02. Two of Swords
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Number: 2
Card Title: Two of Swords
Esoteric Title: Lord of Peace Restored
Numerical Keywords: 2: Expansion, Duality, Life Force
Numerical Attributions: Zodiac, Gray, Year, End
Intelligence: Illuminating Intelligence
Element: Air (hot, wet)
Elemental Keywords: Mind, Ideas, Cutting
Elemental Attributions: East, Spring, Sunrise
Astrological Attribution: Moon in Libra
Dates & Timing: September 23 to October 2
Qabalistic World: Chokmah of Yetzirah
Translation of World: The Wisdom of Formation
Suit Color: Swords- Yellow
Keywords: Balanced, Steady, Unconvinced, Unable, Unwilling, Unsure, Harmony, Balance, Proportion, Compromise, Paradox.
Ill-Dignified:Resolution of conflict, decision made, deadlock removed, duplicity, falsehood, release, movement.
Interpretation: No easy solution exists. All possibilities seem like comprises. Situation brings spiritual satisfaction. Difficult decisions must be made. Problem needs new approach.
Reversed Interpretation: Learned to adapt to the other person. Two parties can work together. Need to be careful before committing. Upset do to malicious troublemaker. Lack of self control causes tension in relationship.
Rider-Waite Imagery
The suit of swords is related to the element of air. It concerns matters of thoughts, ideas and the mind. The number two is the number of wisdom. It concerns the interaction between opposites, the tension of duality.
In the two of swords these things have come into balance. A woman sits on a square seat (stone of manifestation). She has a sword in each hand (intellect, ideas) and her arms are crossed at the wrists. She is wearing a headband that has slipped down almost covering her eyes (limitation of ignorance by knowledge) She sits in front of still water (emotions) that has two islands and there are mountains in the distance (mental limits and boundaries). The moon and water and the color of her gown are a reference to the High Priestess. The swords and the seat, and her body language are a reference to Justice (Libra). This card is a blending of those two Major Arcana Cards. . Libra bring balance to the situation. The moon brings change.
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward Waite (1911)
A hoodwinked female figure balances two swords upon her shoulders. Divinatory Meanings: Conformity and the equipoise which it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms; another reading gives tenderness, affection, intimacy. The suggestion of harmony and other favorable readings must be considered in a qualified manner, as Swords generally are not symbolical of beneficent forces in human affairs. Reversed: Imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty.
4 Some Additional Meanings of the Lesser Arcana
Two.–Gifts for a lady, influential protection for a man in search of help. Reversed: Dealings with rogues.
The Recurrence of Cards in Dealing
In the Natural Position: 4 Twos = contention; 3 Twos = security; 2 Twos = accord.
Reversed: 4 Twos = reconciliation; 3 Twos apprehension; 2 Twos = mistrust.
The Tarot of the Bohemians by Papus; tr. A. P Morton, [1896]
Signification of the Four Series of Minor Arcana in the Divining Tarot
SWORDS. Transformation. Hatred. War.
TWO. Opposition to this commencement. The enmity does not last.
The Tarot by S.L. MacGregor Mathers [1888]
Meanings of the Cards
58. Six of Swords.–Envoy, Messenger, Voyage, Travel; R. Declaration, Love proposed, Revelation, Surprise.
Additional Remarks
The following additional remarks may be serviceable to the to the inexperienced Cartomancer. They are chiefly taken from Etteilla.
62. Deuce of Swords.–R. If confirmed by the other cards may simply mean that the friends are not of much use to the inquirer in the matter under consideration.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Henry Cornelius Agrippa
Libra I
An angry man, in whose hand is a Pipe, and the form of a man reading in a book; the operation of this is in justifying and helping the miserable and weak against the powerful and wicked:
Picatrix the Goal of the Wise by Ghayat Al-akim
Book "T" The Tarot
XXVII. The Lord of Peace Restored
Two of Swords or Pikes
Two crossed swords, like the air dagger of a Zelator Adeptus Minor, each held by a White Radiant Angelic Hand. Upon the point where the two cross is a rose of five petals, emitting white rays. At the top and bottom of the card are two small daggers, supporting respectively the symbol {Crescent moon with horns upward} thus, and Libra representing the Decanate.
Contradictory characters in the same nature, strength through suffering; pleasure after pain. Sacrifice and trouble, yet strength arising therefrom, symbolized by the position of the rose, as though the pain itself had brought forth beauty. Arrangement, peace restored; truce; truth and untruth; sorrow and sympathy. Aid to the weak; arrangement; justice, unselfishness; also a tendency to repetition of affronts on being pardoned; injury when meaning well; given to petitions; also a want of tact, and asking question of little moment; talkative.
Chokmah of Vau. Quarrel made up, yet still some tension in relations: actions sometimes selfish, sometimes unselfish.
Herein rule the Great Angels HB:YZLAL and HB:MNHAL.
Often the General signification of the Majority of a particular suit and of the particular signification of the either 3 of 4 cards of a sort in a reading:
- A Majority of Swords Trouble, sadness, sickness, death.
- 4 Twos Conferences, conversations.
- 3 Twos Reorganization, recommendation
