Four of Swords
Four of Swords Tarot Card Meanings
UPRIGHT: Rest, relaxation, meditation, contemplation, recuperation
Upright Four Of Swords
The Four of Swords tells you to rest before you take on the next challenge. You have reached an important first milestone and must recharge your energy before the next phase begins so you are refreshed and ready to go. Even if you are highly productive and driven, take time out from your busy schedule to restore your energy and heal the body and the mind. Constant stress and tension will break even the hardest and most resilient of people but brief periods of rest enable you to refresh your energy, concentration and focus so that you are ready for the next challenge.
If you have been going through tough times recently, such as the trauma of break-up or departure, relationship or family problems, financial and health worries, stress or conflict, then the Four of Swords comes as a sign to take a step back and regain perspective. Take a day off work, travel to a new destination, or spend time with your loved ones – whatever you need to take a break. Now is not the time to make decisions.
In fact, the Four of Swords presents a new challenge: to stay silent and inactive. Now is the time to build up your mental strength by clearing your mind of any mental ‘clutter’ or stress. Meditate and spend time in a place that creates peace, calm and tranquillity for you. Go on retreat or start a meditation course. You need to replenish your strength and spend time connecting with your Higher Self.
The Four of Swords suggests the need for seclusion. You need solitude to negotiate your situation and time apart from others to gather your thoughts and feelings. Following on from the painful loss of the Three of Swords, this Four suggests your need to spend time alone to re-evaluate your life. Solitude, although often difficult to bear, is necessary for you to recharge your batteries and rejuvenate your spirit. This solitary experience always bears fruit in greater inner strength and confidence. Retreat from pain, conflict and distractions, and rid yourself of stress and anxiety. Ground and re-charge yourself. Look inward for a real change and meditate daily.
In a practical sense, the Four of Swords is an indicator that you need to take some time to review your progress so far. This is an excellent time to re-assess your priorities. It is almost like conducting your own ‘post-implementation review’ following a major milestone or a significant challenge. Create time and space to evaluate what has worked well, what has not, and what you need to change. Pausing to reflect after each major challenge will position you well for success in the future.
Upright Love Meaning:
Withdrawing from love life, alone time, taking a break
With the 4 of Swords tarot love meaning, some time to rest is in order. If you’re single, your excitement about your love life may have led you to push yourself to exhaustion. You may be trying too hard to impress someone, or have been dating someone new every day in order to find someone you truly want to be with. You may feel drained, and it is important to listen to your intuition and your body to take it easy for a bit. If you’re already in a relationship, you can both benefit from taking a vacation. Sometimes, this card can also indicate the two of you needing to be alone for a while; this doesn’t spell the end of the relationship, but everyone, perhaps especially introverts, need some personal time.
Upright Career Meaning:
Taking a vacation, mental health day, rest, self-care
Work may have been very busy or frustrating lately. You may have been putting in your all for a long time now, and chronic stress may be taking a toll on your body or mental health. Listen to your body, and give yourself a break. If you can, take a mental health day, and spend it caring for yourself or catching up on sleep. None of us are machines, and without some much needed rest, the effect it takes on our health can be long lasting. You can return with a refreshed mind after.
Upright Finances Meaning:
Anxiety about finances, avoid overthinking about money
Does your mind run around in circles worrying about what you have in your bank? If you’re used to dealing with financial stress, thinking (or rather, worrying) about your finances can be second nature. Try and give your mind a break. Oftentimes, letting a thought go around in circles solves nothing, and the best thing we can do for our minds is think of something else. Avoid letting paranoid ideas and negative thinking consume you.
Reversed Four of Swords Tarot Card Meanings
REVERSED: Exhaustion, burn-out, deep contemplation, stagnation
Reversed Four Of Swords
The Four of Swords reversed sends a powerful message that you need to take time out to rest and recharge your energy. You may be working long hours, giving your time and energy to others in need, or involved in a highly stressful and demanding undertaking. You are close to exhaustion, and your energy reserves are running low or on empty. If you do not stop and take some much-needed rest now, you may crash and burn-out completely, rendering yourself completely ineffective and unable to help anyone.
The reversed Four of Swords is calling you to withdraw from your external world, and retreat within. Now is time for a social media detox, a weekend escape, or a silent retreat so that you can focus your energy within and find your peace once again. Use daily meditation to calm your mind.
The Four of Swords reversed can show that you are restless and wanting to do everything at once. Even if your body is telling you that you need to rest and relax, your mind may push you forward, trying to carry out a long list of tasks and making you sick or stressed as a result. So it is vital that you force yourself to take it easy to make sure you do not run yourself into the ground. Some ‘busy time’ is OK but be careful not to push it so far that you end up hurting your health and well-being. If you need to rest, rest. Even just a quick ‘nanna nap’ on the weekend or a twenty-minute meditation each day can help to re-balance your energy reserves and get you ready for even more productivity.
The Four of Swords reversed can also represent stagnation and a lack of action leading to increased frustration. For example, a long-term marriage has become spiritually and emotionally empty. You may need to take a break and come back to it when the energy is flowing better.
Similarly, the Four of Swords reversed suggests that you are frustrated with the lack of progress and change in your life. Part of this lack of change may be due to your passive approach. There may have been situations that were frustrating to you or that you were unhappy with but you chose to wait it out and hope that they would eventually change. Now you're feeling the ramifications of that choice.
Reversed Love Meaning:
Rejection from pressuring lover, reigniting passions
If you haven’t heeded the warnings of giving yourself some rest, the reversed 4 of Swords tarot love meaning can signal that you won’t have a choice. If you’ve been chasing a potential lover relentlessly, you may find that your advances are now feeling unwelcome. You may benefit from giving this person time and space to make their own choice. Pressuring someone often creates the opposite effect of the one you desire. Alternatively, this card can also indicate coming out of a period of rest. You may feel more energized than ever! Couples who have felt that their relationship was getting a little too routine can find that their passions are reigniting.
Reversed Career Meaning:
Refreshed from vacation or time off, burning out
You may have given yourself a much needed little break from work, but you may now be feeling ready to return. Ideally, you’ll have used this time away to reduce your stress, and take some much needed care for yourself. With a refreshed and rejuvenated time away, you’re likely to find that situations that have caused you suffering and frustration before are a bit easier to handle. Try and be more aware of your stress levels from here on out. Sometimes however, this card can also signal continuing work despite needing rest. If this has been the case for you, you may want to reconsider. Our bodies will often force us to take a break. You may also want to consider changing jobs, if the situation truly looks like it won’t improve.
Reversed Finances Meaning:
Not accepting support, recovery from financial pressure
Your financial situation may be improving, and you may be recovering from a period of intense pressure. Perhaps bills are being paid, debts have been paid down, or expenses may be decreasing. Alternatively, pressure may be increasing, and you may start feeling overwhelmed with bills. Search for support; there may be people that can help you at this time. At times, this card can also suggest that you may not be accepting financial support despite having it.