Alizon Tarot
Two of Swords - Tarot Card Meanings
Key Symbolism
decisions, stalemate, denial, defensiveness, avoidance, feeling stuck, being afraid to act, wilful ignorance, conflicting thoughts, blocked emotions, not knowing what to think of a situation, getting mixed signals.
Description and Symbolism
A woman wearing a white robe sits on a stony seat. She wears a blindfold and has her arms crossed before her chest. Behind her there is a body of water with rocks protruding. The crescent moon in a light blue sky indicates that it is either early morning or evening. We can assume that the woman has been sitting on that stone seat for the whole night or is about to spend the night there - maybe dwelling on a decision that is hard to make.
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General Meaning
The number two symbolizes decisions and opposites and the Swords generally represent the mind, struggles and hardships. Two of Swords can represent decisions that are not easy to make. The two swords represent two equal forces - so no matter what is decided, there probably will be a loss in another area. Also, the swords are held in perfect balance, so this card could represent a situation where balance needs to be found. The blindfold the woman is wearing may represent that she is blocking everything out to have better access to her deepest thoughts or it can represent the avoidance of a problem. Since the swords are crossed before her chest, it can also be a symbol that the heart is being protected.
This card can also come up in confusing situations. You might not be able to see a situation clearly. The blindfold also hints to that. It could seem that a matter could develop in either one or the other direction, and its hard to know which direction this development will take.
Love Meaning
In a love reading the Two of Swords can mean many things. You could be facing a decision regarding your relationship or even a decision between two different persons. You might be stuck in a situation because whatever you chose to do, there won't be only positive consequences. It can symbolize that emotions are blocked and the heart is being protected. Maybe one person wants more from the relationship than the other and is kept at arms length. You or your partner could be in a defensive state. It could also represent a love situation that is hard to look through. Someone could be sending you mixed signals and its impossible for you know in which direction the relationship will develop. So you are left in the dark - like the blindfolded woman.
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As Feelings
If you ask how someone feels for you the Two of Swords can indicate that the person in question feels torn. They might be unsure about how to act. Possibly they don't even want to make any decision or take action now and choose to avoid a certain subject. Another meaning could be that they are afraid of feelings for some reason. They might be hesitant to open up and protect their heart instead - maybe out of fear of getting hurt. Lastly they could feel "left in the dark", they might have gotten mixed signals and now don't know how to feel about this situation.
© Illustrations from the Radiant Rider-Waite 2015 reproduced by permission of U.S. Games Systems Inc., Stanford, CT 06902. c. 2015 by U.S. Games Systems Inc. All rights reserved.