Four of Swords
The Four of Swords depicts enforced stillness and the need for deliberate retreat to heal and gather strength. Small comforts, like the teddy bear and the warm glow of candles, point to inner work and tending to vulnerable parts. The card warns that prolonged withdrawal can become stagnation or avoidance, turning refuge into a tomb. When rest ends, re-entry should be gentle and intentional, balancing recovery with timely engagement in life.
Keywords
Visual description
A stone-walled vault decorated for Halloween contains an open wooden coffin in the foreground. A green-faced figure lies inside clutching a small teddy bear while a tombstone marked "RIP" stands nearby. Jack-o'-lantern paper lanterns and a string of small pumpkin lights hang overhead and colorful jar candles glow in a recessed niche; the card frame shows the numeral 4 and the word "SWORDS" at the bottom.
Meaning
The coffin rests quiet beneath garlands and jack-o'-lanterns, a pause placed like a hand across a weary brow; you can almost hear the hush of the vault and the faint glow of jar candles. This image tells of enforced stillness and the necessity of retreat: take the time to lie down, gather thoughts, mend what has frayed, and let the world pass by while you recover. The teddy bear in the figure's arms whispers of small comforts and inner work, of tending to the tender parts that go unnoticed in the bustle of action. Yet there is also a shadow here—too long in the coffin breeds stagnation, and the same shelter that heals can become a tomb of avoidance if you never step back into the day. When you rise, do so gently, having realigned priorities rather than launching back into conflict; rest should be a measured restoration, not an escape. If you feel restless or impatient, the card cautions against rushing your recovery, but it also reminds you that solitude must end with deliberate re-engagement when strength returns. Hold the balance between refuge and reentry, honoring both the need to heal and the call to live again.
Visual Description
A stone-walled vault decorated for Halloween contains an open wooden coffin in the foreground. A green-faced figure lies inside clutching a small teddy bear while a tombstone marked "RIP" stands nearby. Jack-o'-lantern paper lanterns and a string of small pumpkin lights hang overhead and colorful jar candles glow in a recessed niche; the card frame shows the numeral 4 and the word "SWORDS" at the bottom.
Trick or Treat tarot
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