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
The Three of Swords typically depicts a heart pierced by three swords, symbolising heartbreak, sorrow, and emotional pain. It represents difficult truths, betrayal, and the need to confront and process feelings of grief. While challenging, this card also encourages acceptance and healing through acknowledgement of emotional wounds.
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
The Queen of Swords represents clarity of thought, intellect, and truth. She embodies independence, keen perception, and a sharp mind, often seen as a figure of unbiased judgement and clear communication. This queen encourages cutting through confusion and seeing situations with honesty and objectivity.
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
The Devil tarot card represents temptation, materialism, and bondage to unhealthy habits or relationships. It signifies being trapped by illusions, addiction, or fear, urging self-awareness and the breaking of limiting patterns to regain personal freedom and control.
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
The 5 of Swords represents conflict, tension, and a sense of defeat or hollow victory. It often signifies arguments, disagreements, or situations where winning comes at a cost. This card encourages reflection on the consequences of one’s actions and the importance of choosing battles wisely to avoid unnecessary strife.
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
The 10 of Swords depicts a figure lying face down with ten swords piercing their back, symbolising a painful ending or betrayal. It represents hitting rock bottom, defeat, or the collapse of a difficult situation. Despite its grim imagery, the card also suggests that this ending paves the way for new beginnings and the opportunity to rise from hardship. It advises acceptance of loss and encourages resilience and recovery.
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
The 5 of Cups represents loss, disappointment, and regret. It often signifies focusing on what has gone wrong or what has been lost, rather than recognising what still remains. This card encourages acceptance, emotional processing, and ultimately finding a path towards healing and hope.
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.