The Marseilles 3 of Swords.. is it heartbreak or what?

Hello, this is my first time posting on the Marseilles forum.

In the RWS deck (and most derivatives of that), the 3 of Swords is very simply heartbreak and separation.

But I don't get that impression from the Marseilles deck at all. I've read Jodorowsky's book on the deck, and he says the 3 of Swords is an expression of ideas.

I'm just wondering what some of your takes on it might be - especially as it relates to the Empress and her connotations of creativity, expression, love.

Thank you!

I usually don't see 3 of Swords as 'heartbreak' either. As it's connected to the Empress, it can mean, to me, conceiving a new idea, finding a consensus, a mental breakthrough. As is the case with all 3s, I sometimes see it as 3 people involved, but it's usually more in terms of intellectual cooperation/idea pooling.

Still pretty new, but from my studies so far i would peg it as the breakthrough of a new idea or conflict which has been brewing.

3ill.yazi said:

Still pretty new, but from my studies so far i would peg it as the breakthrough of a new idea or conflict which has been brewing.

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This is my take on it too.

In my Ben-Dov book it's called "Victory" and it's about overcoming something and moving forward. It can also involve a third party like Dancing Moon said.

Depends upon the question - in context of questions re: love & relationships then I would generally read swords as unfavourable - and three could represent involvement of a third party - so heartbreak and separation could be a reading in context of such a question - but in a different context, something completely different.

Think I am inclined to view it as conflict and resolution as well.

I'll have to check out that Ben-Dov book.

I don't know if the Marseilles deck has any clear cut cards that spell out "end of a relationship." I guess heart break could possibly be indicated by the 3 of Swords, but in the RWS it seems like a "your relationship is over" kind of card, where as it's more transitory in the Marseilles deck, the way I see it.

In long relationships, people are bound to feel heartbreak, endings, and renewals anyway.

Personally, I don't see the RWS 3 of Swords as indicating the end of a relationship. A heartbreak - yes; maybe, even betrayal/unfaithfulness. But hardly the end per se.

In TdM (and in RWS, for that matter), I'd be watching out for Death, Tower, World, Wheel of Fortune, 10 of Swords, sometimes Hermit and the 9s (indicating solitude) as indicators of a possible ending.

I see the threes as expansion, growing and transforming. I connect that to the pregnant belly of the Empress.
The swords are about the mind for me... ideas, truths, decisions, and conclusions.

I usually interpret the three of swords as the way that admitting a truth can change us. When we look honestly at what's hard to look at, we can come to realizations about it, and only then can we move forward. We grow intellectually by having our ideas challenged, and we can grow emotionally by being honest with ourselves.

I interpret both rws and pip cards in that way, suit + number. In the rws image, I see the swords piercing the heart as taking the truth deep into ourselves, cutting away illusion, and the painful process of growth through brutal honesty. I think the image is powerful, and it colors my impression when I'm reading Marseille cards, too.

I don't really see it as heartbreak in either deck.