THREE OF SWORDS
The Three of Swords by Kirstin Wu and Reana
The image of the 3 of Swords is perhaps one of the most striking in traditional decks. We see a heart pierced through by three swords against a rainy background – not the most comforting imagery. And it is a challenging card, but it’s no omen of doom.
Like all 3s in the tarot, this card speaks to creation, connection and how we relate to and engage with other people. Specifically, here, we’re talking about the realm of thoughts, our mental health, our nervous system patterning, and how we communicate.
Here, there is usually some kind of heartbreak, by which I mean anything that causes us suffering. We receive painful information, we come to a difficult realisation, we lose something, we’re forced to confront the truth. In short, we’re wounded. And the wound requires tending.
When the suffering is mental and emotional, however, our limbic systems usually kick in to try and protect us through some variation of the fight, flight, freeze and fawn responses. What that looks like, exactly, will be shaped by our life experiences. But we can end up looking for ways to disconnect, numb, distract and regain a sense of 'safety’ or control.
In Buddhism, there is a teaching called the (Second) Arrow. If an arrow hits you, it hurts. If another arrow strikes you in exactly the same place, the pain doesn’t just double – it becomes much stronger. The first arrow is circumstantial – a ‘negative’ emotion, rejection, an action we regret, fear…The second arrow is the one we add when we judge, blame and reject ourselves for the initial situation, how we managed it, or for even feeling bad. How many times have you told yourself to “just get over something, it’s not even a big deal?
Pain is mundane. It’s also incredibly singular. That’s the point. Its whole function is to scream at us to do something. Anne Carson writes, “a primary characteristic of pain is its demand for an explanation.” Explanation isn’t enough, though. Processing and understanding are important, but they don't end our suffering because unfortunately, suffering isn’t rational. We can’t intellectualise our way out of our wounds.
This card requires us to lean into presence and as much self-compassion as possible. It isn’t about trying to meditate the pain away, or toxic positivity. It’s a reminder not to rip the arrows out of the heart, ignore them or drive them deeper out of reactivity. Remember that acceptance is a softening towards yourself, but it isn’t powerlessness. It’s what will help you get the support you need, and let time help in healing.
Artist’s Interpretation of the Three of Swords by Reana
I think that Three of Swords is a very messy card which expresses some pretty intense emotions almost as if you can feel what the card is trying to say. For that reason, the card I created shows confusion, heartbreak, tangled feelings and thoughts. It's not necessary that heartbreak can only happen when one is romantically involved with someone. It can happen anytime and anywhere, it can be the moment you realise that you have lost yourself or the moments where you’ve drifted apart from your loved ones.
In the card, I’ve used certain elements to show feelings that one doesn’t talk about much when experiencing heartbreak. The colour red for me means anger or pain which is the opposite of what it expresses on Valentine’s Day, the red telephone shows the weird but heavy feeling when you realise that you have no one to call anymore. The red heart being stabbed by the three swords expresses the stinging pain where you’re angry at yourself for being confused with your own feelings which eat you up slowly.
The photos of Taehyung with his red hair and angelic outfit give the vibes that not every relationship is pretty as it looks from the outside, from the eyes of a stranger. I think these photos give a contrast between the good and the bad. This card was really fun to create, it gave me a sense of what heartbreak can be for someone who has not experienced it.
