Ten of Swords
Ten of Swords depicts a sudden, painful ending marked by betrayal or targeted attack, leaving the querent feeling pierced and defeated. The image of a red spiny starfish impaled by ten swords suggests that although the harm is severe and unexpected, the capacity for regrowth and recovery remains. Upright, it advises accepting the inevitable end, letting go of victim mentalities, and focusing on healing and adaptation to a new reality. Reversed, it warns against fighting a necessary conclusion and urges finding the root of lingering wounds and allowing the recovery process to begin.
Keywords
Animal
Red Spiny Starfish
Fun fact
Capable of regenerating lost arms, red spiny starfish are definitely hardy creatures. Regeneration can take years though, and harm from infection or other predators is common. Starfish have tiny tubular feet with suction cups on them as well as an eye on the tip of each arm. Despite having five eyes, their eyesight is very poor.
Keywords
Betrayal, Severance, Bitterness
Reversed keywords
Despair, Recovery, Escape
Meaning (imagery)
A starfish raises its arms up as ten swords impale its limbs and center, piercing it through mercilessly. The swords are pierced through the top of it, implying that the attack came when it was least expecting it. The Ten of Swords signifies betrayal and deadly harm, but even in death, there is still serenity to be found. Starfish are capable of regrowing lost limbs, implying that, though the damage has been done, recovery is still possible.
Meaning (upright)
When upright, the Ten of Swords signals a painful yet inevitable ending to a relationship, project, or endeavor you were once a part of. This ending came as a surprise, shaking you down to your foundations. You may be the victim of someone else’s targeted attack, or you may be wearing the mantle of the victim in hopes of drawing pity and support from those around you. Break away from those mentalities as they will only encourage you to fixate on the negative. The worst has already occurred. All that’s left is to move past it and seek recovery while becoming acclimated to your new reality.
Reversed meaning
When reversed, the Ten of Swords indicates that you are currently fighting an inevitable conclusion, and in doing so, you’re only succeeding in making things worse for yourself. It may seem admirable to rage against the machine doing you harm, but at this point, it’s better to bow out and let things end gracefully. Sometimes, you have to let them happen before you can move on. If you’ve recently suffered from a bad situation, this may be a sign that you are still holding onto the wounds from it. Find the root of the problem and take steps to work through the pain. There is hope for recovery, but you must allow yourself to heal before you can move on to something better.
Visual Description
Ten gleaming swords descend point-first through a curled purple crescent or ribbon shape set against a deep star-speckled sky. The blades are long and parallel, their edges outlined in gold and leaving translucent streaks as if falling. Thin gold-edged clouds or smoke drift across the dark background. At the bottom, the title 'TEN OF SWORDS' appears in gold lettering.
Oriens tarot
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