5 of swords = doing what you can?

Marsy

I often get this card when a person is ashame of their actions and regret the things they said/did but is choosing to suffer in silence. They want to make things right but they know they are no match for their opponent and will ultimately loose if they put up a fight. Nor do they want their bad actions being thrown in their face. So ultimately the battle might not ever actually materialize because 1 of the persons doesn't allow themselves to be confronted by their opponent.

pandap

Puffette said:
I feel the need to give a counter argument on the last phrase. The conflict aspect is very true,many times this card is representing a conflict but.. one of the people in discussion becomes somehow the winner. He has won this "title" by leaving his interlocutor in total fog and at times humiliation. It is a card representing shame and unworthiness... Even if its just about a silly fight between two lovers,the thing is that it ends with one of them having the last word(as u mentioned) and winning the argument while the other partner gets to remain behind with lots of questions and doubts about how much they value for them.

In my personal experience with this card, no-one ends up winning. Perhaps they both think they've won because they both think they're right, but realistically, neither have. Even the person who had the last word continued to seethe because the other party refused to engage any further and didn't respond. It's not that the argument was won at all, it was left unfinished. All that was achieved, was broken friendships.

Marsy

pandap said:
In my personal experience with this card, no-one ends up winning. Perhaps they both think they've won because they both think they're right, but realistically, neither have. Even the person who had the last word continued to seethe because the other party refused to engage any further and didn't respond. It's not that the argument was won at all, it was left unfinished. All that was achieved, was broken friendships.

Totally agree with things being left unfinished. Either things will at some point progress to the 6 where harmony is reached or things never fully get resolved.

Puffette

pandap said:
In my personal experience with this card, no-one ends up winning. Perhaps they both think they've won because they both think they're right, but realistically, neither have. Even the person who had the last word continued to seethe because the other party refused to engage any further and didn't respond. It's not that the argument was won at all, it was left unfinished. All that was achieved, was broken friendships.

I speak from my own experience too,years of tarot,shuffling for myself and friends,clients,people who asked me to shuffle for them,so many life situations and circumstances. It is about an entire package of examples that gave me a better understanding of this card. The 5 of swords speaks about imbalance because one person gets to be the victor and the other one the loser(the way this card is pictured it is more than clear,the guy who smiles and those who bow their head in despair in the distant background).
5 of swords as strange it might seem speaks at times about finished situations-clear cut. I know a real case described by this card,one of the people had the last word,left and the other partner got defeated and broken hearted,humiliated as result of their conflict. Things ended forever,period,never spoken since then. Its not like this person couldnt respond in his defense,but he had nothing to respond with,things were too damaged to be repaired,too many mistakes. He had to swallow his words and admit that she was right and he even said it clearly that she had it all on her side even if she was cruel and behaved agressively and left him humiliated on purpose to punish him.He knew he couldnt win and conformed to the situation. At the end of the day she got out of the story as being the victor,her reputation clear as crystal and proud(this is what she wanted in fact) and he remained behind as the one that lost everything.(ashamed,his ego smashed).This example i had it represented by the 5 of swords.
This card speaks about battles and defeat,hate,envy,cheating,feeding your ego. I think at the end of the day it says that one party wins the argument. The other party either knows he cant win or he simply feels there would be no point to fight further because he doesnt have enough resources. This is the card of the bully. IF one day the person who got defeated turns around the corner and decides to re-establish its reputation by any means and i get the chariot along this card that its called vengeance but he would be in the situation to face a strong opponent which i doubt he can handle. This is how the 5 of swords works. It makes u feel so tiny and powerless after losing once.
6 of swords as Marsy said helps to calm the querent but the memory still lingers,u move towards calmer days and maybe u forgive at some point but u might never forget what happened. Not necesarily harmony.. i would not call it like that since this card is still grey and sad looking. It is more about leaving behind,having to do it and moving on. Harmony is more having to do with Temperance i think.

pandap

Puffette said:
I speak from my own experience too,years of tarot,shuffling for myself and friends,clients,people who asked me to shuffle for them,so many life situations and circumstances. It is about an entire package of examples that gave me a better understanding of this card. The 5 of swords speaks about imbalance because one person gets to be the victor and the other one the loser(the way this card is pictured it is more than clear,the guy who smiles and those who bow their head in despair in the distant background).
5 of swords as strange it might seem speaks at times about finished situations-clear cut. I know a real case described by this card,one of the people had the last word,left and the other partner got defeated and broken hearted,humiliated as result of their conflict. Things ended forever,period,never spoken since then. Its not like this person couldnt respond in his defense,but he had nothing to respond with,things were too damaged to be repaired,too many mistakes. He had to swallow his words and admit that she was right and he even said it clearly that she had it all on her side even if she was cruel and behaved agressively and left him humiliated on purpose to punish him.He knew he couldnt win and conformed to the situation. At the end of the day she got out of the story as being the victor,her reputation clear as crystal and proud(this is what she wanted in fact) and he remained behind as the one that lost everything.(ashamed,his ego smashed).This example i had it represented by the 5 of swords.
This card speaks about battles and defeat,hate,envy,cheating,feeding your ego. I think at the end of the day it says that one party wins the argument. The other party either knows he cant win or he simply feels there would be no point to fight further because he doesnt have enough resources. This is the card of the bully. IF one day the person who got defeated turns around the corner and decides to re-establish its reputation by any means and i get the chariot along this card that its called vengeance but he would be in the situation to face a strong opponent which i doubt he can handle. This is how the 5 of swords works. It makes u feel so tiny and powerless after losing once.
6 of swords as Marsy said helps to calm the querent but the memory still lingers,u move towards calmer days and maybe u forgive at some point but u might never forget what happened. Not necesarily harmony.. i would not call it like that since this card is still grey and sad looking. It is more about leaving behind,having to do it and moving on. Harmony is more having to do with Temperance i think.

Well, that's the beauty of Tarot. Cards come up for people, with different subtle meanings, depending on their personal experience and take on the card.

I don't doubt you're experience, I'm simply stating mine, which although may not be as long standing as yours, is experience nonetheless.

If Tarot was that clear cut, there would be no need for forums such as this, everyone could just refer to the singular meanings in books.