Gemini 10°-20° — the Three of Swords
The second decan of Gemini runs Jun 1 - Jun 10, is ruled by Mars under the Chaldean order, and carries the Three of Swords — titled Lord of Sorrow by the Golden Dawn.
Three of Swords
Lord of Sorrow
Upright: Heartbreak, emotional pain, sorrow, grief, hurt
Reversed: Negative self-talk, releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness
Full Three of Swords meaning →Mars in Gemini
Mars in Gemini is force applied through language, which is why this decan carries the most painful card in the suit. The Nine of Swords, Lord of Despair and Cruelty, is the three-in-the-morning card: a figure sitting up in bed with her face in her hands, the swords mounted on the wall behind her rather than touching her. That detail is the whole reading. Mars in an air sign turns aggression inward as thought, and the suffering the card describes is real without the danger being external. This is anxiety with a mechanism, and the mechanism is repetition.
Using this decan for timing
For timing this decan is nocturnal in the most literal sense - the Nine of Swords is traditionally read as a night rather than a season. As a 'when' answer it points to a short, intense stretch, and the useful follow-up question is not when it ends but what would end it.
Where it sits in Gemini
Gemini spans thirty degrees and divides into three decans, each with its own ruler and its own card from the Suit of Swords. This one is the middle ten degrees.
| Decan | Dates | Ruler | Card | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0°-10° | May 21 - May 31 | Jupiter | Two of Swords | Lord of Peace Restored |
| 10°-20° | Jun 1 - Jun 10 | Mars | Three of Swords | Lord of Sorrow |
| 20°-30° | Jun 11 - Jun 20 | Sun | Four of Swords | Lord of Rest from Strife |
The sign as a whole is attributed to The Lovers in the Major Arcana — see why Gemini carries that card.