The ten of swords is quite a shocking tarot card image, depicting a man laying face down on the floor. All ten swords are upright in his back – surely he is dead?
He lays still under the night sky in an almost peaceful pose. Beneath the horror, there’s a sense of calm and peace. This suggests that the death here is of who you were.
The end probably came quickly and was unexpected. Perhaps it’s the end of dreams, hopes, and ideas, but there’s the promise of renewal too.
The ten of swords tells of endings. Often these are sudden, shocking, and unwelcome. Perhaps you lost a job that seemed secure, or your partner walked away from a marriage with no warning.
It’s tough to cope with unexpected things. Like the sudden death of a healthy child, partner, or parent, the brakes on a new car failing or having your bag stolen on a Saturday afternoon.
Whatever event pierced your trust bubble, you have been thrown severely off course.
This is the point in life where you could retreat from others. You could take to your bed like the figure in the tarot image and lay down in a bed of sorrow and grief. However, the ten of swords tarot card suggests you don’t play the victim role.
Even if we cannot control what life serves us, we can take charge of our responses to those events. Only you can stand up and turn things around, and a desire to depend on yourself rather than wait to be rescued is your secret weapon. This card reminds you the power ultimately lies in your own hands.
The reversed ten of swords symbolizes defeat when both upright and reversed. However, when this card is upside down, endings bring release and freedom rather than depression and despair.
Significantly, the endings highlighted by the reversed ten of swords are often triggered directly by yourself. You can be confident here; the power to take control and release the unhelpful past is in your grasp.
You do not deny mistakes have been made or bad decisions given the go-ahead. Still, you face the situation and deal with things here and now, even when you aren’t sure why.