VICTIM MENTALITY
MARTYRDOM
The Ten of Swords appears to be a card of terrible misfortune, but surprisingly, it often represents troubles that are more melodramatic than real. The man on this card has quite a few swords in his back. Wouldn’t one be enough? Isn’t ten a little excessive? Perhaps this gentleman’s suffering, though sincere, is exaggerated as well.
One meaning of the Ten of Swords is hitting rock bottom. When one disaster follows another, we feel devastated at first, but eventually we throw up our hands and laugh.
It’s so bad, it’s funny! In films, the hero says, “What else could go wrong?” and we know that’s a signal for the bucket of water to fall on his head. When you see the Ten of Swords, know that the last bucket has fallen, and you can expect a turn for the better.
bottoming out
- having nowhere to go but up
- knowing it’s darkest before the dawn
- being at the lowest point
- feeling things can’t get worse
- preparing for an upturn
- reaching the pits
feeling like a victim
- bemoaning your fate
- feeling powerless
- seeing life as hostile
- suffering from an attack
- wondering “Why me?”
- feeling self-pity
- being on the receiving end
being a martyr
- putting your own interests last
- being self-deprecating
- feeling like a doormat
- taking a back seat
- letting others go first
- sacrificing
Some possibilities
- Chariot – self-assertion, power, victory
- Two of Wands – power, self-confidence
- Six of Wands – self-promotion, being on top of the world
- Nine of Cups – satisfaction, happy with conditions
Some possibilities
- Hanged Man – sacrifice, martyrdom
- Eight of Swords – victim mentality, powerlessness
There are no separate explanations for reversed cards. The meaning of a reversed card depends on what the card would mean if upright. A reversed card shows that a card’s energy is present but at a lower level. For some reason, the energy cannot be expressed freely, normally, or completely. It may be:
- still in its early stages
- losing force and power
- blocked or restricted
- incomplete
- inappropriate
- being denied
- only present in appearance
See Lesson 17 for more information on reversed cards.