Four of Swords
Four of Swords, minor arcana. rest, recuperation, contemplation, retreat.
A knight lies in effigy on a tomb in a church, with a sword beneath him and three swords on the wall above and a stained-glass window beside him. It is a card of deliberate rest after strain.
Upright
- rest
- recuperation
- contemplation
- retreat
A knight lies in effigy on a tomb in a church, with a sword beneath him and three swords on the wall above and a stained-glass window beside him. It is a card of deliberate rest after strain.
Reversed
- restlessness
- burnout
- coming back
- stress
Rest that is not being taken, or the end of a rest. Reversed, the card warns of burnout or says it is time to return to action.
Not every reader uses reversals. Many treat a reversed card as the same theme, blocked, delayed or turned inward.
Astrology and numerology
In the Golden Dawn scheme that most modern decks follow, each numbered minor card from two to ten is given a planet in a sign. For Four of Swords it is Jupiter in Libra. The suit's element, air, comes from Swords.
Its number reduces to 4, which numerology associates with structure, order, discipline. See every card that reduces to 4.
Yes or no
In yes or no tarot, Four of Swords counts as a maybe. This follows a common convention and not a rule from the deck's makers.
Tarot is a tradition of symbolism. This page says what readers traditionally associate with the card. It does not predict anything and it is not advice.