General

The Five of Swords is not a great card to get, it symbolise defeat and conflict. It can sometimes mean that you or the querent is being outsmarted by someone else or an enemy. The Five of Swords is usually associated with the ego, I always image this as someone waiving a white flag but you invade the city anyway just because you can. It’s about showing the other side that you are able to overpower them. In traditional tarot, there is a young man who is looking at the enemies who has taken the 5 swords he has taken from his enemies. There is a sense of sadness and loss amongst the other people in the card and it feels ominous even though the battle is over.

Upright

In the upright position, the Five of Swords is about conflict and disagreement with others. Sometimes, we try to do everything we can to win and we don’t realise how heavy the costs are. This can be the ego talking. In love, this could mean there are tensions and conflict in this connection. This could mean that there is a need to be right at the cost of resolving the conflict and the relationship. Sometimes, this could mean a wandering eye. In career and finances, you or someone around you could be a bully or using fear and intimidation to force others to do things for them. It could be that you or the querent is being taken advantage of. You may lose your reputation, status, money or job.

Reversed

In the reversed position, this could mean that you or the querent is finding closure and moving forward. This a card in the reversed position is about resolving something and focusing on other more constructive things. In love, this could mean forgiveness and healing. This could mean that you are healing this relationship but sometimes, the path to healing involves breaking up and moving forward independently. In career and finances, there are compromises being made and honest conversation. This could also mean relief and healing of any issues in career and finances.