Minor Arcana - The suit of Swords

Swords are the element of air. This is our intellectual world, the thoughts in our heads – including fear, insecurity, self-doubt – and our principles, our sense of right and wrong, of justice.

• seeing things from a new perspective; finally able to put something into words; clarity

• finally speaking your truth. could be painful (to yourself or others)

• encouragement to think about how you’ll tell your story - use your voice/words

• beginning of new stage in study, learning, teaching - is there something that you’d like to study/teach - honor these urges

• focus on what you know, think things through, put emotions/desires aside for now - what is fair/just/right for you

• strategy, planning, setting out the path clearly

mental boundaries

• quieting all voices outside and inside our minds - feel our way through to our own truths

• or: losing track of wider situation by being focused too far within - don’t lose sight of other opinions

• moon: symbol of intuation - this is not a purely mental process - let uncounscious wisdom rise up

• what needs to be quited? unfollow, unfriend, mute, block (online/offline)

• return to meditation practice - claiming regular time to deep-dive into own subconcious

scarred, but strong

• heartbreak, sadness, loss, grief

• resilience, heart doesn’t truly break but mends itself

• allows you to collapse and feel pain, you don’t have to do a thing except feel

• this too shall pass, there is life on the other side of this; maybe one day you wear your scars with pride

give yourself a break

• our minds need rest in order to recuperate strenght - some of the best ideas are born out of rest; when mind is left to its own imaginative devices and has space to process

• sleep, take a holiday, a change of scee, retreat, netflix binge, go camping,

• basic self-care: breath, stretch, take a nap, drink water, quiet cup of tea

• turn of online life - let eyes scan horizon

• do something that requires no thoughts (run?)

a battle for no gain

• conflights/fights - is it still worth it?

• no-one really won at all, and you’re no more a ‘loser’ than anyone else

• you don’t have to have the last word; more loving to admit efeat and turn attention to something more positive/productive

• Acknowledge that this battle isn’t worth fighting any more, and be ready to lay down your sword. Healing may not happen right away – things are a little raw – but at least the stage will be set when the time is right.

time heals all wounds

• begin or continue to move the process of moving on (after a difficult time

• tired, but wiser and stronger. Sad, but determined to start over. It’s a healing journey

• carry with you the wisdom and the scars

• someone (or time itself) guides or supports us in healing (can advise therapy)

• Healing is transformational. Experiences that may once have been painful or buried deep gradually become a part of your life that you can learn from

what we hold back

• someone is hiding or holding back truth (dishonesty / theft / sneaky behaviour) - why?

• If there is an area of your life where you are not being completely honest, spend some time thinking about this, thinking about what’s going on

• confront if you feel someone is not honest with you or walk away if someone has repeatedly lied to you or hurt you with dishonesty

self-doubt

• immobilising insecurity - our mind as boundary (prisoner of our minds)

• you have a choice: step out of fear and powerlessness - reframing

• you hold the key to your own healing

• what unnecessary boundaries are you creating around yourself. Where are you holding back out of fear or self-doubt? Where are you saying “I can’t…”, when you know you’d really like to try?

• mental health issues: anxiety/depression - self-harm, addiction, self-destructive behaviours

when worries overtake

• being overwhelmed with worry or fear (sleeplessness?)

• things feel far worse than they really are

• overthinking/ruminating

• ease your mind, take care of you (self-care techniques, compassion, get support, communicate)

• write a to-do list, take the first (small) step, reframe the situation

rock bottom is a springboard

• all hope seems to be gone - but its not, hope is on the horizon - this will pass

• a new day will soon begin - no way but upwards from here

• sometimes positive, can-do kind of attitude is needed to get past this bump in the road

• endings: The closure of an especially tough chapter in your life, one that may have been dominated by your mind - time for change