I recently had a reading where the 5 of Swords came up as the outcome for my love life over the next year or two. To be honest, I see this card as pretty negative—it gives me vibes of giving up, feeling defeated, and walking away with a sense of loss and disappointment. Definitely not the ending I was hoping for. The reader told me it was actually a positive sign, meaning I’m moving toward a relationship with clear goals, better communication, and more maturity. But I just don’t see that in this card.
Does anyone else have a different perspective?
5 of Swords in Love
Hey!
I get why the 5 of Swords feels negative in a love reading. It’s a card that can suggest conflict, loss, or walking away, which isn’t exactly what you want to hear. But it could also be about setting boundaries and cutting through the noise to get to something more real.
If the reading didn’t sit right with you, trust your intuition. Sometimes the cards are just giving us a heads-up. How does that interpretation sit with you? 
- Windows
I totally think the reader was trying to sugarcoat it. The 5 of Swords definitely needed more clarification in that context. If it had come up with a card like the Sun, it might have indicated that you’re finally ready to assert yourself and set boundaries in a relationship, which could lead to some mental or verbal conflict but would ultimately be a positive thing. But that’s not what you got.
On its own, the 5 of Swords is more about the risk of miscommunication or even some self-sabotaging behavior in your love life. It’s a sign to be careful. Honestly, I’d recommend finding a different reader next time.
Joanna13
No, it wasn’t, and she knew I was a reader too. The 5 of Swords has been showing up in a few of my readings lately, and it really reflects what I’ve been through—loss, disappointment, feeling like I’ve failed, and conflict. It’s spot on for how the past year has felt. But seeing it as an outcome card without any clarifier or other cards was pretty disappointing.
All the other cards were taken away, and this one was pulled last from the deck with nothing else around it.
The reading was:
- Ace of Swords
- Page of Cups
- Moon (reversed)
- Drawn together
- 8 of Pentacles
- The Sun
- Drawn together
- 5 of Swords (on its own)
- Windows
AbbyDav
The only thing I can think of is that maybe she was trying to connect all the cards together but didn’t explain that clearly to you?
Assuming you’re single, the first batch of cards seems to suggest that you’re going to get some clarity about what you really want in a relationship, which could make you more open to finding someone who’s right for you. It looks like there’s a good chance you’ll meet someone, but you’ll need to let go of any negative past experiences and approach things with a fresh perspective. The second part of the reading feels like a reminder to learn from past relationships and do some self-work before finding “the one.”
With that in mind, the 5 of Swords doesn’t seem as negative as you might think. It’s more of a warning to be careful of self-sabotage and miscommunication, especially if you’re still feeling guarded from past hurts.
Maybe the reader misunderstood something? If the overarching theme was love in your future, there is certainly a connection between all the cards, even though they may have been a little exaggerating. But that's simply my opinion!
Joanna13
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking too, but these cards were read individually, without tying them together. Honestly, I wouldn’t go back to that reader. As a reader myself, I always make sure to address any follow-up questions directly. This experience wasn’t great, to be honest. Now I need to find someone new to read for me. I try not to read for myself because I know I tend to sugarcoat things, which makes me wonder if I’m interpreting the cards correctly or just being too optimistic!