Three of Swords as Health (Upright & Reversed) Tarot Card Meaning

The Three of Swords is the card of heartbreak, grief, sorrow, loss, trauma, and separation. Three swords pierce a heart, while it rains in the background. The three swords represent the pain inflicted by words, actions, and intent on our emotional and physical selves. Though this may seem dreary and dire, the storm will not last forever, and the sun will come out.  

The Three of Swords reminds us that love and pain are often interconnected. Sometimes we have to experience heartbreak in order for us to learn the difficult lessons that we need to succeed in a future relationship. The Three of Swords also reminds us that the pain we experience is not forever. We can take the swords out, and we will heal. 

Upright Three of Swords as Health

If you are asking about health, and you draw the Three of Swords, it suggests that your current condition is connected to emotional pain, heartbreak, or grief that is weighing on your body or spirit. This card often points to sorrow that hasn’t been expressed fully, leading to both emotional heaviness and physical symptoms. Ignored emotional wounds can linger and quietly impact your overall vitality.

The Three of Swords in a health reading encourages you to pay attention to unresolved sadness, stress from loss, or emotional wounds that need acknowledgment. You may be carrying pain silently, which can create chronic tension or low energy. Giving yourself permission to feel and grieve is a necessary part of moving toward healing.

For physical health, the Three of Swords can represent concerns around heart health, chest pain, tension from grief, or the effects of stress-related conditions. Symptoms like shallow breathing, fatigue, or chest tightness may be the body’s way of responding to deep emotional stress. Supportive care that addresses both emotional and physical aspects can be especially helpful now.

For mental and emotional health, the Three of Swords suggests you are currently experiencing sorrow, emotional disappointment, or deep inner hurt that hasn’t yet been processed. You might be reliving painful memories or feeling stuck in heartbreak. Letting those emotions be seen and heard—even privately—can begin to ease their grip.

If you’re asking about the cause of a health issue, the Three of Swords suggests it may be rooted in emotional trauma, loss, betrayal, or prolonged sadness. Pain from the past may have been buried, but the body remembers and reflects what hasn’t been healed. Exploring these connections with care can bring powerful insight and release.

If you’re wondering about recovery, the Three of Swords shows that healing will come through emotional release, forgiveness, and gently working through heartache rather than suppressing it. Time, compassion, and safe emotional processing will guide your way forward. There is strength in choosing to heal instead of holding it all in.

Need more clarity on your relationship?

Ask unlimited questions in a safe space. Get the answers you need. Your situation is unique. Sibyl’s expert psychics are here to help!

Learn More

Reversed Three of Swords as Health

If you are asking about health, and you draw the Three of Swords reversed, it suggests that your current condition is beginning to heal after pain—though old emotional wounds may still linger beneath the surface. The intensity may be softening, but the memory or emotional imprint is still present. You may be in a quieter, more internal phase of healing.

The Three of Swords reversed in a health reading encourages you to pay attention to emotional healing, and to be gentle with yourself as you move through grief or disappointment. Suppressed feelings could be slowing your progress if you haven’t fully allowed them to move through you. Letting yourself feel even small emotions can help you reconnect with your healing process.

For physical health, the Three of Swords reversed can represent concerns around recovery from heart-related conditions, stress-related illness, or emotional pain that has taken physical form. Your body may be showing signs of improvement, but you still need rest and care. Slow, heart-centered healing practices like gentle movement or quiet reflection will be supportive now.

For mental and emotional health, the Three of Swords reversed suggests you are currently experiencing quiet grief, emotional numbness, or the early stages of acceptance after pain. You may not feel as overwhelmed, but you’re still processing and adjusting. Being kind to yourself during this fragile phase can help prevent setbacks.

If you’re asking about the cause of a health issue, the Three of Swords reversed suggests it may be rooted in emotional suppression, heartbreak that wasn’t fully processed, or lingering sadness. You might have moved forward without fully grieving, and now your system is asking for space to finish what was left unresolved. Revisiting these feelings with support can clear emotional blockages.

If you’re wondering about recovery, the Three of Swords reversed shows that healing will come through release, emotional honesty, and allowing time and compassion to do their work. You are on the path—go slow, stay open, and let yourself grieve in waves. Wholeness comes from feeling, not from forcing closure.

Real psychics. No scams.

Need intuitive advice but wary of getting scammed? Get honest answers, with no hidden fees. No “spell removal” upsells, we promise.

Learn More

Conclusion

For relationships and feelings, the Three of Swords represents pain and heartbreak. Though no one wants to go through pain and experience grief, it is often a necessary part of growth. Pain is here to teach us valuable lessons, so that we may be more open to receiving true, healthy love. 

If you find yourself needing further clarity in your relationship matters that go beyond reading for yourself, Sibyl offers unlimited tarot readings on love & relationships, as a neutral and objective third party.