What does the Four of Swords card mean in Tarot?

Four of Swords, Minor Arcana, Swords IV

The Four of Swords looks like a calm, peaceful card, and in many ways, it is. It is one of those “helper” cards, meaning it minimizes or amplifies the positive or the negative meanings of the cards around it in your spread. It tends to point at a prolonged period of time before something big happens, good or bad.

If you do a one-card reading and get the Four of Swords, its message is very clear: this is a period of serene, patient waiting. A quote by T.S. Eliot would illustrate the depth of the message of this card.

“I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought. So, the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.”

The Four of Swords suggests not creating and holding onto any hopes, but instead wholeheartedly trusting the process and all that it will bring. Try not to control the situation in any way. Instead of “going” with the flow, “wait with the flow,” that is, just do nothing. This isn’t the time to make decisions or act. It isn’t the time to make statements to yourself or others.

Like in sleep, you must wait for dreams to happen to you. You don’t need to think to make them happen. You don’t need to imagine them. Really, you don’t need to do anything. They come on their own, without anybody’s doing.

If your reading is about your career and finances, the Four of Swords might mean it’s best to wait for the right opportunities to find you. If you have applied for jobs, wait for the best one to come to you. Don’t worry about being proactive and sending more applications or emails. If this is about money, try to trust that in time, everything can and will be better. You don’t need to fight to create wealth, see our online career advisors for more information.

What does the Four of Swords Tarot card mean for love?

For singles, having the Four of Swords in your reading means this isn’t the period of time where all your dreams will come true. Rather, this is a fallow period where you unconsciously prepare yourself for what you want. And not by actively doing things. You just go about your life, don’t give much thought to dating. Your heart is slowly and silently preparing itself for new love, and it doesn’t need your intervention. Focus on your hobbies and do things you enjoy. There’s nothing you can do to achieve your dreams but wait.

For couples, the Four of Swords might signify a period of time where not much happens, if anything. Sometimes you don’t even need to talk to know what the other person wants. You’ve learned not to get on each other’s nerves. You get things done efficiently and calmly, as you’ve made peace with your partner’s quirks and flaws, and they made peace with yours.

You’ve achieved a certain level of tranquility in the relationship, so just go with it for a while. There’s no need to rock the boat, shake things up, or create fake excitements. At this point in your relationship, staying in and watching tv could be very nourishing for your relationship. Stick to your routine as it’s good for you right now. Do your best to find comfort in this “boring” period.

What does Four of Swords reversed in Tarot mean?

The Four of Swords reversed shows your strong impatience – it’s the kind of impatience that ruins things, really. In order to get what you want as soon as possible, you are likely to try to control everything. But you may make rash decisions, act impulsively, say or do things thoughtlessly and alienate people in the process. You might even make fate tire of you.

Yes, you want what you want very much, whether it’s a new relationship, promotion, moving to a new place, finishing a project or any other goal. But it has its course, and no matter what you do, you can’t make it happen faster, not if you have Four of Swords in your reading. Fate is bigger than you and everyone else combined.

“How much longer do I have to wait?” you ask. But the very question itself implies impatience. You want to speed up the process, to ignore it, or to avoid it altogether if you could. But waiting periods have their potential – they can bring much more than what we can imagine. You might want to give it space; it can bring you more and better opportunities than what you can make happen on your own.

Astrological association

All sword cards in the Minor Arcana are associated with the element of air, which is associated with the astrological signs of Libra, Gemini, and Aquarius. The Four of Swords is associated with Libra, as the Libra constellation is the most patient one in all of zodiac.

The card could symbolize a Libran person in your life. But more likely, it’s bringing a message to you so you could embody this coveted Libra quality. Librans are dispassionate, rational, and just cool. They don’t lose their calm easily. In difficult situations, they can be as patient as a saint! It doesn’t mean they don’t find such situations difficult, but somehow, they know how to wait things out.

The Four Swords suggests you do the same now, where you are in your life. It will serve you the best. Practice grounding your energy through meditation, taking long walks, gardening, journaling or painting. You can always talk to a psychic advisor if the waiting period has become unbearable. At least you can explore how this period will end and what will come afterwards.