We have leaned a tough lesson! Now, despite the bad situation we can move to the next phase of rehabilitation and rebuilding ourselves. If we have not yet gone through the lesson we need to experience it before we can move on.

The Ten of Swords indicates that the tough lesson is over. We have learned the lesson and do not need to go on suffering. The pain is still there but we can now move on into rebuilding ourselves and starting anew.

The Ten of Swords follows a pre-determined course: first we make a mistake, then we suffer and finally we learn the lesson that enables us to start a new phase in our life. It is therefore crucial to determine which stage are we in. Usually when we get the card we have already suffered and are ready to move on. But sometimes we have not suffered yet and it is important that we face the tough and painful lesson, learn from it, draw our conclusions and move on to the next phase.

It is important to understand that in some cases only a painful experience can teach us the lesson we need –and this is indeed the situation represented by the Ten of Swords. It is important to remember that our pain and suffering are not in vain and it will help us learn and progress. In this case we need to focus on minimizing the impact of the lesson rather than trying to avoid it.

Areas of particular relevance:
A new start after crisis, maintaining hope during a tough time, resourcefulness, justice is done, tendency to be a martyr

We are worried -and with good reason. We have found ourselves on the wrong path and if we move forward we will fail. If we have not started out yet we should stop moving forward. But we find it hard to resist because we fell in love with this particular path and the desired results.

Nine of Swords is undoubtedly one of the worst cards of the Tarot deck. We are worried sick and rightfully so. We have all the reasons to worry since everything we worry about will indeed materialize –and things can get even worse.

The situation is so bad and complicated that it seems that it is better to give up altogether and not move forward at all regarding the subject at hand. If we move on it will only lead to loss and sorrow. In other words, this process cannot be fixed –we can either let go or fail.

If we still have not started on this particular path the obvious advice is to stay away. It might create an immediate difficulty or inconvenience but will pay off in the long-term. If we have already started the process we better stop as soon as possible, cut our losses and escape while we still can.

It is important to understand that we are so emotionally attached to the process that it will be hard for us to quit or stop.

Areas of particular relevance:
Sickness, disaster, unpleasant events, self destruction, wrong choices, depression

Save

We can reach the desired result but find ourselves blocked. Instead of listening to that part in us that knows the answer we let our feelings rule us. Only if we let go and listen to logic can we succeed.

In this card, as well as in any of the eight cards, we are ready to make the transition from the current stage to the next and reach our goal. But we tend to fail in this transition because we do not act rationally and responsibly. In practice, we hinder our own progress since we decline to listen to the voice of logic. We instead act out of our emotions, catering to our fears and doubts, and so block our route to success.

Many things can tie us and block our progress to the next stage: we might be committed to a contract, the breaching of which will cost us dearly, or we might simply feel uncomfortable doing something unpleasant. But breaching the contract or overcoming our feelings might be our only way to break free. When we stop listening to the wrong reasons, when we see the situation in its entirety, when we break free – only then will we reach our goal.

Areas of particular relevance:
Betrayals, secrets, inability to see reality for what it is, despair and depression