There are times when it is better to do nothing. The 4 of Swords indicates that this might be one of those times. There could be any number of reasons why you need to press ‘Pause.’ For instance, you could be in need of physical recuperation after illness, emotional healing after a bad breakup or just some R&R after a stressful time such as a house move etc.
“I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.”
― T.S. Eliot
Essentially, the 4 of Swords is telling you that if you move ahead in any direction right now, you are in danger of leaving your soul behind. The choices you make and the actions you take would be tainted by a lack of focus and alignment. Better, then, to wait and allow for the process of healing and rejuvenation to take place first.
The only activity that is encouraged under the auspice of the 4 of Swords is one that augments healing, such as meditation, listening to uplifting music or reading literature that helps you feel well in yourself. Or, if this is about a relationship (not just of the romantic kind), it could indicate a need to seek a peaceful resolution which will allow for harmony to be restored. This resolution may not be immediately apparent to you – meditate on it and make sure you are heart-centred before you speak!
“To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.”
― Jiddu Krishnamurti
Affirmation: “I enter into the silence to allow my soul to catch up.”
4 of Swords Prayer
Dear Mother-Father God, thank you for much-needed rest and relaxation today. Help me rejuvenate and act only when I have clarity on how to move forward with integrity and in harmony with Higher Will. Amen and so it is!
Correspondences
Planet: Jupiter
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Archangel: Raphael, ruler of the Element of Air
Gemstones: Chiastolite, smokey quartz, sugilite
Essential oils: Helichrysum, clary sage and geranium
The 4 of Swords in Love and Relationship Readings
This 4 is not one to want to risk upsetting the apple cart. Prioritise harmony and peaceful relations under the auspice of this card.
On a practical level, it may mean that you are both tired from working too much and in need of a break. Or one of you could be recovering from illness. Either way, you could do with some downtime.
It could be a good idea to give each other lots of space when this card shows up. However, conflict avoidance could be an issue. Sometimes, avoiding conflict pays off short-term. Long term, it usually leads to separation as there can be no growth without facing relationship issues.
Single and looking
For a single person, this card usually indicates that efforts to reach out and establish rapport with the object of one’s desire are not likely to pay off. It could also indicate that it is time to give up the thrill of the chase and focus more on peaceful relationships in the future.
The best use of your time is to pray and meditate to better know yourself and your core values.
Intimacy
Abstinence and impotence (possibly due to disease), rather than intimacy, are indicated with this card. This card could also indicate a platonic love relationship.
The Marseille Tarot image in this post is from the CBD Tarot by Yoav Ben-Dov.
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