Like many of the tarot cards in the Suit of Swords, the Ten of Swords is exceptionally dark, both visually and symbolically. Some tarotologists consider the Ten of Swords to be the most negative card in the entire tarot deck, because it represents absolute and total defeat. It is a darker card than Death itself, surpassing even the Tower in its morbidity.
In the popular Rider-Waite tarot deck, the Ten of Swords depicts a man lying dead (or dying) on the ground, with ten swords stabbed deep into his back. A black, stormy sky looms overhead, with a gray, barren, mountainous landscape beyond and a golden sky between the two. The character of the tarot card lies bleeding, with swords stabbed into every vital part of his body, from his neck to his groin. He is pinned down, and there is no indication that of life or struggle remain within him.
The Ten of Swords, in a tarot reading, unanimously communicates a somber and destructive message of total defeat. There is no chance of recovery for the dead or dying character in the card: he has lost his battle, and he lies alone and unloved. When the Ten of Swords is drawn, condolences are ordered: the querent has faced, or will face, the absolute destruction of a dream, goal, or promising circumstance.
Even in the Ten of Swords, the darkest of all tarot cards, there is a slight beam of hope. As the tarot character lies dead or dying and a black storm looms over an empty and deserted landscape, the golden sun still rises. Every end is a beginning, and even in the darkest of times, there is still hope for a situation to start anew. The ray of light should offer support and consummation to the person to whom the Ten of Swords refers. The worst has already happened: it only gets better from here.
Often, the troubles indicated by the Ten of Swords and (its companions in the suit) are internal-- intellectual and emotional-- not external. It may signal an extremely severe state of depression, anxiety, or other mental illness or emotional disturbance. All too often, it is an urgent tarot card symbolizing that someone is having suicidal thoughts or other destructive ideologies. In this case, it is critical that the tarot querent seek counsel and support from peers, and maintain visions of the golden light rising over the empty land.
When drawn in reverse, the Ten of Swords indicates that the situation at hand is difficult and will continue for months or years. It is essential that the querent of this situation keep an eye on the goals at hand, because worry and self-pity will only prolong the pain and make the already-difficult situation even harder to bear. Future successes will not be blocked permanently, although it may seem like this is the case.
