The Ten of Swords is one of the most important cards of the Minor Arcana.
Below you will learn everything about its meaning both in the upright and reversed position.
In addition to the general interpretation, the topics of love, health, career, finances and destiny are also explained in detail.
The Ten of Swords Keywords
Upright: Sacrifice, Martyrdom, Crisis, Betrayal
Reversed: Resilience, Recovery, Opportunity, Satisfaction
The Ten of Swords Tarot Card Description
The Ten of Swords Tarot card shows a man lying dead on the ground, pierced by several swords. The man’s face is turned away, so the man did not see his death coming and had no chance to fight back.
The Ten Swords are all pierced into his back, suggesting an insidious murder or betrayal.
The red cloak at his feet is a sign of the man’s former vitality and high dignity before he was stabbed to death.
Possibly, by his death, he made a great sacrifice and saved other people’s life. Moreover, the swords stick not very deep into his body, so he had to endure an agonizing martyrdom until his death.
In the background, a black sky is visible as a symbol of death and the associated hopelessness. But the first rays of sunlight are already rising from the horizon, promising a new beginning and confidence.
In front of the man lies a calm body of water, expressing that even in the deepest crisis there is always a spark of hope for peace and tranquility.
In addition, the element of water represents the new beginning of life and offers the opportunity to recover from his wounds and injuries.
Upright Ten of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
The Ten of Swords reveals that you are a victim of betrayal in your immediate environment. Someone has betrayed you and abused your trust to advance their own goals and desires.
You feel you have been stabbed in the back several times and are correspondingly frustrated and disappointed. Don’t let this get you down! Try to get back on your feet and get back on your life path.
Despite the great loss of trust you have experienced, you can now detach yourself from the person in question and end this relationship. Learn from this painful experience and reflect on it again for yourself in peace, to be saved from future betrayals.
Another characteristic of the Ten of Swords is sacrificing yourself for your ideals and experiencing martyrdom. Whether you denounce grievances at your work or expose inner-family conflicts, the coming time will be marked by much suffering and high emotional expenditure.
Of course, it is important to remain true to your ideals and fight for them. However, keep in mind that with every fight there are also sacrifices.
Most of the time, such a sacrifice consists of your own time and energy, which can leave you totally exhausted in the end.
Take care of yourself by allowing yourself regular times of rest so that you can regain your strength to continue your fight for your ideals.
In a Tarot session, the Ten of Swords Tarot card also represents a serious life crisis you are experiencing. Usually, this crisis is associated with an ending, such as a separation, death from a loved one or the loss of your job.
Often this type of loss comes very unexpectedly, so you have not had time to prepare yourself emotionally. The crisis hits you with such force that you have the feeling of losing the ground under your feet and can no longer get up.
On the other hand, such crises offer the chance for an inner new beginning. You must gather all your strength again and get back on your feet to continue on your path in life.
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Upright Ten of Swords Love Meaning
Single
In a love tarot context, the Ten of Swords reveals that you currently experience a personal life crisis, directly affecting your search for a partner.
You can hardly muster up energy and courage to meet someone new at the moment because you are too busy trying to get a grip on your current burdens.
First, create order in your emotional chaos and dedicate yourself exclusively to overcoming your current life crisis. Love will come back into your life as soon as you have your head and your heart free again.
The Tarot card of the Ten of Swords also shows that you are currently making very high sacrifices to find a partner. You spend a lot of time and energy to finally find your perfect partner and align your entire thinking and acting accordingly.
However, by doing so, you are making high sacrifices in the form of neglecting your friends or your work. Love cannot be forced at any price, be patient instead and don’t let the other areas of your life down.
Relationship
In a relationship, the Ten of Swords represents a serious betrayal by your partner. Your trust has been betrayed and you are emotionally hurt. Betrayal in a relationship ranges from divulging couple secrets to cheating and leaving deep wounds in the relationship.
Whether these injuries will heal depends on the extent to which your partner recognizes his mistake and apologizes accordingly.
Nevertheless, it will again take a lot of time and reparation to restore the former basis of trust between you.
The Ten of Swords also shows that you feel your partnership is a martyrdom at the moment. You may experience little practical or emotional support and feel abandoned by him.
In addition, you are the buffer for your partner’s moods and stress, which makes you suffer even more from the relationship.
First of all, become aware of what you actually expect from a sincere partnership and dare to address and assert your wishes and needs to your partner and thus end your martyrdom.
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Upright Ten of Swords Health Meaning
In health matters, the Ten of Swords stands for a serious illness that severely restricts your everyday life. You often feel powerless and depressed, making your daily tasks increasingly difficult.
Your martyrdom shows that you should urgently try an alternative treatment again to alleviate your symptoms.
Furthermore, the Ten of Swords stands for a massive restriction of your previous lifestyle so that you can get well again.
For example, you may need to go on a special diet or abstain from a certain substance (smoking, alcohol). But in the long run, your sacrifice will have a positive effect on your overall well-being, so keep at it.
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Upright Ten of Swords Career Meaning
Professionally, the Ten of Swords reveals that you are on the verge of burnout. Your efforts and sacrifices over the past months and years are taking their toll by depleting your energy reserves.
Take some time off to regain your strength as fast as possible. In addition, work on your attitude to work in the long term.
Another aspect of the Ten of Swords is that you are the victim of intrigue. Some colleagues are talking badly about you behind your back and trying to damage your reputation.
As soon as you find out about it, you should confront the people concerned and get support from the staff council or superiors.
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Upright Ten of Swords Finances/Money Meaning
In financial matters, the Ten of Swords symbolizes upcoming financial problems. Your account may already be deep in an overdraft or you may be on the verge of insolvency proceedings.
Keep a cool head despite the massive pressure. Then, dedicate yourself to reducing your debts. It may be helpful to seek debt counseling.
Another meaning of the Ten of Swords is that someone has deceived you and robbed you of a lot of money. Tempting promises and a relationship of trust with the person in question have made you forget all caution.
Whether you will see your money again is questionable, but at least you have gained the important experience of not blindly trusting everyone when it comes to money matters.
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Upright Ten of Swords Destiny Meaning
As a card of destiny, the Ten of Swords means an ordeal lies ahead of you. You will come to the edge of your strength, which will make it difficult for you to cope with your everyday life.
Be sure to take some time off so that you can recover from your wounds. Also, get social support from friends/family and if in doubt, consult a professional counselor to help you through this difficult phase.
Do you want to know what your destiny has in store for you? Draw your Destiny Tarot Card now for free!
Upright Ten of Swords Personality
As a personality card, the Ten of Swords reveals that someone tends to sacrifice himself. As a result, the person has hardly any reserves of strength to cope with other everyday tasks.
Likewise, it represents a character who suffers greatly from criticism from others. The person virtually puts himself through martyrdom and sees every remark as an attack on his person.
Upright Ten of Swords as Feelings
The Ten of Swords symbolizes feelings of despair and defeat. If you feel stuck in a difficult situation, now is the time to let go and move on. The Ten of Swords can also indicate that someone feels better about keeping something a secret.
The Ten of Swords is a strong sign regarding your feelings, but it can mark the end of a difficult situation and the beginning of something new.
Know that no matter how difficult the situation is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel and better days await. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it might be a good time to pause and process your emotions before making an impactful decision.
Upright Ten of Swords Tarot Past/Future
Past
In the past, you had to make some sacrifices to reach your goals. But you were able to make some instructive experiences in return.
There were times in your life that were like a never-ending martyrdom. But you left them behind you and came out of them stronger.
Future
Soon, you will have to master some challenging life crises. Believe in your inner strength and you will surely master them.
Shortly you may become a victim of betrayal. Someone from your environment betrays you to push through his own interests.
Upright Ten of Swords Tarot Card – Yes or No
The Ten of Swords is a strong indication for a no answer. The decision you are facing will bring you to a crisis. No matter what you decide, there will be unpleasant consequences.
However, with a no-answer, you can avert the greatest damage from yourself and do not have to sacrifice yourself further.
Reversed Ten of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
The Ten of Swords Reversed symbolizes that behind every crisis we go through, at the same time, the opportunity for something new opens up.
Every serious crisis that we cope with and survive in life, first of all, throws our everyday life out of order and turns it into one big chaos.
Out of this disorder arises the possibility to sort the individual fragments anew. We then have the chance to discover unexpected opportunities in life and generate them anew.
Use your experiences gathered in crises to make the best use of the new chances that lie ahead and direct your energy and confidence towards the opportunities for a happy life that lies ahead.
Another meaning of the Ten of Swords Reversed is that we need time for rest. Especially after severe life crises that you have overcome, you will have lost a great deal of strength and energy that needs to be replenished.
A time of rest also allows you to reflect on past crises and gain valuable experience from them. Recovery includes both physical and mental relaxation. For physical regeneration, treat yourself to a relaxing bath or meditation.
You may find mental relaxation in the tarot or a good book. Your body posture influences your mind posture and vice versa. So as soon as you start to relax on one of the two levels, the other will also benefit.
The Ten of Swords Reversed shows great resilience forces in you that help you survive even the strongest stresses of life. Resilience describes your own psychological and physical defenses against difficult life events.
By having confidence in your own abilities and self-healing powers, they will continue to develop and provide effective protection against negative influences.
Make sure to keep your mind and body fit and maintain your friendships/family relations. That helps you to build strong resilience throughout your life and not fear life crises to come.
Reversed Ten of Swords Tarot Love Meaning
Single
As a single person, the Ten of Swords Reversed card shows you that after a burdensome relationship, there will be new opportunities in love again. Learn from your past mistakes and use your past experiences in love to finally find your partner for life.
Especially if you come from a very stressful relationship, you will see more clearly what kind of partner you want and from whom you prefer to keep your distance.
Dare to go new ways in getting to know each other, like online or through your hobbies. You will notice how many opportunities to fall in love suddenly arise.
The Ten of Swords Reversed is also a sign that you should recover after a failed partnership and gather new strength for a new relationship.
Enjoy the benefits of being single and try out new skills or simply treat yourself to some time for yourself by enjoying a relaxing wellness weekend.
The more rested and relaxed you feel, the sooner you will have the energy to engage in a new partnership and fill it with life and love.
Relationship
In a partnership, the Ten of Swords Reversed symbolizes that you as a couple are very resilient to difficult life events.
Resilience in a relationship results from a deep trust in each other and the ability to put aside your own needs in favor of your partnership.
If you stand by each other and have each other’s backs, you will be able to survive even the most insidious attacks on your relationship and grow even stronger together as a couple.
Another meaning of the Ten of Swords Reversed is that you radiate deep contentment as a couple. Such satisfaction results from years of working together on your partnership and yourselves.
You have already gone through many ups and downs together and never lost love or trust in each other.
Only after many successful tests, a deep satisfaction can arise in your relationship, which in its intensity goes far beyond the initial infatuation when you first met and will give you a happy future as a couple.
Reversed Ten of Swords Health Meaning
The Ten of Swords Reversed shows that you should mobilize your defenses against disease. That includes eating a healthy diet and reducing harmful behaviors.
It is important to take care of your health every day. Your resilience forces will increase and protect you from serious diseases.
Another characteristic of the Ten of Swords Reversed is that you are slowly recovering from a serious illness. Although you are not yet in full possession of your powers, you can cope with most everyday demands.
Just don’t rush your recovery. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing your hard-won successes.
Reversed Ten of Swords Career Meaning
The Ten of Swords Reversed encourages you to see professional defeats as new opportunities. A dismissal, for example, is a serious blow to your career.
But it can help you to think about alternative career opportunities. Maybe you will find a job that suits your strengths and potential much better and that you would never have found without a dismissal.
In addition, the Ten of Swords Reversed represents the importance of taking time off from work. You mustn’t take your work home or on vacation with you.
Use your free time only for yourself and your needs. Then you will be fresh and full of energy again at work.
Reversed Ten of Swords Finances/Money Meaning
The Ten of Swords Reversed encourages you to safeguard your finances against unforeseen events. Set aside enough money in time and you always have a reserve in case of emergency.
The more diversified your assets are, like a savings account, car or home, the better you will survive financial setbacks.
Another meaning of the Ten of Swords Reversed is that you will slowly recover after a serious financial setback. Your funds are still very tight, but things are slowly looking up.
However, be careful not to gamble away your small successes by spending your money on unnecessary things.
Reversed Ten of Swords Destiny Meaning
The Ten of Swords Reversed indicates a phase of regeneration for your destiny. After several life crises finally, some peace has entered your everyday life.
Use this time to regenerate your forces and strengthen your mental and physical defenses. Devote yourself to activities that increase your well-being and, above all, take enough time for yourself.
Reversed Ten of Swords Personality
The Ten of Swords Reversed represents a resilient personality. He is able to cope with even the most challenging life crises and keep his courage to face life.
Moreover, such a character is very satisfied with himself and his environment. He appreciates the things and relationships he has and is grateful for the small treasures of everyday life.
Reversed Ten of Swords as Feelings
Ten of Swords Reversed often represents feelings of a fundamental breakthrough. If you are feeling stuck, this card indicates that things are changing for the better.
The reversed Ten Swords can also mean you are about to receive good news. That is the perfect time to let go of the past and start with a clean slate.
The Ten of Swords heralds a time of healing and feeling closure. You have learned from difficult situations and mistakes you made along the way. Be grateful for the lessons they taught you, and use this knowledge to start something new!
Reversed Ten of Swords Tarot Past/Future
Past
If you take a look at the past, you will find that there were many times of inner satisfaction. These memories can help you find the key to happiness.
You have proven in the past years that you do not lose courage even in times of crisis. On the contrary, you will emerge from them stronger.
Future
In the near future, you should firmly plan a time of recovery. Only in this way will you have the opportunity to replenish your reserves of strength.
Soon you will have a chance to change your life decisively. Be ready to go new ways.
Reversed Ten of Swords Tarot Card – Yes or No
Dealing with your question demands a lot of strength from you. But you have the chance to get a satisfying answer. A yes can give you some relief in this case.
On the one hand, you are rid of the agonizing decision. On the other hand, you can start your everyday life with a good gut feeling.
The Swords Tarot Card Meanings
- Ace of Swords Meaning
- Two of Swords Meaning
- Three of Swords Meaning
- Four of Swords Meaning
- Five of Swords Meaning
- Six of Swords Meaning
- Seven of Swords Meaning
- Eight of Swords Meaning
- Nine of Swords Meaning
- Ten of Swords Meaning READING NOW
- Page of Swords Meaning
- Knight of Swords Meaning
- Queen of Swords Meaning
- King of Swords Meaning