The Ace of Swords often is said to represent truth, mental clarity, inspiration, new ideas, breakthroughs, success, and those aha! moments. Like all four Aces in the tarot, these are moments that can be fleeting and thus moments of opportunity ripe for the picking.

But that isn't all the Hanged Man is good at. I struggled with this card for a long time, hitting a mental wall whenever he would come up, it got incredibly frustrating incredibly quickly. This is a great card for those whose minds are slightly left of center. Those that find themselves outside the neurotypical spheres that much of society inhabits. The Hanged Man is not looking at the same map you are in the exact same way you are. Instead, this upside down figure sees multiple strings he could pull, roads he could wander down. 

For many, when this card appears they shrink away from the pain that this card communicates. Traditionally, this card is an indicator of heartbreak, loss, suffering, and emotional trauma.

This kindly figure lounges in an outdoor scene, sometimes depicted with swollen belly, and we feel her power over the natural world. She is the Empress. 

Since when is getting everything you want something hard to decipher? I mean, if you work hard and invest enough then surely everything will go your way and come up roses. Right? Well...