Page of Swords Tarot Card

Card Name: Page of Swords, Jack of Blades

Category: Minor Arcana, Suit of Swords

Position: 11

Keywords: Premonition, Intelligence

Active element: Air 💨 (suit) & Earth ⛰️ (rank)

The Page of Swords is a double-edged blade that cuts through lies. In Tarot, the card symbolizes the bitter truth, the willingness to fight for higher ideals. The hero of the Arcana personifies the future knight, who is currently gaining experience. He learns to parry blows, handle weapons and act nobly. But upside down, the young man turns into a brave tailor. Of all his victories, he can only boast of killed flies. In the opposite form, the card denotes untruth in all its manifestations. This is unsupported self-confidence, unscrupulousness. The same sword that served as a symbol of protection and victory now transforms into the cursed blade. That kills all life in the soul of his master.

Symbolism and Key Ideas of the Page of Swords

In the Rider-Waite Tarot, on the Arcana of the Page of Swords, a young man is depicted holding a two-handed blade. The guy is dressed in a purple long shirt with a leather belt and yellow sleeves, mustard-colored leggings and red boots. The hero looks to the left, standing in a theatrical pose with his leg outstretched. He holds the sword in both hands, the blade pointing upwards. The man’s hair flutters in the wind. Facial expressions show distrust and vigilance – lips are pursed, look frowningly. Movement on the card is conveyed with the help of numerous clouds, a flock of birds and a deformed silhouette of tree crowns. The young man stands on a low hill. The sharp peaks of the mountains are visible in the background. The sky is bright blue.

The youth of the hero on the Page of Swords card symbolizes the initial energies of the element Air. This is an understanding of the injustice and cruelty of the world, a willingness to play without rules. The purple color of the shirt means wisdom, and the red boots – aggression, vitality. Shades of yellow hint at practicality, stinginess. By rank, the Arcana refers to the element Earth. Therefore, the card represents infertile soil, lifelessness and scarcity. Steep hills and mountains hint at obstacles, difficulties. The wind symbolizes an active mind, a fast flow of thoughts, a guide to mentality.

Meaning of the Upright Page of Swords Card

• Bad news or the appearance of problems, difficulties along the way.
• The occurrence of a circumstance that must be overcome.
• A challenge and a difficult situation requiring strength and firmness.
• Cunning, wit, observation from the outside, information gathering.

In the upright position, like all Pages, the Jack of Blades denotes a messenger. This card predicts the receipt of news. In this case, the news will be unexpected and most often negative. The Arcana marks the beginning of difficulties, the appearance of obstacles on the way. The querent will face a problem that needs to be addressed. In divination, the Page of Swords falls on situations when you need to think carefully, make some effective decision. At the same time, the card gives a delay – there is time for brainstorming. On the positive side, the Arcana symbolizes clarity in the head, readiness to ward off the blow, vigilant vigilance.

Often the Page of Swords means analysis, the collection of information about someone or something. The questioning person may be followed. The card hints at espionage, fishing out the necessary details, surveillance from the outside. Also, the Jack of Spades can personify a specific person – a young man, or some kind of ill-wisher. The court Arcana shows mockery, injections, provocation on the sly. These are sharp expressions, a sharp tongue, savvy in many matters. Moreover, all of the above can apply both to the querent himself and to his enemies. The card speaks of resourcefulness, cunning and waywardness. Circumstances will force you to show rigidity of character.

Love and Relationships (Upright)

• Observation of a partner, vigilant surveillance, distrust.
• An attempt to humiliate a lover and put him in his place.
• Claims to the opposite sex, rules, standards.
• Exaggerated ideals that do not allow openness, love.

In a love spread, the Page of Swords is an unfavorable card. It shows difficulties in relationships, lack of warmth and trust. Rather, people treat each other as potential enemies rather than allies. Everyone is trying to pull the blanket over himself, to assert himself at the expense of the partner. Here comes the confusion – the couple mixes the sensual side of life with ambition and selfish desires. Lovers become rivals and compete for some prize in the form of received emotions. The card shows a cold calculation, lack of illusions and hopes.

For lonely people, the Page of Swords predicts the protection of their own interests and the right to privacy. The questioner himself does not want to let him in, give warmth and share love. It is completely closed, approaches the choice of a partner with a sober head. That is why it is difficult for the querent to understand what his heart is saying. And often, the demands made on the opposite sex will not be satisfied. The fortuneteller tries to reshape others in his own way and therefore remains alone.

Career and Finance (Upright)

• Any work related to the collection of information, analytics.
• Real estate agents, managers and financial brokers.
• Lack of funds, unstable earnings, difficult times.
• Waiting for the right offer and looking for opportunities.

As a significator of activity, the Page of Swords shows agents, managers, analysts. These are people who constantly process a large amount of information, monitor the market and customers. The final result depends on their reaction and timely actions. But in terms of work, the Page of Air speaks of the arrival of unpleasant news from superiors and colleagues. The questioner will face difficulties. He will be forced to redo the work or somehow respond to criticism, make adjustments.

In terms of finances, the Page of Swords characterizes a difficult situation. The fortuneteller must constantly be on the alert, grasping for any offer. If he hesitates, he may lose his delicate balance. Money comes, but there is an acute shortage. This is a situation where a person is interrupted by temporary earnings. Also, on the card are circumstances that force you to take a part-time job. More expenses than income. No peace of mind about your financial situation.

Health and Spirit (Upright)

• Quick reaction, mobility, also strength at any age.
• Tall, dry skin due to lack of body fat.
• Clear head, intelligence, curiosity, skepticism.
• The ability to analyze the situation, wait for the time to strike.

In the context of health, the Page of Swords symbolizes good vision, hearing, reaction. The man has a sober mind. At any age, he can boast of body flexibility, stretching. The card means bearing, stateliness. The upright position indicates the absence of excess weight. The questioner is characterized by thinness, dryness. Above average growth is possible. However, sometimes the Arcana hints at dehydration, a lack of body fat. From this, the skin is often weathered, becomes rough.

The mental state according to the Page of Swords card is quite stable. A person does not hover in the clouds, he looks at things soberly. By nature, he is rather a pessimist and always prepares for the worst. However, this approach allows you not to take all the problems to heart and then not worry. The questioner once again does not trust people, just observes from the side and then draws conclusions. He is stingy with warm words, not inclined to chivalrous deeds. However, if necessary, he will quickly put the interlocutor in his place if he crosses the boundaries of the permissible. Such a person knows how to protect himself and loved ones.

Situations and Questions (Upright)

• A break in patterns, a refusal to go the same way, to adapt.
• The desire to destroy all the shackles of the social world, to change.
• Cutting off the unnecessary and leaving the comfort zone, the familiar.
• Self-ruthlessness, also a focus on rapid growth.

In terms of spirituality, the hero on the Page of Swords card vividly characterizes a neophyte in the state of Nigredo. The traveler realized the illusory nature of being and is no longer ready to put up with the same problems. He dresses in black clothes, becomes tough and strong. Genesis is represented as the residence of Hell on Earth. So now all methods are good. In the querent, suppressed character traits begin to appear – rudeness, vindictiveness, ruthlessness. But this is only the beginning of a great game. The traveler only opens the door to an unknown inner world. And foremost, their own demons come out of there.

The Page of Swords asks questions: “What is important to me and what is not?” and "How to distinguish these things?". A double-edged blade is given to the hero so that he cuts off what they don’t need. Like a sculptor, he carves out the beautiful, removing the excess. As a result, you should get your own ideal, devoid of everything base and transient. However, rigidity towards oneself should not overshadow the voice of reason. A seeker somewhere should give up something, and otherwise, on the contrary, defend the highest idea.

Meaning of the Reversed Page of Swords Tarot

• Gathering gossip, misreported news, intrigues.
• Minor dirty tricks, setting others up against the querent.
• Foul play or use of dirty methods, dirty tricks.
• Deception, provocation, unsuccessful attempts, unfulfillment.

If you turn the card over, then the meaning of the Page of Swords changes. A sharp mind turns into bad manners, and an analysis of the situation into real mania. Gossip, intrigues, petty intrigues pass through the Arcana in the opposite form. The querent will be provoked to active actions, the manifestation of aggression. The news is negative. Often they are false, or very far from the original truth. Now there is no place left for the former foresight – the questioner simply torments himself with doubts, cannot react in time. The sharpness of perception is dulled, suspiciousness comes.

The reversed Page of Swords card shows untimeliness, inadequate reaction to what is happening. The questioner can trip himself up, spoil the impression in the eyes of others. The situation does not require it, so excessive caution only hurts. The querent makes a mistake, pulls out a sword where patience is needed. All actions on the position of the card will not bring the desired results. On the contrary, they can only increase the number of problems. Also, the reversed Jack of Air shows the missed blows of fate, a series of minor troubles. The cause of negative events can be enemies, or the fortuneteller himself.

Love and Relationships (Reversed)

• Hidden claims to each other, "take out quarrels in public".
• Constant use of tactics of suppression and humiliation.
• Gossip or intrigue around the personal life of the questioner.
• Wrong positioning among the right people.

In terms of love, the reversed Page of Swords symbolizes an even worse situation. Aggression and unexpressed anger are disguised as actions on the sly. One of the partners is always trying in some way to hurt his lover to the quick, to spoil the mood. Tensions in the bud destroy the very feeling of love. In such a pair there is no place for mutual respect, common development. But there are weighty claims that will never be brought up for discussion. People do not tell each other a lot, and from this they only move away.

For singles, the Page of Swords in the reversed position predicts the appearance of gossip around their person. Someone is spreading false rumors. The personal life of the questioner suffers from this. A gossip can be a former partner, close friend, relative. This information sets people up negatively in relation to the fortuneteller. Either the querent himself comes up with a lot, trying to impress. As a result, others quickly expose the deception and begin to avoid the company of a liar.

Career and Finance (Reversed)

• Omissions in the workplace and in the fortuneteller’s team.
• Inability to communicate or maintain social connections.
• Wrong choice and missed opportunity or delay.
• Deception for the sake of money, deliberate misrepresentation, lies.

In terms of work, the appearance of the reversed Page of Swords marks the beginning of problems. Moreover, the querent creates all the trouble himself. Perhaps he communicates incorrectly with the leader or subordinates. A "deaf" phone leads to a chain of misunderstandings and incorrectly fulfilled obligations. You have to redo everything several times, wasting precious time and your own nerves. The position of the card clearly hints at undeveloped communication. If a person’s activity is connected with the constant transfer of information, then he will inevitably be fired.

The financial position of the reversed Page of Swords is very precarious. The querent has lost its former position, albeit a small one, but the master of the situation. Money becomes a headache for the questioner. The position of the Arcana speaks of an unused chance, the rejection of a profitable offer. The desire to bite off more led to the loss of the last savings. The fortuneteller went the wrong way and is now left with nothing.

Health and Spirit (Reversed)

• Unpleasant sensations, periodic pain in the body, colic.
• Dry weathered skin, cracked heels, scars.
• Suppressed will, desire to speak out, to assert oneself.
• Dissatisfaction with one’s own life, one’s affairs.

If the Page of Swords fell upside down, then the card denotes unpleasant periodic pain. Discomfort can be caused by stomach cramps, calluses, or an ingrown toenail. The position of the Arcana indicates the possible development of the disease into a more serious stage. It is also dystrophy, lack of moisture or nutrients in the body, beriberi. The skin is dry and may start to crack. There are small bleeding wounds. But as a method of treatment, the Page of Swords reversed shows therapeutic dry fasting – that is, without taking water into the body.

The mental state is read as unfavorable. In the opposite sense, the Page of Swords denotes inexpressibility. A person is on the sidelines, they do not take him seriously, and therefore they do not listen. Lack of responsibility and respect makes the querent feel inferior. This gives rise to a desire to at least somehow assert itself. The questioner can say "no" to those offers that he would gladly accept. The personality criticizes everything and everyone, is never satisfied with the current state of affairs.

Situations and Questions (Reversed)

• Misinterpretation of practices, occult knowledge, experience.
• Misconceptions about one’s own abilities, gift.
• Orientation outside; the desire to surprise, leading to shame.
• The first problems on the spiritual path and the barriers of the ego, the mind.

From the position of spirituality, the Page of Swords reversed denotes all delusions, false knowledge. The neophyte falls into the error of inexperience. He operates with concepts that he did not fully understand. According to the position of the card, various charlatans, pseudo-magicians pass. Their lies are just a reflection of their own inner world. Often such people do not pursue the goal of making money on their “gift”. They simply sincerely believe in their uniqueness. However, the thought flow has nothing to do with clairvoyance. They are just chaotic ideas dictated by the restlessness of the mind.

The Page of Swords in the opposite position asks questions: “What am I wrong about?” and “Why can’t I accept myself?” The seeker is invited to look in the mirror to find the truth. The ugly truth about yourself will still have to be accepted. Her bitterness will forever relieve the desire to assert herself, to surprise others. The spiritual path, foremost, is the search for the inner home. And attempts to seem out of this world, to show uniqueness, are the delusions of the ego. When the traveler comprehends the truth, he will not need to say anything. Then the people themselves will simply be drawn to this energy.

Page of Swords as a Significator of a Person

All court Arcana can represent people. The Page of Swords in the upright position symbolizes tall youths of thin build. In terms of character, these are very smart, quick-witted individuals, intellectually savvy in many matters. They learn from the first time the information received, attentive to details. Such people are easily given the study of mathematics, the exact sciences. At the same time, in social terms, such a person is closed, does not like to unnecessarily demonstrate experienced emotions. The card also shows very inquisitive children, developed beyond their years.

The reversed Page of Swords changes the characteristics of a person. Now, the Arcana represents very envious and prudent people. Often they are offended by their low position on the social ladder. Therefore, such a person seeks to recoup on someone. Revenge can be expressed in the form of writing complaints to various authorities, inventing fables about their enemies. At the same time, a person cannot directly express the negative. He has to disguise himself, constantly invent intrigues.

Page of Swords: Combination with other Tarot Cards

Advice and Warning of the Page of Swords Card

The upright Page of Swords advises to turn on logic, to make a detailed analysis of the situation. Now it is important to move away from the problem, to abstract for a while. The key to solving a case lies in the ability to wait. Only after the querent thinks well, draws the appropriate conclusions, then it is already possible to actively declare one’s position. If the card lay flat, then the Page of Swords also warns of a possible strike. You must always be on guard, keep your finger on the pulse. The people around will try to harm the querent in some way, to hurt him with a word. It is worth repelling all attacks with a proudly raised head, not obeying.

However, if the card is turned upside down, then the Page of Swords advises to be careful. You need to follow the conversations around, try not to get involved in other people’s strife. You should also be more silent and listen, not speak directly about your own point of view. All of the above can be used to the detriment of the fortuneteller. As a warning, the reversed Page of Swords also alludes to the dangers of self-expression. Everything that happens is a kind of provocation, a trap. In no case should the questioner fall for this bait. If he somehow reacts to events, he will do himself harm.

Page of Swords: Daily Card Meaning

The Page of Swords in Tarot that has fallen out gives a conflicting meaning to the spread on the card of the day. On the one hand, unexpected bad news may come today. There will be a refusal, or criticism of the questioner. In this case, everything said will be logically justified. Surrounding as if testing the strength of the querent for strength. But also the events taking place will help to temper the character. We’ll have to turn on a sober mind, get together and defend our own position. The Arcana can also show an intellectual dispute with a difficult interlocutor. Sometimes the card predicts a meeting with an unusual child, a child prodigy. Such a person, regardless of age, can give good advice.

The reversed Page of Swords, on the contrary, promises an “empty” day. Today, the fortuneteller will hear some gossip. He may also face unprofessionalism, unethical behavior. Someone will try to piss off the questioner. These days, most people around you cannot be trusted. All of the above can be safely divided into two. The position of the card indicates intentional misinformation. Today, you can meet "zombified" people. They will promote other people’s ideas in order to captivate the querent with them. You do not need to trust anyone, and even more so, agree to any actions. There is a great risk of being deceived and serving as a pawn in someone else’s game.

Suit of Swords