Alright, let’s talk about the Five of Swords showing up in love readings. I remember pulling this card for myself a while back, right in the middle of a really stupid, drawn-out argument with my partner. It wasn’t one big blow-up, more like a series of small, nasty jabs over a couple of weeks.
So, I decided to do a quick spread, just to get some clarity, you know? Pulled three cards. And bam, there it was. The Five of Swords, sitting right in the ‘current situation’ spot. My first reaction was just this heavy sigh. Like, yeah, figures.
Digging Into That Feeling
I sat there looking at the card for a bit. You see the figure picking up the swords, the other two walking away, defeated. And honestly? I recognized myself as both sides at different points in this fight.
- Sometimes, I was the one trying to ‘win’ the argument, saying things just to score points, even if they were below the belt.
- Other times, I felt like the one walking away, just feeling drained and hurt, like the whole thing wasn’t worth the cost.
It really hit home that this card isn’t always about a clear winner and loser. Often, in relationships, when you get to this Five of Swords energy, everyone loses. The ‘winner’ gets this hollow victory, maybe they proved their point, but they damaged the connection. The ‘loser’ feels resentful and maybe pulls away.
What I Did About It
Seeing that card didn’t magically fix things. But it did make me stop and think. I had to ask myself:
- What am I actually trying to ‘win’ here?
- Is winning this particular point more important than how we both feel afterwards?
- What’s the real cost of continuing this way?
I realized I’d been so focused on being ‘right’ that I’d stopped really listening. I was just waiting for my turn to talk, to counter-attack. That Five of Swords showing up was like a splash of cold water. It forced me to acknowledge the toxic pattern we’d fallen into.
So, I took a deep breath. Later that day, instead of going in for another round, I tried something different. I just said, “Look, I feel like we’re just hurting each other lately, and I don’t want that. Can we just… stop fighting to win and actually talk about what’s bothering us?” It wasn’t easy, and it took time to rebuild the trust that those arguments had chipped away at. But acknowledging that ‘win at all costs’ energy, thanks to that card pull, was the first step. It reminded me that in love, sometimes winning the battle means losing the war.
