Introduction
During the medieval age knights, and warriors who could afford it, would have their coffin made for them before going into battle. If they survived they would lie on the coffin and pray, asking forgiveness for those they wounded or killed as well gratitude for keeping their own life. In modern times we've become aware of a mental illness suffered by returning service men called post traumatic stress disorder. This need to detoxify the soul from stressful, traumatic or shocking experiences can be achieved through meditation which can take various forms, depending on personal beliefs, including prayer.
The symbology of the 4 of Swords, taken from its element of Air and the numerology of the number 4, is one of mental stability. The element of Air represents our intellect and the challenges and trials we apply our minds to. In numerology the number 4 is the most stable and rigid of all the numbers.
Numerology links the 4 of Swords to the 13th card of the Major Arcana, Death, as 13 reduces to 4 (1+3). Be careful not to assume this card refers to mental balance as this would be the 2 Of Swords. The mental stability of the 4 of Swords is more akin to the Death, or inactivity, of the mind. This is the objective of meditation, to quieten the mind and allow consciousness to rise and be dominant.
In the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) tarot deck the artist, Pamela C. Smith, depicted a man lying on a sarcophagus in what we can assume is a church from the stain glass window she also included. His hands are together on his chest, fingers pointing upwards, in prayer. This detail confirms that he is alive as a dead body could not hold this posture.
Smith also chose to split the swords into a group of three hanging on the wall above his head and a single sword carved out of the side of his sarcophagus. The group of three swords above his head links to the previous card in this suit, the 3 Of Swords, representing the trauma, stress and toxic experiences he is purging from his mind through prayer and meditation. The single sword below him represents the laying down of arms and disengagement from mental conflict.
The 4 of Swords is a card of convalescence, healing, retreat, refuge and rest. The element here is Air which relates to challenges, conflicts and the mental aspects of our lives. The storms on the path of life that we have to navigate through.
In numerology a number has positive, negative and destructive influences. The suite of Swords tends to focus on the negative and destructive however the 4 of Swords is one of the exceptions. The traits of the number 4, in numerology, are stability, patience, endurance, restriction and confinement. This is a good card to find when recovery from illness or mental, or emotional, trauma is needed.
© Phuture Me Ltd 2010-2018. All rights reserved.
4 of Swords in a Tarot Reading
The 4 of Swords is a card of rest, retreat, recovery and mental stillness. It suggests temporarily withdrawing from activity or conflict so that the mind and body have an opportunity to recover. Sometimes the most productive action available is to stop acting for a while.
This is not quite the same as finding balance. The stability represented by the number 4 can become complete stillness when combined with the mental element of Swords. The 4 of Swords therefore often appears when continued thought, worry or conflict is no longer helping and a period of disengagement is needed.
Upright Meaning
Upright, the 4 of Swords suggests taking a break from a stressful or demanding situation. Rest, solitude, contemplation, prayer or meditation can create the space needed to recover before deciding what to do next.
It can indicate convalescence after a difficult period. The preceding 3 of Swords represents pain and distress; the 4 of Swords can represent the quieter period that follows, when those experiences need to be processed rather than continually fought against.
The card may also suggest deliberately laying down your weapons. A disagreement or struggle does not necessarily need to be resolved immediately. Temporarily disengaging can prevent further conflict and allow everyone involved to return with a clearer mind.
Upright keywords: rest, recovery, retreat, contemplation, meditation, healing, solitude, refuge, stillness, recuperation.
Reversed Meaning
Reversed, the 4 of Swords can indicate that rest is being resisted or that a period of withdrawal has lasted too long. You may know that you need to stop but continue pushing yourself, leaving little opportunity to recover.
Alternatively, the reversed card can suggest returning to activity after a period of rest or isolation. The time spent recovering has served its purpose and the challenge now is to re-engage with life rather than remaining in retreat.
Context and surrounding cards are particularly important here. Reversal can show either insufficient rest or excessive withdrawal: two different ways in which the stillness of the upright card has ceased to be helpful.
Reversed keywords: restlessness, exhaustion, burnout, interrupted recovery, prolonged isolation, returning to activity, re-engagement, inability to switch off.
Love and Relationships
In a relationship reading, the 4 of Swords can suggest a need for space, quiet or time away from conflict. If discussions have become repetitive or emotionally exhausting, continuing to argue may achieve less than temporarily allowing the situation to settle.
This does not necessarily indicate the end of a relationship. It can instead represent a pause in which one or both people need time to think, recover or regain perspective before deciding what happens next.
Reversed, it can indicate renewed communication after a period of distance, or conversely an inability to give yourself or the other person the space that is needed.
Work and Career
In work and career readings, the 4 of Swords can indicate the need for a break after a demanding period. Taking leave, stepping back from a project or simply creating uninterrupted time to think may be more useful than continuing to push forward while exhausted.
It can also represent a temporary lull between periods of activity. Not every quiet period needs to be filled immediately; it may provide an opportunity to recover, review what has happened and prepare for what comes next.
Reversed, it can suggest returning to work after a break or finding that continued pressure is preventing proper recovery.
Money and Finances
In financial readings, the 4 of Swords generally favours inaction and caution over impulsive decisions. If circumstances allow, this may be a time to pause, review and avoid creating additional financial pressures while a situation settles.
The card can also indicate a period in which financial activity is relatively quiet. Preserving stability may be more important than pursuing rapid growth or taking unnecessary risks.
Reversed, it can indicate that financial inactivity can no longer continue and that a situation which has been postponed now requires attention.
Advice from the 4 of Swords
When the 4 of Swords appears as advice, give yourself permission to stop. Not every problem is solved by thinking harder, working longer or continuing to fight.
Ask yourself: Would stepping away from this for a while leave me better prepared to deal with it later?
The 4 of Swords reminds us that withdrawal does not always mean surrender. Sometimes rest and mental stillness are necessary before progress can begin again.
© Phuture Me Ltd 2026. All rights reserved.
4 of Swords According to A. E. Waite
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot
Arthur Edward Waite (1911)
The effigy of a knight in the attitude of prayer, at full length upon his tomb. Divinatory Meanings: Vigilance, retreat, solitude, hermit's repose, exile, tomb and coffin. It is these last that have suggested the design. Reversed: Wise administration, circumspection, economy, avarice, precaution, testament.
Related Tarot Cards
|
|
|
© Phuture Me Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.
Tarot & Numerology