolate yourself, gather your thoughts. Let the privacy of this period help you along as well. Recharge in peace, and make sure that you seek out the things that will help you heal. You will be able to take on more things later on. For now, your priority should be moving on from everything that has been going on.
Upright Four of Swords Love Meaning
Love is something that many people seek out in their life. However, it may be that you are just wearing yourself down. Indeed, wanting to be loved by certain people can make you feel isolated. The toll it takes on your body can be quite terrifying as well. What you should do is to give yourself some space. Learn to love yourself instead. Allow yourself to be in tune with your needs, and pursue authentic joy.
If you happen to be with someone, give each other some space. Things have been quite chaotic, and you must give each other breathing room. You don’t need to cool off, or even break up! What this means is that you should give each other some time to process things. You will still be together in love, despite silence. Things will be back to normal soon enough. For now, love yourself deeply. This will then ensure that you will be able to feel things acutely, despite everything.
Upright Four of Swords Career Meaning
There have been quite a lot of things going on in your career lately. As a result, you have been feeling stressed and exhausted. No amount of positive affirmation just seems to work for you right now. All you can think about is how you are going to finish all of your tasks. After all, you are being paid to do all these and more! However, with all these things considered, it seems obvious what you should be doing right now.
Give yourself the time to rest and recover. Take that much needed break and take care of yourself. Do some self-care and simply unwind. Remind yourself that you are human, and that you must rest. Listen to your body as well. Once it starts showing signs of fatigue, drop whatever it is that you’re doing. Allow your mind to reset itself, and your body to be at ease. Everything will settle in due time. Your work will still be there, even if you were gone for a few hours or so. Once you are well-rested, you can then return to what you have been doing. This time, though, you will be able to bounce back stronger and better than ever before.
Upright Four of Swords Finances Meaning
Feeling anxious about your financial status is understandable. After all, having a stable and secure source of income is what enables your lifestyle. But you must not let this feeling get the best of you. Rather than dwell on negativity, you must look for positive ways to channel your energy. Give yourself a break, and think of better, more uplifting things.
You may not know it, but thinking this way may manifest the worst for you. Thus, you must resist yourself from thinking negative thoughts. Remember that mind over matter is real! Being paranoid will not get you anywhere positive! Spend your energy on the things that truly matter. Make sure that you value the things that are truly worth it. Soon enough, you will then be able to pursue the things that you know will make you feel fulfilled.
Four of Swords Reversed Meaning
Incredibly, the reversed four of swords meaning isn’t that much different from the obverse. Resting and recharging still plays an important theme for this. Unlike the upright that focuses on the personal, the reverse touches on the professional. Things such as responsibility, career paths, among others, are part of the reverse’s concern. It may be that you were pretty stressed lately, and the card wants to call your attention.
The things that you have been doing are making you suffer, and you must do something about them all. Do not let the things that you do deplete your energy. Allow yourself to rest, and to pause when you need to. Exhaustion will not do you any good. In fact, it will only ruin your chances to bounce back. Burn out is for real, and you must do what you can to stop it from happening. Set social media aside, and focus on yourself. Calm yourself down as best as you can.
Understandably, though, you will be resisting this feeling. You may think that you have a lot to do, and you are right! There’s a lot lined up on your plate. Rather than blitzing your way through it all, you must instead take up a pace. Set up a schedule where you will be able to balance your personal life and work. You will then come to see yourself slowly moving forward. Positive change will then come into your life, giving you hope
Reversed Four of Swords Love Meaning
After chasing someone for so long, it is time to put it to rest. The needless suffering that you are experiencing is a result of your desperation. Remember that love doesn’t must not be forced. Allow it to develop naturally over time. Make sure that you do what feels right, and embrace whatever the results may be. It’s definitely way better to cultivate a relationship at its own special pace!
So what should you do? For starters, you can give your love interest some space. Give them enough time to assess their own feelings towards you. At the same time, you should be honest with yourself. Do not force yourself to do things. You will then come to realize what you should do instead. This discovery will then lead you to making the right decisions for your heart. It will then lead you down the right path, and help you become a better lover from this point onward.
Reversed Four of Swords Career Meaning
Approaching work with a healthier mindset is important. This way, you will be able to balance things out. After all, the things you were entrusted with were quite heavy, to say the least. It will then be in your best interest to look for ways that you can reduce your stress. It doesn’t mean that you should just give up on your work, though. What this means instead is that you should balance everything out. There is a time and place for everything, and you must learn to navigate them all.
You also need to listen to your body even better. After all, you are not some kind of robot! Once you feel exhausted, you should give yourself time to drop what you are doing. You will be able to come back later on. If your psyche is no longer agreeable to what you are doing, you should listen to it as well. There is no need for you to force yourself into doing things. Let go of whatever makes you feel miserable and unfulfilled. You deserve something better, after all.
Reversed Four of Swords Finances Meaning
Things will be looking up for you this time. After enduring so many ups and downs in your finances, you will finally enter a period of stability. You can’t be too complacent, though. Things are getting increasingly complicated by the day! Make sure that you find ways that your favorable situation lasts for long. Do not be afraid to dabble into unorthodox (and legal) activities. Who knows, these just might be the very things that will secure your future.
On the other hand, this may signify that things might overwhelm you. Remember to be kind to yourself. Pace yourself so that you can choose what to do with a clear mind. If things get a bit too much, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Doing so doesn’t mean that you are weak. This only signifies that you are strong enough to recognize your limits. With the help of the right people, you can then emerge stronger and better than before.
Four of Swords in a Love Reading
Admittedly, most people are more interested in what the tarot can say about their lovelife. Truth be told, although the Four of Swords meaning on this topic follows the ones above, differences will emerge. No two experiences are ever the same. And so, the card’s meaning will depend on the context. Whatever happens, though, it is important that people do not rely too much on tarot cards. They are simply mystical instruments that can help people with their lives. Being a human is beautiful as it gives us agency to be what we want. The tarot is therefore simply the universe’s way of guiding everyone to become their best selves.