IV – Four of Swords♠
Tree of Life Path:
Click to enlargeElement
Sephira
World
Yetzirah (World of Formation)
Decan
Keywords
Rest, Relaxation, Meditation, Contemplation
Other decks
Tarot de MarseilleFour of Swords calls for rest and recuperation, a pause to restore your energy and reflect on your path. Attributed to Jupiter in Libra, this card carries the title Truce—the temporary cessation of hostilities that allows for recovery, the sacred pause in which the warrior gathers strength for future battles.
The Four of Swords is the sanctuary of thought, the time for contemplation and healing. The figure lies in repose upon a tomb, hands folded in prayer, while three swords hang above and one lies beneath—the troubles temporarily set aside while the mind and body restore themselves. This is not retreat but strategic withdrawal, not defeat but wise conservation.
In Qabbalistic terms, this card corresponds to Chesed, Mercy, in Yetzirah—the stabilizing force that brings order to mental chaos, the compassionate rest that the mind requires after periods of strain. The Four of Swords teaches that renewal follows rest and that clarity is born in silence. It invites you to step back from conflict, to allow your thoughts to settle, and to trust that peace is not merely the absence of struggle but a positive force of restoration.

Upright
Rest, recovery, contemplation, rejuvenation, healing, strategic retreat, mental peace.

Reversed
Burnout, restlessness, inability to relax, delayed recovery, forced return to action.