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Three of Swords in the 5-Card Spread with the Rider Waite Tarot
Table of contents
Table of contents
See another cardin 5-card spread
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor VI
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
Three of Swords 5-cards Cross Draw
The Three of Swords, in the five positions of the cross spread, evokes a dynamic of emotional wounding, separation, painful lucidity, but also possible healing through sincere acceptance of grief. In context, it shows a phase of rupture or sorrow; in opposition, a denial of the wound or a withdrawal into pain; in advice, it invites us to welcome and express sadness; in the outcome, it announces a trial followed by emotional liberation; in summary, it refocuses the reading on the idea that suffering, when fully experienced, becomes a gateway to a freer, more lucid and deeper love. A difficult card, but one that brings truth, growth and inner rebirth.
Three of Swords : Positions in the RWS Tarot 5-Card spread
Three of Swords as first card : Current situation
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the current situation, the Three of Swords shows that the consultant is going through a phase marked by conscious emotional pain, a break-up, or a moment of great vulnerability related to the heart.
This could be a breakup, betrayal, loss of a loved one, or deep disappointment in someone or something they trusted.
This card expresses a difficult truth, a deep emotional wound, but also a crucial moment when clarity begins to set in.
Despite the suffering, it is also an opportunity for growth, as the Three of Swords reveals what was hidden beneath the illusions.
The consultant is therefore in a delicate period, where the heart is laid bare, but where recognition of the wound allows for future liberation. It is a time of open sadness, but also of revealed truth.
Three of Swords as second card : Challenge / Obstacle
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In contrast, the Three of Swords can reveal several types of emotional blockages.
These may include a refusal to see the wound, avoidance of pain, or even becoming trapped in sadness that becomes obsessive. The consultant may be tempted to deny the obvious, cling to illusions, or refuse to go through the grieving process, which would be liberating.
Conversely, this card in opposition can also signal a tendency to relive the same suffering over and over again, to perpetuate the pain through guilt, shame, or an unconscious need for punishment.
The Three of Swords in opposition therefore invites us not to freeze suffering, to accept that it has a beginning but also an end, and to dare to face the wound, not to wallow in it, but to truly heal it. A wound that is seen is a wound that begins to heal.
Three of Swords as third card : Advice
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
As advice, the Three of Swords invites you not to run away from your pain, to acknowledge what has been broken or betrayed, and to honour your grief with dignity.
It is by accepting suffering that you will be able to get through it and come out stronger. It is important not to minimise what you are feeling or pretend that everything is fine in order to avoid upsetting others.
This card advises you to let your emotions out, whether through speech, writing, or any other sincere means of expression. It is also essential to distinguish between your personal worth and what has happened to you: just because you are hurt does not mean you are diminished.
The Three of Swords advises you to trust the healing process, even if it is painful at the moment. Every tear you shed brings you closer to a greater inner light.
Three of Swords as fourth card : Outcome
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the outcome position, the Three of Swords announces that a painful truth will have to be faced, or that emotional pain is inevitable, but also that this ordeal will bring liberation. It may be a break-up, a bitter realisation, the discovery of betrayal, or simply the end of an emotional illusion.
This outcome is not happy in the short term, but it is beneficial in the long term: what has been broken was no longer conducive to growth or authenticity.
If experienced with courage and openness, this moment of pain will allow you to rebuild on a healthier foundation, pave the way for more authentic relationships, and regain lost emotional integrity.
The result is therefore painful but liberating: after the storm, there will be deeper clarity and a capacity to love more lucidly.
Three of Swords as fifth card : Synthesis / Future
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In summary, the Three of Swords reveals that the entire spread is permeated by a process of painful emotional truth, necessary mourning, and emotional purification. It shows that the querent’s soul is growing through a trial of the heart, whether it be an external separation or an internal clarification.
The summary reminds us that suffering has meaning: it allows us to cut ties with illusion, reveal what is truly alive, and lay the foundations for a more authentic love in the future.
This is not a definitive end, but an initiatory passage, where the soul, stripped of its illusions, reconnects with its true power to love.
The Three of Swords therefore summarises the need to accept pain in order to be reborn emotionally.
See another cardin 5-card spread
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor VI
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
1 card spread
Three of Swords and its various thematic readings
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