Four of Swords

✦ Invoked

Resting in solitude; the calm after the storm; release from suffering; a state of calm; peace after war; meditation; change for the better; transformation of emotions.

✦ Banished

Feeling burned out; urged to be wary of risk; think with wisdom and economic interest; contemplate success and how to achieve it.

✦ Historical Context

The battle of the oppressors makes demons of those who refuse to conform to their ideas. Oppressors who burn witches and demonize ancient Gods. The War of the Soul has raged for the last 2,000 years, but we have awakened a new era of spirituality where we no longer fear who we are, and what the Abrahamic monotheists think of us. Here we see the Devil rest, leaving the perceptions of Christianity behind him. He represents the Old Gods renewed, the victorious result of a 2,000-year-old war, and the liberation from the murderous persecution of the past. We witches are now free to meet our oppressors and face them, empowering us.

✦ Divinatory Meaning

✦ Invoked

Invoking the Four of Blades means the white flag has been flown and the war is won. You can rest and take time to reconnect with the Self and recharge. Release yourself from the suffering of the past and enter a new era of acceptance and emotional prosperity. Spend time basking in the light of renewal. Meditate and let the profound healing of peace nourish you.

✦ Banished

Four of Blades banished can indicate that you feel burned out. You are tired of the process and need some kind of renewal. Because of this, it is unwise to take unnecessary risks—especially if they could negatively impact your financial success. Reinvent the process, use your intellect and focus on your personal success, and perhaps take some time off from your current routine to reconnect to your projects so you can manifest your desires with passion and purpose.