78 Weeks of Tarot: 5 of Swords

[Trogon]

For information on what these threads refer to, see this thread;

 

78 Weeks of Tarot - Informational Thread

 

The above linked thread gives suggested dates for the cards as well as links to the individual topics.

 

Some of us may be working through the study in a different order and using different decks. If you have general questions or comments regarding the 78 Weeks of Tarot study group, please post in the topic in the above link.

 

Have fun.

[Hemera]

Everyday Witch Tarot (D.Blake & E.Alba 2017 Llewellyn)

 

Five of Swords

 

Description; What action is going on:

Three witches are standing around a big cauldron. One of the witches seems to be in command of the five swords that are flying from the cauldron and the two other witches are looking very sad. One is in fact crying.

 

Images, Symbolism, Colours:

The big cauldron looks ancient, like in some of those Pre-Raphaelite paintings. A Book of Shadows is open on the floor. Three black cats are resting nearby.

The witches’ dresses are really beautiful in color: royal blue, purple, lavender and silver grey.

 

Traditional meanings (J. Bunning):

-acting in your own self-interest (which can also be necessary and a good thing!)

-experiencing discord

-witnessing open dishonor

 

Rachel Pollack (in Tarot Wisdom)

Pollack sees this card as almost only negative and I do not agree with that. She thinks the focus is the two receding figures (in RWS and M-G) who hang their heads in shame and regret. In readings she thinks this card means shame and defeat. Old ideas give way to new ones.

(I wonder if I made the right decision in using Pollack’s book for the Minor Arcana meanings. So far it hasn’t been as useful as I was hoping for. We’ll see.)

 

From the EW Book:

-Work together and do not try to be the best

-obsession of trying to come out on top

-be careful what you wish for

-sometimes sharing is better than winning

-are you playing nice?

 

Notes:

-In this card one of the witches is not playing nice and she makes the others unhappy and that’s about it. The message in this card seems to be as simple as that. In Morgan-Greer you can interpret this in so many other ways besides this. This card is not about good and bad, but more about different choices. The people in the M-G background (who are without the swords) are unhappy. But it may be because of their own choice of leaving. Or they may be unhappy/depressed and therefore not see the swords (=energy or ideas). If they just turned around and saw the swords they might feel differently, etc. There are many more stories in the M-G (or RWS) whereas in this card the story is very simple. I can -at least for now- see more or less just this one way of interpretation, that someone is not playing nice.

 

[tarot.school]

Notes:

-In this card one of the witches is not playing nice and she makes the others unhappy and that’s about it. The message in this card seems to be as simple as that. In Morgan-Greer you can interpret this in so many other ways besides this. This card is not about good and bad, but more about different choices. The people in the M-G background (who are without the swords) are unhappy. But it may be because of their own choice of leaving. Or they may be unhappy/depressed and therefore not see the swords (=energy or ideas). If they just turned around and saw the swords they might feel differently, etc. There are many more stories in the M-G (or RWS) whereas in this card the story is very simple. I can -at least for now- see more or less just this one way of interpretation, that someone is not playing nice.

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One of the meanings of this card that i had read, and that seemed to resonate with me was not leaving out swords(thoughts words or ideas) that can be used against you. Keep you information, opinion and thoughts to yourself.

The Ancient Egyptian tarot, shows this as an argument between a couple, where there are hurtful words said and no one is the winner. however as you mentioned "someone is not playing nice" this card also may mean protecting yourself, which compliments the meaning.