10 of swords crossed by the Hierophant

I did a relationship reading for someone and got this combo as the center of a celtic cross reading. I haven't been given any info about them and how they are (but I have one as facebook friend and apparently it's going good from what I have been seeing there. Relationship is new).
But when seeing the 10 of swords I think something isn't as good as what they portray. I know that 10 of swords is the culmination of all bad and now the only way is up. But I was wondering if the hierophant crossing could indicate that the issues from 10 of swords is hidden, and from the outside they seem good? The center should be about the present, right? So they must be aware of it?

10/Swords isn't that awful....

Adriana said:

I know that 10 of swords is the culmination of all bad

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Whoa. Pretty harsh on the 10/Swords. Look, Celtic Cross says that first card could be the present, or the querent, the issue. Now Swords are communication and that includes the internet. You say one is a Facebook friend. Is this new relationship an internet relationship? Facebook relationship? That might account for the Swords.

10 Swords can mean some bad stuff, like being stabbed in the back, shut down, double crossed. But it can also simply indicate that all that needs to be said has been said. Which could mean that the relationship has moved on from the talking stage into something else. The getting-to-know-you phase of this new relationship is over and they can get into deeper and more important stuff--like, hey, the passion of the wands, the physical connection of the pents, the spiritual romance of the cups. 10/Swords might just be saying that words won't suffice any longer. e-mails, Facebook, and all the rest of that internet world has done it's job. Time to go into a new and different phase.

There is no "culmination" of all bad. No card in the deck is that. Just as no card in the deck is the culmination of all good.

the hierophant crossing

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Crossing indicates something blocking the forward momentum of the situation. So let's say that the 10/Swords does indicate a phase finished and a new one needing to begin. The Hierophant usually stands for morals, ethics, traditions, religion, social conventions, culture, etc. It could, relating to the 10/swords, be something they can't talk about or won't talk about. Anything from "I won't have sex before marriage" to "you need to change your political affiliation." Or it might be an actual person who is likely to disapprove, like an old fashioned dad or it could be an institution--like a religious school that requires it's teachers/students to maintain certain moral standards. The Hierophant could be any of these, even down to an argument over getting married (if this is a gay couple, then they might not be allowed to marry, and the Hierophant would stand for that). But the crossing says that this is blocking the development.

Does that help?

Thirteen said:

Whoa. Pretty harsh on the 10/Swords. Look, Celtic Cross says that first card could be the present, or the querent, the issue. Now Swords are communication and that includes the internet. You say one is a Facebook friend. Is this new relationship an internet relationship? Facebook relationship? That might account for the Swords.

10 Swords can mean some bad stuff, like being stabbed in the back, shut down, double crossed. But it can also simply indicate that all that needs to be said has been said. Which could mean that the relationship has moved on from the talking stage into something else. The getting-to-know-you phase of this new relationship is over and they can get into deeper and more important stuff--like, hey, the passion of the wands, the physical connection of the pents, the spiritual romance of the cups. 10/Swords might just be saying that words won't suffice any longer. e-mails, Facebook, and all the rest of that internet world has done it's job. Time to go into a new and different phase.

There is no "culmination" of all bad. No card in the deck is that. Just as no card in the deck is the culmination of all good.


Crossing indicates something blocking the forward momentum of the situation. So let's say that the 10/Swords does indicate a phase finished and a new one needing to begin. The Hierophant usually stands for morals, ethics, traditions, religion, social conventions, culture, etc. It could, relating to the 10/swords, be something they can't talk about or won't talk about. Anything from "I won't have sex before marriage" to "you need to change your political affiliation." Or it might be an actual person who is likely to disapprove, like an old fashioned dad or it could be an institution--like a religious school that requires it's teachers/students to maintain certain moral standards. The Hierophant could be any of these, even down to an argument over getting married (if this is a gay couple, then they might not be allowed to marry, and the Hierophant would stand for that). But the crossing says that this is blocking the development.

Does that help?

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They are in a physical and romantic (not just cyber) relationship. I just meant that I have one of them as facebook friends and know a few things about them from there, but the sitter didn't tell me anything in person. I used the Rider Waite for this which I normally don't use. I just looked at the 10 of swords and thought that even a cat with 9 lives would struggle with all those swords lol. But I see what you mean, things are probably changing.
Thanks for clarifying, I got another perspective on that 10 of swords now lol.

Given that the ten of swords represents the present/the issue, could this be that the person for whom you read is currently in the early stages of recovery from a previous relationship or some life situation that has involved complex, depressing dynamics? The Hierophant across this suggests that the person may be struggling with their own truth (what they seek from the relationship... what is 'true' for them in relationships) and to whom they are prepared to give spiritual leadership (will they determine the reality/direction of the relationship via their own truth, or will they allow the other person to determine this?) There might be a tendency for the latter to happen, given the exhaustion overhanging from the ten of swords. The flip side of this could be that the relationship is somehow providing them with an opportunity to examine/study what it is that they really want from the relationship. Other cards in the spread may give further clues on this.

hx