Unexpected Elements: Feeling Through the Swords
The suit of Swords is known for being connected to the element air, which in turn associates it with things such as thoughts, ideas, intellect, concepts and communication. But there is something curious happening within this particular grouping of cards, which connects it strongly back to the element of water.
If you observe the landscape of the Swords, you might notice something that we also noticed - something that stands out and takes up a lot of space! For such an airy element, there sure is a of a lot of water visible in these cards! In fact, there is almost as much visible water in the Swords as there is in the Cups. And, if you don’t count the court cards, there is actually more. On top of that, 4 of the Swords cards not only depict water, but large bodies of it! Like, HUGE amounts of water! What’s going on here?
We can’t help but think that this abundance of water is a direct nod to the (obvious, but sometimes overlooked) head and heart connection - the link between our thoughts and our feelings. When we’re in our heads, it can be easy to lose sight of this. Especially in this day and age, it’s not uncommon to spend so much time in our heads that we forget we have other parts! Perhaps these water features, coded in plain sight, are a reminder that what we think becomes a feeling and what we feel becomes a thought (for good or bad). When we’re navigating that mental realm, we need to realize we’re also navigating the emotional one - the two are intimately and inherently connected, always.
There is another detail that makes an appearance in the suit of Swords that we think points to a similar sentiment. That detail is the red heart. It shows up boldly in the 3 of Swords, but also more subtly in the Knight of Swords, on the horse’s harness.
We often think of this Knight as being reckless and aggressive, but could there be something else going on here? Maybe they are fueled by inspirations and not just anxious thoughts? Afterall, when we react only to our mental impulses, without that tether to the heart, we can be led dangerously astray. Perhaps this card is both a warning and a clue as to how to keep our rider in sync, in harmony and on course. Bravery is a virtue, but it needs to have the right driving force!
As an exercise to take this connection one step further, go ahead and compare these two suits via their numbers. For example, take the 7 of Swords and compare it to the 7 of Cups - the 5 of Swords with the 5 of Cups etc. We’ve explored these pairings and we think they have a lot to offer in terms of lessons on how to balance our inner air and water.
At the end of the day, we are whole body systems comprised of many parts. The elements are just one way to delineate and understand the nature of our inner worlds. Through the exploration of their respective suits, we can see very clearly how interconnected and reliant all pieces are to one another.
We hope this look at the Swords and Cups has been interesting and helps to spur other revelations as you go forward in your work with the cards. As always, be empowered to come to your own conclusions and find your own meaning!
“The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart.”