When the II of Swords show up, we’re receiving a dose of hard reality. She is never a surprise when she comes round, and she will only discuss the one that we absolutely do not want to address. The message is resolute, however: we are avoiding something, and that needs to stop.
Dealing with the realm of the mind, swords often represent our internal world. They encompass the motives behind our actions and the ways we process and respond to things. Where the Ace of Swords represents all that is possible with the use of human intellect, II of Swords comes to tell us that potential can’t be actualized unless we are receptive enough to see a picture bigger than we currently are.
The woman depicted in this card chooses not to see. She chooses to put up her barriers and to internalize. While this is a common response for many dealing with something that’s considered complicated or unpleasant, this action does not make anything easier. This unassuming act of preservation typically makes the situation worse. Avoidance leads to anxiety, uncertainty, and confusion. It facilitates an internal environment that triggers stagnation and regression.
Fear grips us all at some point or another, and we have all experienced a moment in our lives where we deny our true feelings, have refused to make a hard choice, or avoided the truth to keep the façade that everything is okay. The longer we allow that behavior to continue, the harder things become, and the more resistant we become to change.
Minor arcana cards express the path we are on and the shape that it takes, giving insight into the day-to-day things that sit directly in front of. As situational as some of these cards may seem, they still do not offer context, and II of Swords is just the same. This card comes in and tells us we need to honestly assess ourselves, to make a decision or action we’ve been flippant about or do some course correction. At face value, much like the bulk of the Swords suit, this card seems quite unsavory, but it’s important to remember that all cards are entirely neutral. The II of Swords is just as likely to represent something insignificant that simply needs to be dealt with, as something overwhelming and anxiety inducing.
What always remains is the message of the card that can be applied to any situation, big or small:
What is it that we are choosing to avoid because it seems easier to hide?
Why are we choosing to not see?
How is our life impacted by inaction?
Where in our life is greater accountability needed?
What is the underlying reasoning for the barriers we put between ourselves and our environment?
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