A four of any suit is ruled by The Emperor. It is the backbone of the tarot, as there are four suits in the Minor Arcana. Also on cards in the Major Arcana, such as the Wheel of Fortune and The World, four symbols are visible. And there are four different schools of astrological signs, fire, earth, air, water. The Four of Swords has strong ties to Planet Venus, which is the planet of love, beauty, finances. This shows that these cards are generally referring to matters of love or physical material possessions. This card is associated with Libras, who are known to be a loving sign and very honest. The Swords suit would point towards a mental journey.

The Four of Swords is a somber sight. On its face is a knight in a tomb with his sword underneath him and three swords pointing at his body, as if waiting to fall on him. These swords are a reminder of the Three of Swords, in which three swords were piercing his heart and he suffered great grief.

Upright- Anxiety, stress, chaos

The Four of Swords is a sign that it may be time to retreat and rest. It is time to retreat from the situation that is hurting you and to gain strength and clarity before continuing. Meditation is a good idea in this time to aid in the healing process. Now is not the time to make important decisions. Now is the time to take a day off, go on vacation, whatever will help you to rest. The Four of Swords also tells of a time of solitude. This is something you must go through alone to fully heal from.

Reverse- Relaxation, peace, rejuvenation

Inverted, The Four of Swords speaks even more strongly to solitude. Others may be taking up a little too much of your time or taking advantage of your goodwill. You cannot allow yourself to become too exhausted and The Four of Swords is your warning to take a step back and rest. The Four of Swords can also tell you that you’re overextending yourself and promising yourself to too many projects. A little self care and relaxation is just what the tarot deck ordered when you receive the Four of Swords in reverse.

In a yes/no reading, the Four of Swords is a maybe.