Readings
Three Cards
The three card tarot spread is one of the oldest methods. You can get to the heart of your question with a simple three-card Tarot reading. In this spread, there are three different positions which can be changed by to your preference, Past – Present – Future (or Situation – Action – Outcome, Situation – Obstacle – Advice and etc.).
The meaning of the card you choose varies according to it’s position.
This opening provides a GENERAL perspective to the period you are in. Or you can evaluate the comments in the frame of your question.
Five of Swords
Upright
Conflict, disagreements, competition, defeat, winning at all costs
The Five of Swords card shows up when you have had an argument or conflict, and you are stepping away with sadness and feeling lost. You may be upset over the fiery words you said and you wish they could be taken back.
Even if you won the debate or came out the obvious winner, you understand that you have suffered as much as your opponent. This battle has cost you confidence, respect or honor, and detached you. As you try to pick up the parts and leave the struggle behind you, you find it‘s more complicated than you thought; others have lost trust in you.
The advice of the Five of Swords is to pick your actions. You may be motivated to fight every battle to guarantee you get your way, to prove that you are correct, or to protect yourself when you are feeling threatened. Picking your battles carefully is much better than fighting in every disagreement. Not only will it lead to a more quiet life, but your relationships are likely to come out more powerful.
If you have been involved in a conflict and can see it taking its price, the Five of Swords is a call for an apology. Be ready to say you were mistaken and make amends. There’s no reason to justify your actions; just let go and move on. Look for a common spot with those you have been supporting with, or ask forgiveness so you can put this behind.
The Five of Swords may also show the breakdown. Despite your best attempts, you are likely to come out as the loser. Accept your defeat, and learn from it. Be smarter and wiser next time.
Reversed
Reconciliation, making amends, past resentment
The Five of Swords speaks for those times when you’ve fought to the end, only to recognize that you’ll fail no matter what. You’ve been pushing, but your opponent is not listening. And when you’re in this opposite position, you end up feeling terrible – win or no win.
You want this period of struggle to be finished so you can forgive and release, and then direct your energies on more productive activities. You know that there can only be losers in this fight.
Sometimes, the reversed Five of Swords can represent conflict in your life that you have tried to be away from. Furthermore, the reversed Five of Swords can imply that an old wound has been re-opened and you are experiencing the anxiety connected with that memory. You may be especially worried that the past might repeat itself and you could be hurt again.
The reversed Five of Swords hints that after a phase of the battle, you are ready to move forward and create positive transformation. Bring your energy back inside. It may mean an agreement, or it might be time to move on. This is your chance to ask for forgiveness so you can build a more fruitful ground for new ideas.
The Emperor
Upright
Authority, establishment, structure, a father figure
The Emperor is the father figure of the Tarot deck, suggests that you are adopting this protective role (regardless of whether you are male or female), affording for your family, and protecting your loved ones.
Similarly, the Emperor represents a strong and charismatic leader. Status and power are necessary to you, and you are most comfortable in a leadership role where you can direct others. You have a clear vision of what you want to manifest, and you arrange those around you to manifest your goal. You listen to the advice of others, but you prefer to make the final decision.
The Emperor reflects a system defined by rules and regulations. You create law and order by applying policies or guidelines to a specific situation. Be strategic and highly organized in your approach by sticking to your plan until the end.
The Emperor card also implies world knowledge and expertise. You have gained valuable wisdom and living experience, and now you enjoy offering guidance to someone who might benefit from it. You may be a teacher, coach, boss, or just a good friend who likes to take the knowledge and pass it on so that others can be as wise and powerful as you.
Reversed
Domination, excessive control, lack of discipline, inflexibility
The reversed Emperor requests you to assess your relationships with responsibility and discipline. Are you expressing too much or too little of these in your life right now? Are they serving for you or against you?
In the reversed position, the Emperor can be bossy and inflexible in his thoughts. The card can suggest an over-use of authoritative power. It could be you or another person, often a boss, partner or family member. And it may be because of deep insecurities and self-doubts.
Recognize the position of power in your life. Are you declaring your power and dominance in a way that leaves others feeling weak? Or are you giving away much of your personal power to please others? Try to find a solution where you start from a place of personal power and enable others to do the same. Power can be equally distributed – you don’t need to take it from others, nor do you need to give yours away.
Sometimes, the reversed Emperor asks you to stand up to authority. You may feel fed up with an oppressive boss or a hierarchical organization and feel forced to enter a more flexible and adaptive environment. Maybe you aspire to be your own boss and work independently by starting up your own business.
In a love reading, the reversed Emperor hints that you may be in an unbalanced relationship and it‘s making you unhappy. Your partner has become overbearing, possessive and dominating. This dynamic is putting tension on the relationship and blocking the flow of energies between you.
King of Cups
Upright
Emotionally balanced, compassionate, diplomatic
The King of Cups signifies mastery over the areas of emotion, creativity, and the subconscious. When this card shows up in a Tarot reading, you have obtained control of your emotions and can accept them without letting them get the much of you. Even when life tosses you a curveball, you can move on your emotional development and confidence to help you operate these difficulties.
If you are being tested mentally, the King of Cups advises you to stay emotionally mature when challenged with negative energy from people. Be strong on your boundaries, declaring what is and is not fair in an emotional realm. This King uses his mind to make clever decisions and does not let other events or impulses affect his fundamental morals. Stay faithful to your emotions and beliefs and do not allow other people to direct you off track.
The King of Cups represents the excellent balance between the mind and the heart. Not only are you able to evaluate and control a condition reasonably, but you can also bring upon your intuition. As a leader, you care as much about accomplishing your aims and aspirations as you do about making certain everyone is happy and fulfilled.
As a King, he has masculine, protective energy, and as a Cups card, he draws his loving self to the lead. He gives smart advice when it comes to emotions and relationships. The King of Cups is sympathetic towards other people, creating powerful connections and relationships based on tolerance and harmony.
Reversed
Self-compassion, inner feelings, moodiness, emotionally manipulative
The reversed King of Cups shows that you are concentrating on your inner feelings. You are exploring the emotions collected in your subconscious mind and how these emotions influence you. Through this work, you hope to obtain a more powerful sense of control over your emotions so that they don’t push you away from living your life.
When the reversed King of Cups arrives in your reading, you may be more inclined to being upset and drama. You may feel unhappy, depressed, anxious and irregular. You may also be punishing yourself over little things that have gone wrong. If this resonates, try to recognize the root cause of these thoughts and bring your awareness to the influence they are doing on your life.
The reversed King of Cups could tell that you are repressing your emotions and isolating from the external world because you worry about what may happen if you were to face your emotions. Your emotions are bottling up inside you. If this tension gets too much you are at risk of an emotional outbreak.
At worst meaning, the reversed King of Cups can symbolize someone who is cruel and has a talent for being able to beat people using emotional manipulation. He makes you feel doubtful about yourself and leads to emotional instability within you. If this seems like someone you have met, you still have to release yourself from his manipulation capabilities.