AVOIDANCE
STALEMATE
On the Two of Swords, we see a young woman who has put a barrier of swords across her heart. Her rigid posture tells us of her struggle to keep her feelings under control. She is fending off any approach from the outside. “Nothing comes in, and nothing goes out,” she says.
The Two of Swords is about the barriers between ourselves and others and those we create within ourselves. Internally, we block off emotions and refuse to feel them.
We avoid looking at the truth and pretend that everything’s OK. We think one way but feel another. In countless ways, we divide off parts of ourselves and try to maintain them even when we know they need to be reconciled.
In readings, the Two of Swords often appears when you are not willing to accept some truth about yourself or the situation. What are you feeling? Are you resisting tender feelings because you might be hurt? Are you furious even though you’re smiling? What are you refusing to look at? Notice the blindfold on this woman. She can’t look at the truth or even acknowledge that there is trouble.
The most common barrier is a closed heart. When we cut ourselves off emotionally, we sever the connection that allows our love to flow outward. Sometimes this action is necessary, but it always comes at a great price. Every time we close off our hearts, we find it more difficult to open again. Another barrier between people is a deadlocked situation. When two parties are set in their positions – cut off from each other – there is a stalemate. To break it, the “opponents” must come out from behind their swords and listen to each other. The lesson of the Two of Swords is that barriers are not the answer. We must stay open if we are to find peace and wholeness.
blocking emotions
- denying true feelings
- stifling a natural response
- keeping another at arm’s length
- hiding distress
- turning a deaf ear
- being defensive
- maintaining your cool
avoiding the truth
- refusing to look at facts
- pretending everything’s fine
- ignoring the warning signs
- closing your eyes to what’s going on
- avoiding an unpleasantness
- choosing not to know
being at a stalemate
- feeling afraid to act
- reaching an impasse
- staying stuck
- refusing to decide
- being unwilling to rock the boat
- staying on the fence
Some possibilities
- Fool – opening up, uninhibited
- Wheel of Fortune – moving, getting things going
- Justice – accepting the truth, accepting responsibility
- Star – free flow of positive feelings
- Three of Wands – moving forward, looking at the facts
Some possibilities
- Moon – self-deception, not seeing the truth
- Nine of Wands – being defensive, closing yourself off
- Seven of Swords – running away from the truth
- Four of Pentacles – stalemate, blockage
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.