In a word (upright)
This card shows hurtful events and painful feelings. When you're sad, you don't need to pretend to be fine. Acknowledge the pain and let yourself cry. Those tears are the beginning of healing.
When it appears reversed
Your heartache is slowly healing. You'll gradually be able to accept the painful events as part of the past. Stop blaming yourself, and begin preparing to face forward.
A starting point through the image
In the older guidebook's illustration, The image depicts a heart pierced by three swords beneath rain clouds.
Use Separation · Sadness · Sorting out your words as a clue when considering something on your mind. A figure in the image need not represent someone of a particular age or gender; it can also symbolize a role held by you or someone around you.
Upright meaning
This reflects hurt from misunderstanding or distance. Narrow disappointment to consider the reply you need now. Write concerning words separately from your understanding and mark reasons not yet asked about.
This position focuses on what becomes visible when you pause, rather than adding more. Separate the reply you are waiting for from what you want to think about yourself.
Reversed meaning
Feelings and information may mix, inviting clarity about what hurts. Write events in order and mark unheard reasons, separating imagination from fact to choose the next question.
Write events in time order, mark reasons not yet asked about and choose one next question.
Love and relating to your partner
Speak about one reason for hurt. Place a concerning phrase beside how you would like it expressed next time, returning from scoring the whole relationship to a request.
Consider the matter on your mind through What you discussed together and the reasons filled in by assumption. List separately what the person has actually said and the wishes you have not yet checked; this can help you choose a starting point for the next conversation.
In work and learning
After receiving a critique, handle feelings separately from revisions. Ask about one correction and separate character assessments from working conditions to choose the next step.
For a current task, the perspective is to clarify Decision criteria and information not yet checked. Focus on one step you are responsible for and first agree who needs to decide what.
When this card appears in a three-card spread
In the position for support and conditions to clarify, This position distinguishes a task that needs waiting time from a step that does not. You can also give rest or a pause a condition for when it will end.
In the position for a next step you choose yourself, The next step need not mean doing more. You can also make space by shortening one task or saying how long you will wait for a reply.
For a reversed card, use its reversed meaning and action above, then revisit the conditions to check in the same position. Rather than deciding an outcome from the card's name, consider the adjacent cards and the question selected beforehand together.
One thing to take into daily life
Record a lingering phrase separately from actual events to identify the other person's intention still unchecked.