BLOCKED EMOTIONS AVOIDANCE STALEMATE
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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 Reversed Early Phase: You may start shutting down emotionally. Your heart may become hardened. You're thinking of hiding your feelings. Walls may begin to form. Someone may become distant and cool. Late Phase: You're unblocking your emotions. The ice is beginning to melt. Someone is less defensive now. You can no longer bottle up your feelings. |
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 Reversed Early Phase: You may begin avoiding someone. Someone may start ignoring a problem. An unpleasantness may be swept under the rug. People may start pretending. Late Phase: You can no longer avoid the situation. You've decided to stop pretending. People are less inclined to ignore the truth. It's no longer necessary to keep up a show. |
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feeling afraid to act reaching an impasse staying stuck refusing to decide being unwilling to rock the boat staying on the fence |
Reversed Early Phase: A stalemate may develop. Positions may become fixed in place. Options may begin disappearing. You may be heading toward an impasse. It may get harder to maneuver in the future. Late Phase: The stalemate is dissolving. People are no longer fixed in their positions. There's less fear of making a move. You're less reluctant to rock the boat. |
Description
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 seems to say.
The Two of Swords is about the barriers we put up 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 really 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 heart, 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.
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 Possible Reinforcing Cards
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
