Bohemian Gothic Tarot
FOUR OF SWORDS
Lighter or more conventional meanings
A period of rest and recovery * Taking some time out from the demands of everyday life * An opportunity to retreat from everyone and reflect quietly on things * Recuperation, getting your energy back * A well deserved holiday from work * Allowing yourself to step back and stop worrying for a while.Darker, shadow or more hidden meanings
Finding it difficult to step away from an argument and forget about it * Resting, but not completely relaxing, you are still anxious * A period of illness that takes you out of everyday life for a while * A reluctance to give yourself the recovery time you need.With the Four, the suit of Swords moves away from the drama and tension of the first three cards and presents us with a scene of rest and recuperation. The message is that even in the midst of excitement, passion, struggle and deep emotional and intellectual demands on us, we still need to take time out and simply forget it all from time to time.
The traditional RWS depiction of this card is, however, ambiguous and causes much discussion among tarot readers. It shows an effigy on a tomb, hardly an image of rest and recovery, unless one regards "RIP", "Rest In Peace" as only a period of sleep before rebirth. Even with this interpretation, though, the concept is really too serious for what's actually a fairly everyday meaning.
Ironically, you could say that our Bohemian Gothic imagery is less dark than the RWS in this instance. It shows a youth who looks as if he's merely sleeping deeply even though he is lying on a stone, which could be a tomb, in a church. Still, while he looks relaxed and innocent enough, there are unsettling elements here. Firstly, he still holds his sword, as though to be at the ready for any sudden attack. Then we have to wonder, too, about the raven that perches on him which looks as though it's waiting for him to wake. It may be guard over him, a protective force, or it could be a malevolent watcher, assessing his vulnerability. The stone slab on which the boy lies features a skull wreathed in snakes. If this is a sarcophagus then we may speculate on who is buried there and what the significance of this tomb is.
Interpreting this card depends, as you can see, on the story that we ascribe to this scene. The boy might have recently fought a hard battle, or that may still be to come. He could be sleeping at peace or this might just be a brief respite before his problems resume. Depending on how we decide to read these aspects of the image, the card can indicate someone simply recuperating after a struggle or even getting over an operation or illness. It might also suggest the need to relax and gather strength for some hard times - or recently some hard work - to come. It can be interpreted as showing a short break or stand for a much more extensive period of "time out". The Bohemian Gothic image implies that this is a few moments of peace snatched right in the midst of a conflict; it reminds us that even in times of struggle and danger, we all need to rest and recover at some point.
