What does the 4th of Swords mean in the Tarot?

The 4 of Swords in the Tarot symbolizes relief, the resting of the body and mind after the end of a stressful cycle, of battles, of suffering, and the need to withdraw a little from social life to renew one's energies.

It also represents a period of reflection about everything that has happened, about your attitudes and those of other people, before continuing the journey, ending it, or starting a new cycle. Furthermore, this card suggests a mental cleansing of what is not necessary, of negativity. This period of isolation and meditation serves to better understand your feelings and thoughts.

The 4 of Swords can also indicate obsession, with excessive thought and focus on a project, no pause for rest, and a strong desire to achieve a goal quickly. Below, read more about the basics, the meanings of the 4 of Swords, and more!

Fundamentals of the 4 of Swords

It is necessary to analyze each card deeply to understand its general meanings, in conjunction with other cards and in each situation in life to have a richer and more detailed Tarot reading. The number 4 in the minor arcana speaks about stability.

In the following topics you will learn more about the history, art, suit, and element of the card 4 of Swords.

History

In the history of the Tarot, both the major and minor arcana show a journey, symbolizing the cycles of life that people go through.

The minor arcana represent the little secrets, the actions to be taken, and the events of everyday life. Thus, the 4th of Swords symbolizes the current more hectic and stressful life, indicating a pause or an end to this situation.

Iconography

In Rider Waite's deck, the 4 of Swords card shows a picture of a man and a woman on the wall, and the image of a knight lying on top of a half-open coffin, representing the period of isolation, reflection, mental clarity, and rest.

His hands together, as if praying, symbolize peace and connection with himself. The armor dress symbolizes the battles and challenges he has faced and will continue to face. The 3 swords hanging on the wall represent the memories of battles, situations, and feelings from the past. The sword on the side of the coffin represents a fight that has been ended.

In other deck types, the 4 of Swords presents simpler or more detailed designs, this depends on which deck you choose to use, however, the meanings remain the same. The themes for Tarot decks are diverse, there is one for every taste.

The suit of Swords

The suit of swords in the Tarot is always depicted with swords, representing the element of air. This suit shows how the person thinks, how he speaks, and how he reasons. It also speaks about the logic that this individual follows in his attitudes.

Air Element

The Air element represents someone who is more rational, how this person thinks, how he communicates, what his logical thinking and mentality is like. Usually, the person is either skeptical or dispersed. In addition, this element describes situations involving the mind, communication, strategies, and how someone deals with circumstances of difficulty, conflict, and pain.

Meanings of the 4th of Swords

The 4th of Swords card presents the need to be alone for a while, as well as fatigue, mental exhaustion, rest, reflection.

When this card appears in a Tarot reading, it reveals an exhausting, stressful situation that the consulter may be going through at the moment and that he needs to take a break, and this is a sign that terrible situations are to be avoided. Learn more about the meanings of this card below.

Anxiety

In general situations, especially in life today, this card portrays a problem that affects more than half of the people, anxiety. From this, it also suggests the consulter to lead a lighter and slower life, without wanting to do more than he can accomplish.

The 4th of Swords indicates that the human being must understand that not everything in life will happen as and when he wants, and therefore he must not overburden himself. It is necessary to do one thing at a time.

Stress and conflict

When this card comes out in a general Tarot reading, it reveals that the person is going through stressful or conflicting situations, and that they need to stop and think about what they can do to solve this problem.

Then, after taking the time to come to a conclusion, you need to put the ideas and strategies into practice.

Isolation and rest

The 4th of Swords shows the importance of meditation practice in this time of isolation and rest, reflection on ourselves and where we want to go.

Isolation and rest allow for energy replenishment, motivation, mood, and the ability to learn and improve thinking. It is an important break in life, but the time will come to get moving again, and you need to be ready for it.

Reassessment of the paths

When the 4th of Swords appears, it suggests you reflect and reassess whether you are going the right way, the way you want to go, or whether you are going down a troubled path full of obstacles. From this you will be able to make a decision, whether you should continue on it, or change course.

4 of Swords in love

In love, the 4th of Swords can have both positive and negative meanings. In general, you need to take a step back from the person who is in a relationship with you, or who you are trying to win over, to analyze whether it is doing you good or bad, and in which direction it is going.

You have to be attentive to reflect if the relationship or loved one is doing you good or bad, and if so, to get out of toxic or abusive relationships. It also indicates mistrust. Find out below what this card says for committed and single people.

For committed people

Depending on the situation the person is in, this card presents different solutions and resolutions. In general readings, it can indicate a period that the couple is separated to reflect if it is worth continuing in the relationship, or the relationship may be improving little by little and requiring patience.

The 4th of Swords also indicates the estrangement from your partner, who may be feeling the need to have some time to himself/herself, may be rethinking the relationship, or even thinking about separation, so always keep in good communication with your partner.

In addition, it portrays someone's persistence in maintaining a relationship or winning over a new person, and this persistence causes mental and sentimental exhaustion because they are not getting the results they expect.

One piece of advice for when the 4 of Swords comes up in a Tarot reading is to listen to yourself, to your reason, to your intuition. Avoid taking other people's opinions into consideration at this time in your decision-making, because not everyone wants you to do well or knows what you are feeling.

For singles

For those who are single, this card indicates that now is not the right time to invest in a new relationship. There may be issues and traumas from the past that must be understood and finalized before starting a new cycle with a new love.

The 4 of Swords card suggests using this non-committal period to reflect on your last relationship and think about what kind of person would be best to be with in the future. Use this time to better understand your feelings, emotions, and beliefs about relationships.

4 of Swords at work

The 4 of Swords requires attention when it comes out in a Tarot reading, because it presents doubts in the consulter regarding the current job and choosing a new one. Understand that fear of making a mistake and having to deal with the consequences is natural to human beings, keep a calm mind and evaluate your choices well.

Choosing to work in a field you don't like, just because of social or family pressure, is not a good idea. Persist in your projects, your ideas, your dreams, and set goals to achieve them.

For employees

For those who are working, the 4 of Swords indicates the beginning or the end of vacations and periods of rest. For those who have their own business, the card suggests taking a break to get some rest time and also to better analyze your services.

The work environment will be troubled, so stay away from arguments and conflicts, keeping a clear and peaceful communication. Face the obstacles that appear with courage and firmness. The chart also says that putting off responsibilities only makes things worse in the future, so take advantage of the present moment to solve all the problems. More negative moments tend to diminish.

For the unemployed

The 4th of Swords reveals the arrival of new opportunities, however, you need to evaluate which one will be the best for you. Those periods of feeling like a rope around your neck are coming to an end, so choose the path you feel will be happiest.

With your energy recharged, it's a good time to look for new jobs too, preferably one that fits your profile. Innovative ideas for starting your own business may appear.

Combinations with the 4 of Swords

The 4th of Swords, when it comes out alone in a reading, has very general meanings, so for a more detailed reading on a certain subject, do a reading with more cards. Below you will see some examples of the meanings of this card combined with others.

Positive Combinations

The 4 of Swords + Justice means that you must use reason and analyze well the situations and options that arise before making a decision, be fair. This goes for relationships, work, and other scenarios.

The 4 of Swords + The Force indicates that it is essential to learn to dominate the mind in order to keep negative and obsessive thoughts at bay, to control impulsiveness, and to be aware that you need patience to get where you want to go, or to wait for the resolution of a situation that does not depend only on you to be solved.

The 4 of Swords + The Sun brings the interpretation that you need to be alert and with a clear mind, because there will arise opportunities or help that you are in need of at the moment. Get new visions of life and think "outside the box".

Negative Combinations

The 4 of Swords + Judgment says that there are a lot of repetitive thoughts in your mind, especially about matters from the past, that you insist on dwelling on. This can be bringing a lot of mental fatigue and lack of focus in your activities.

The 4 of Swords + The Devil says that you have to be careful with selfish thoughts, evil thoughts, and attitudes that lock you in a vicious cycle. Rethink what is going on in your life to detect what is "holding you back" in some way. This could be an addiction, desires, beliefs, thoughts, or feelings.

The 4 of Swords + The Wheel of Fortune indicates the arising of adverse situations that may be forming mental confusion, a certain feeling of being lost, not knowing what to do, or making your mind agitated. It also signals sudden changes of decisions, not knowing what to do and where to go.

A Little More About the Four of Swords

The 4th of Swords indicates that this is the time to feel relieved, as if a weight has been lifted from your back. Rest, reevaluate what is needed in your life, and continue on your path with new ideas and renewed energy.

You must lift your head, keep your mind focused, positive, and look forward to the future. Use your intuition to see beyond, other options, other paths, because this is important to achieve your goals and objectives.

In health

The 4th of Swords is focused on mental health, it can indicate anxiety, depression, and panic syndrome, and the period of absence is important as far as necessary. For other illnesses, resting in a quiet environment is essential.

Inverted card

When the 4th of Swords is reversed, it represents procrastination. The person spends so much time thinking about the same things and about what could have happened, without taking action, that they get into a comfort zone, procrastinating and postponing making a decision.

The learnings a person gets from each experience must be absorbed to be applied in the next situations in his or her life. Keep in mind, too, that you must be very careful about self-sabotage.

The letter also shows someone who will appear to be on your side in times of difficulty, but is not so trustworthy. Keep the important information to yourself, and don't tell just anyone.

Challenges

When the 4 of Swords comes out as a challenge, it indicates negative, obsessive, self-sabotaging thoughts, limiting beliefs.

It represents the difficulty of having new ideas, of different views on life, of having a more open mind. There may be a desire to get out of the comfort zone, but the person doesn't know how to go about it.

Tips

A suggestion brought by the 4 of Swords is meditation. A moment of pause to reflect about what affects you and what needs improvement, to get to know different ideas and points of view, without taking them as a foundation for making important decisions in your life. Literature is also an excellent option to obtain new knowledge and philosophies.

Can the 4 of Swords signal a good time for reflection?

Yes, the 4th of Swords signals a good time for reflection, because with this you can learn more about yourself and what is really going on in your life.

As it is part of the suit of swords, this card will always focus on the mental, logical, and communicative area. Therefore, the focus of the 4 of Swords is on the mental area and the need for a momentary truce in order to achieve reflection on your life.