The Whip, as we have said previously, is a card with a harsh disciplinarian energy. As such, it can really hurt and be too much to bear at times. This can involve arguments, criticism that’s supposedly “for our own good” and hardships that we find generally painful. It can also be abusive. The pain involved can also be applied to literal injuries, especially sporting injuries.
The Scythe, on the other hand represents the sharp blade of a knife. We are cut, sliced, stabbed and as such, it can represent actual physical harm. There is a swiftness about the Scythe card, which means that it often represents accidents as well as more metaphorically very sudden attacks or pain that happens seemingly out of nowhere.