Is the Tower worse than three of swords?

Rachx

I've just done a comparing options spread of 3 cards for 'come home' and three cards for 'stay there'.
The come home spread ends with 3sw and the stay there spread ends with Tower. Given the general spread of cards leading upTo these two there is not much in it to decide between them. These final cards are the decider almost! First impression was I'd be better coming home and facing sorrow and heartache here (3sw) than facing the more catastrophic Tower if I stayed there (as it's a trump over the three). Then I got to thinking perhaps it's better to face the music and actually be there when the Tower hits. The three could mean just a bit of upset (delivered by Kn swords previous card) and I may be more comfy at home. That then got me to thinking which is the worst card? Thought it could be an interesting discussion? It will depend on the situation no doubt and the other cards. This situation is just a mundane day to day one - seeing a Trump like the Tower has elevated it a bit! Using Robinwood (like a RWS) no reversals
 

rwcarter

Other interpretative possibilities for those cards are painful truth (3S) and crumbling of your foundation (Tower). So if you come home, you may have to face a truth that you've been avoiding or you may realize that you made a mistake. If you stay there, you may find that what you thought is a solid foundation falls down around you. But if that happens, the foundation needed to come down anyway so that you can build something stronger.

Rodney
 

Thirteen

Depends. Which do you like least? Being surprised, or having suspicions confirmed?

"Worse" is not quite the right word. The 3/Swords, even if it involves a stab of pain, can also be a relief and that's not always bad, is it? And the Tower can shout "Surprise!" As in a surprise party as much as it can shout it for something unpleasant. In short, you can't view these cards as scary terrible and ask "which is more scary-terrible." They predict information coming to you which alters the situation in a way that might cause you discomfort. But which way is more uncomfortable to you is up to you.

To clarify:
With the 3/Swords you strongly suspect this painful news, and in fact have experienced a heavy heart full of dread about it. "Is it true?" You've been anxiously wondering. The 3/Swords is where you hear it confirmed, and that may give you a stab of pain, but also may give you a sense of relief. Now you know; now you heal and move on. With the Tower, you didn't know or suspect. That's why the news shakes you up. This sudden realization is why you'll feel a bit shocked and like you have to put things back together again before you can move on.

So, which is worse? The Tower is a Major, and that means that it will feel "bigger" and stronger. But it really depends on what kind of person you are. Some people go right into action and deal wth surprise emergencies really well. To those people the Tower isn't so bad, but they hate having their worst suspicions confirmed. They'd rather not ever hear that truth. Meanwhile, some people really want suspicions allayed, to them the 3/Swords is better. It's a relief. But they don't deal well with surprises and to them the Tower is worse.

What kind of person are you? That's where you'll find the answer to your question.
 

Rachx

Other interpretative possibilities for those cards are painful truth (3S) and crumbling of your foundation (Tower). So if you come home, you may have to face a truth that you've been avoiding or you may realize that you made a mistake. If you stay there, you may find that what you thought is a solid foundation falls down around you. But if that happens, the foundation needed to come down anyway so that you can build something stronger.

Rodney



The truth I may have to face is that I made a mistake coming home! So - maybe to stay and face the tower means I will have a chance of rebuilding on better foundations. (In other words avoiding the mistake [emoji23]) If I come home then the Tower may not happen and I miss the opportunity for growth (and pain) and that is the mistake? It's like mirrors in mirrors [emoji4] so is Tower a better or worse card than the 3 if it can give the chance of growth and rebuilding ? I don't know- it's an interesting one to me. A bit caught between the devil and a hard place! X
 

Rachx

What kind of person are you? That's where you'll find the answer to your question.



That's ace Thirteen[emoji23] I'm chortling away here - I've been wondering that all my life !!! Heeheehee

You have hit the hammer on the head of the nail as per usual (#genius!). It must come down to the way we face our fears and what mindset we are in and how we feel. It's really interesting how I initially wanted to avoid the tower (as it is the Major) and plump for the sting of the three. On reflection the sting of the three may be the mistake of not facing up to the opportunity of the Tower! But, it may not be, it may be something else. In this draw it's difficult because the rest of the spread was very evenly matched. I love the conundrum. It's just quite interesting. the "coming home" option (i.e. The three) was the first option and laid above the "stay" which was the second option. (I.e. Tower) As the three came first would that mean it points to something different and doesn't allude to the mistake of avoiding the Tower at all?
 

Ruby Jewel

I've just done a comparing options spread of 3 cards for 'come home' and three cards for 'stay there'.
The come home spread ends with 3sw and the stay there spread ends with Tower. Given the general spread of cards leading upTo these two there is not much in it to decide between them. These final cards are the decider almost! First impression was I'd be better coming home and facing sorrow and heartache here (3sw) than facing the more catastrophic Tower if I stayed there (as it's a trump over the three). Then I got to thinking perhaps it's better to face the music and actually be there when the Tower hits. The three could mean just a bit of upset (delivered by Kn swords previous card) and I may be more comfy at home. That then got me to thinking which is the worst card? Thought it could be an interesting discussion? It will depend on the situation no doubt and the other cards. This situation is just a mundane day to day one - seeing a Trump like the Tower has elevated it a bit! Using Robinwood (like a RWS) no reversals

The 3 of Swords portends a time of sorrow and melancholy due to a distancing or a lack o communication (ie secrets). It can also mean feeling alienated from your true self by failing to make the right choices for your own happiness. The Tower indicates a release from this period of imprisonment...being shaken out of our delusion. There is a divine power (lightening bolt) behind this shake-up that removes the mask from the falsehoods. The two go togoether like a "horse and carriage." If I drew the 3 of Swords, I would hope to draw the Tower as it would mean I am on the right path.
 

Rachx

The 3 of Swords portends a time of sorrow and melancholy due to a distancing or a lack o communication (ie secrets). It can also mean feeling alienated from your true self by failing to make the right choices for your own happiness. The Tower indicates a release from this period of imprisonment...being shaken out of our delusion. There is a divine power (lightening bolt) behind this shake-up that removes the mask from the falsehoods. The two go togoether like a "horse and carriage." If I drew the 3 of Swords, I would hope to draw the Tower as it would mean I am on the right path.



Ah okay! So I can maybe tie the two together now. The situation is one where I can't do right for doing wrong. The distancing makes sense here as I would be coming home and that's a distance. I dare say then that whichever choice I make the three AND the Tower will show up and it may just be a timing issue! [emoji23] so even if the three points to a mistake in not facing the Tower, the Tower will pitch up at some point anyway as it can't be avoided because it's a natural divine power I can't change. If it can't be avoided then I may as well go for the Tower and stay, but then if the three is a different thing, by "coming home" gives me the full whammy. Did I mention I was a masochist?! [emoji23]
 

headincloud

Neither card is worse than the other because they don't give the overall picture. You've got disruption in the tower but you know you're facing disruption because you're considering a shift, the shift is the tower to my mind and 3S could simply suggest cutting ties with the situation.
 

Rachx

Neither card is worse than the other because they don't give the overall picture. You've got disruption in the tower but you know you're facing disruption because you're considering a shift, the shift is the tower to my mind and 3S could simply suggest cutting ties with the situation.



Hi Headincloud, that's a good point about the overall picture. They were both the final cards in three card spreads so just gave a third of the overall picture. The rest of the cards were pretty samey in that not one choice stood out above the other. The Tower was the only Major, so stood out from that POV.
The Tower was in "stay there" so by Shift do you mean metaphorical change rather than literal driving home or not driving home? Sorry - I'm not quite understanding that bit?
I get what you mean about cutting ties with the situation though as I would be leaving that situation by coming home and that makes perfect sense.
 

headincloud

Hi Headincloud, that's a good point about the overall picture. They were both the final cards in three card spreads so just gave a third of the overall picture. The rest of the cards were pretty samey in that not one choice stood out above the other. The Tower was the only Major, so stood out from that POV.
The Tower was in "stay there" so by Shift do you mean metaphorical change rather than literal driving home or not driving home? Sorry - I'm not quite understanding that bit?
I get what you mean about cutting ties with the situation though as I would be leaving that situation by coming home and that makes perfect sense.

The tower is simply reflecting the disruption involved in these changes coming in for you. I used the word shift as in a change. The tower to me comes in when change is inevitable and it's looking unlikely you'll stay hence the disruption to your everyday life and situation.