Three of Swords

✦ Invoked

Political turmoil; the tempest of the emotional heart; separation; heartbreak; quarrels; a violent, sudden change.

✦ Banished

A lesser degree of loss; sorrow; possibility for forgiveness; reconciliation after a fight.

✦ Sympathetic Magic

The pain of heartbreak is very real. To the witch, this can be exploited through sympathetic magic by driving knives, pins, or nails into a representation of a heart. This is meant to separate lovers, cause heartbreak, and create material and emotional upheaval.

✦ Divinatory Meaning

✦ Invoked Meaning

When you invoke the Three of Blades, it invokes heartbreak. It signals that raging storm of emotions that come along with it: anger, jealousy, hatred, betrayal. These emotions can result in separation, and more petty fighting afterward. The heart is pierced and tears are shed, your world is turned upside down, and you are going through a sudden and shocking change in life. Because emotions are running so high right now, it is best to give space and let the heart heal. Distract yourself with other aspects of life, focus on overcoming that which you cannot control, and reconcile your emotions. You need to move on.

✦ Banished Meaning

Banishing the Three of Blades doesn’t mean banishing the emotional hurt; rather, it just means hurt to a lesser extent. You feel wounded but you know it is temporary and the cuts aren’t that deep. You are still open to communicating and forgiving and are still at a point where reconciliation is likely. It is easy for you to release these negative emotions instead focusing on positive solutions. This is a time of lessons of the heart that will help it become stronger and wiser.