Tarot Cards of Heartache
By Tony Fox Tarot – March 10, 2021
Heartache is one of life’s most difficult but universal experiences. Yet, in the Tarot, it’s not something to avoid — it’s something to understand. These cards offer insight into the pain of loss, betrayal, disappointment and grief. They speak to the wounds we carry and the strength we discover through facing them.
3 OF SWORDS
Heartbreak cuts deep, but clarity follows.
Each sword piercing the heart in the 3 of Swords represents pain from the past, the present, and the future. This card often appears during times of intense grief — a lost loved one, a breakup, or emotional wounds that refuse to heal. The 3 of Swords teaches us that heartache isn’t just something to endure; it’s part of what makes us whole. Through sorrow, we deepen our understanding of ourselves and our capacity to love.
QUEEN OF SWORDS
Heartache met with clarity, strength and resolve.
The Queen of Swords speaks to the sorrow of mourning and the lonely terrain of grief. Her pain is deep, but she stands with dignity and resolve. As a symbol of emotional maturity, this card reminds us that heartache, though isolating, also reveals our resilience. Her sword — sharp with truth — cuts through illusion. She grieves, but she grows.
THE DEVIL
Unhealthy attachments and emotional entrapment.
The Devil reflects heartache born from toxic dynamics — control, obsession, jealousy, addiction, or betrayal. It often appears in relationships marked by mistrust and emotional entanglement. While intense, this card offers a powerful lesson: heartache here is avoidable. When we replace fear and possession with honesty and compassion, we begin to break free.
5 OF SWORDS
Conflict and betrayal leave emotional scars.
In the 5 of Swords, heartache comes through conflict, bitterness, and emotional warfare. This is the card of no winners — just hurt on both sides. It may represent a personal or professional fallout, one where ego has overtaken empathy. The message: revenge may feel powerful in the moment, but healing only begins when the swords are put down.
10 OF SWORDS
Emotional rock bottom—an ending that hurts but heals.
This card embodies the rawness of betrayal — being stabbed in the back, perhaps multiple times over a long period. The 10 of Swords is dramatic and final, showing the end of a painful chapter. Yet its message is hopeful: the worst has already happened, and the dawn is breaking. Healing is now possible, even inevitable.
5 OF CUPS
Grief and regret cloud the heart’s vision.
The 5 of Cups is the sorrow of loss — often emotional, sometimes spiritual. The cloaked figure in the card mourns what’s been spilled, unable to see the two remaining cups still upright. This card invites us to honour our sadness, but not to become consumed by it. Over time, perspective returns. What’s left can still be meaningful.