Drawing the Three of Swords for a “yes or no” question during a tarot reading can be quite interesting. Sometimes the answer is straightforward, and other times it’s rather unclear without further exploration.
This guide will help you understand if the Three of Swords means yes or no during your next reading, so you can benefit from the insight and wisdom of this card.
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Three Of Swords: Yes Or No?
If you pull the Three of Swords in a “yes or no” reading, the answer is no.
Each suit in the tarot tells its own story. Two of these stories end in ways that most people would consider positive — the suit of Cups, for example, ends with emotional fulfillment and happiness. Pentacles ends with prosperity and comfort. Swords and Wands, however, end with heartbreak and betrayal.
Each of the pips (numbered) cards in the Minor Arcana corresponds to part of this story in a fairly predictable way. Aces are where the story begins, Twos bring in new characters, Fives are where the action climaxes, and Nines are where the action winds down until the Tens cards conclude things. Threes are where the action starts to get going. We’ve started the story, the characters have come together, and it’s time to set out on the adventure.
The suit of Swords also relates to the element of Air, intellect, logic, and reason. It usually comes up in readings that deal with the conscious mind, analysis, or thought over emotion.
When you put this together, then the Three of Swords is where the story of this suit meets its first bump in the road. This card represents the first minor conflict in a story that ends badly.
It’s usually not a very happy-looking card, either. In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, it’s shown as a red heart against a stormy gray sky. Three swords pierce the heart from above. The swords almost blend into the sky in the background, emphasizing the bright red of the heart.
This card speaks of intensely bad feelings that make it hard to focus on anything else. As mentioned above, the suit of Swords deals with thought and reason. The red heart here seems to overwhelm the gray swords, showing that this feeling of heartbreak overwhelms the capacity for thought.
There aren’t many positive sides to the Three of Swords, unfortunately. It’s a sad card about sad things. The good news here is that there’s still a lot of story left to go — life will go on, even beyond the heartbreak signified by this card.
This can be hard to convey in a simple “yes or no” tarot reading. The best interpretation here is that your query isn’t likely to turn out positively for you. Take heart, though, because you’ll move on and get past this disappointment.
Does A Reversed Three Of Swords Mean Yes Or No?
The reversed Three of Swords isn’t simply the opposite of the upright card. While it represents a yes in “yes or no” readings, this is typically just a little bit of positivity after a very difficult situation.
With the Three of Swords reversed, the swords can begin to fall away. The heart, though seriously wounded, can begin to heal. All of the negative symbolism of this card is still there, but it’s starting to let up.
It might be helpful to view the reversed Three of Swords as a midway point between the Three and the Four. The upright Three of Swords represents a serious emotional wound, while the upright Four of Swords is rest, recuperation, and the need for restoration in the midst of an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. The reversed Three of Swords is where the emotional wound has passed, and you’re ready to withdraw and recuperate for a bit.
All of this means that the reversed Three of Swords isn’t really a great card to see, but it’s better than its upright orientation.
In a “yes or no” context, the reversed Three of Swords is a very cautious yes. This card indicates a serious need for emotional healing. You may find that you’ll only receive a positive outcome if you’re willing to do what you need to release old wounds first.
Whether reversed or upright, the Three of Swords is a complex tarot card that deals with some very heavy subjects. Heartbreak, loss, and emotional pain are better served by a more intricate spread. You might want to draw a few more cards so you can get more information about your query.
Does Three Of Swords Mean Yes Or No For Love?
Since the Three of Swords is a card about heartbreak, it’s probably not a huge surprise that it’s a big no for love-related “yes or no” readings.
The suit of Swords is already not common to see in readings about happy relationships. That’s because this suit deals with logic and mental clarity, not romance or sensuality. It also tells a story that ends in betrayal.
For people in relationships, the Three of Swords can warn of arguments, losses, divorces, separations, and breaches of trust. Since it depicts three swords, it can indicate that there’s a troublemaker trying to drive a wedge between you and your partner. The Rider-Waite-Smith version of this card is literally illustrated with a heart that’s been stabbed, and that’s the exact feeling that it’s trying to convey.
For those who are single, the picture painted by the Three of Swords isn’t much better. You may have someone trying to keep you from finding a partner. You may also have someone in your past who’s caused you serious emotional trauma.
This card warns that now isn’t the time to seek a relationship or deeper commitment. It’s important to focus on taking care of yourself right now, so you can move past this situation. That’s why this card is a no for simple “yes or no” questions related to love and romance.
Does A Reversed Three Of Swords Mean Yes Or No For Love?
Reversed, the Three of Swords is a very guarded yes when it comes to love. Though it’s an affirmative response, it’s not exactly a positive one.
For both singles and people in relationships, the reversed Three of Swords says that emotional wounds must be faced and healed if progress is to happen. Whether you want to repair your relationship with someone, or find someone completely new, you won’t be able to do so if you haven’t dealt with your pain first.
In some contexts, this tarot card can indicate that there’s some emotional pain that isn’t being addressed. You may be hamstrung by self-doubt and negativity, or clinging to negative emotions out of fear. In either case, this is keeping you from letting go of this pain.
The reversed Three of Swords is generally a positive card for questions about reconciliation. It represents the first bit of progress toward forgiving and forgetting. As long as you and your former partner are willing to continue on the path to reconciliation, you’ll likely be able to fix things between you.
While the reversed Three of Swords represents a yes in “yes or no” readings about love, you’ll have to earn that yes. It says that you’re in a better place than you were before, but there’s still healing and growth that has to take place.
Example Questions
There are a handful of popular “yes or no” questions that get asked during a tarot reading. Here are some of the more common ones, and what the Three of Swords means for each.
Will I End Up In A Relationship With My Crush?
When the Three of Swords is upright, the answer is no. In fact, you may want to brace yourself because you could be heading toward heartbreak. Alternatively, it’s possible that you’re in pain because you already know the answer to this question. Take solace in the fact that this will pass.
If the Three of Swords is reversed then you may. As long as you’ve both addressed whatever lingering emotional wounds remain from your childhood or past relationships, you’ll be in a good place to get together and have a healthy relationship.
Will My Partner And I Stay Together?
The Three of Swords indicates that this is very doubtful. This card represents emotional wounds, loss, and betrayal. Things may be about to reach a painful end. Even if this relationship doesn’t end permanently, you may find that you and your partner spend some time apart to work on healing.
If you draw the reversed Three of Swords, it’s possible that you’ll stay together. As long as you’re both committed to healing your old wounds and coming together with honesty and clarity, you just might. If you just repress these feelings instead of addressing them, things won’t work out as well.
Will I Meet A New Partner Soon?
The Three of Swords means the answer to this question is no. You may very well be introduced to someone new, but now isn’t the right time for a relationship. There’s some pain here that’s keeping you stuck in place for now. You may even have another person near you who’s trying to keep you from meeting anyone new.
The reversed Three of Swords indicates that it’s possible that you’ll meet a new partner soon. It seems that you’re working on releasing some trauma from your past, so you can have emotionally healthy relationships in the future. As long as you keep healing and don’t give up, you’ll be able to meet someone new.
Closing Thoughts
As you can see, the Three of Swords can be a very straightforward and direct card for “yes or no” questions. But sometimes there’s some nuance and discovery that needs to be done to truly understand what it’s trying to tell you.
If you’re having any trouble interpreting this card for yourself, let us know. We’re always happy to help our readers!
