We all know, the human mind is often its worst enemy, and so within the swords we also find fear, insecurity, self-doubt, self-deception. The tricks that our minds play on us. The battles we do, body and soul against mind. Some of the tarot’s toughest cards appear in the suit of swords.
And there is sorrow here, too – the Secret Tarot calls this ‘the suit of sorrow’. Here, we find where the mind and the heart collide, and see heartbreak and sadness. We see moments of despair, but we also find the strength that can be gained from processing life’s tough lessons and growing wiser
Little Red Tarot
In traditional representations of the Ace of Swords, whoever holds the sword is invisible. What we see is a hand emerging from the clouds wielding a double edged sword. Seemingly floating on air currents, the sword is available for whoever wants to grasp it. In general, while most swords in tarot are held at an angle, to suggest logic tempered by flexibility or emotion, the Ace is held straight up and down. Not here. This sword is being held straight but not up and down. Either way, the Ace of Swords is all about truth.
By contrast to traditional interpretations this card has a young woman firmly gripping a sword with a serpent handle. She is the epitome of someone ready to strike while the blade is sharpened. She is well and truly ready to accept the gift of a new beginning, of applying the sword to display her capacity for higher thought and logic.
Quite frankly, the phrase “carried out with the precision of a surgeon”, which is often used as an attribute in situations where care, knowledge, and judgment are vital, as well as technical capability, springs to mind as I look at her. I sense that the precision of this woman would match any surgeon both in and outside the operating room.
Traditionally the Ace of Swords symbolises reclaiming your personal power by taking charge of your life. Like all Aces, the Ace of Swords heralds that a new beginning is at hand. It represents incisive energy, the dispelling of illusions, conquest, championship, strength and power, love, truth and justice and the power of the mind.
Your personal power is much like a sword, waiting to be drawn from a scabbard. When you grasp what makes you powerful, you can transform your energy, from victim to victor. The Ace of Swords cuts through trance-like states of mind. It flashes with dazzling light, awakening your self-confidence.
As with all the aces, the Ace of Swords indicates that one is about to experience a moment of breakthrough. With its sharp blade and representing the power of the intellect, this sword has the ability to cut through deception and find truth. In layman’s terms, this card represents that moment in which one can see the world from a new point of view, as a place that is filled with nothing but new possibilities. It is, therefore, the best time to work on your goals – as the aces all give green lights, and are signals of waiting opportunities and new beginnings. from Labyrinthos
In this card the woman is dressed in red. @louloubatts remarked that she “appears serene, supremely confident and prepared for the challenge” She reminded her of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. Perhaps it is her demeanour and the red of her dress that helps create this impression. It is said that if you are drawn to red clothing colours, then it indicates extroversion, passion, energy, and a personality type that is driven to live fully. People who like red clothes are also said to be more aggressive, energetic, and quick in releasing their emotions.
Message to take from the Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords indicates that it is time to let go of the old and firmly grasp the potential offered by the new. The appearance of this sword is associated with breakthroughs in ways of thinking. It may just be time to consider how to create the life you want to live with completely new and untried thought forms and ideas.
An Ace of Swords in your spread is a sign that you are experiencing a wave of new energy in the mental realms of how you think about everything in your life. Maybe you are on the verge of a significant breakthrough that will allow you to change your world with new clarity and insight. It is representative of those ‘aha’ moments when you realize you have been holding onto a belief or thought process that has held you back from going for the golden ring you always thought was out of your reach.
You may also have that sudden realization about an issue that has been troubling you and can finally see how to deal with it so clearly, you wonder why it never occurred to you before. Why? Because you weren’t ready to see it yet.
The Tarot Midwife 