Saturday, October 28, 2017

Eight of Swords - I am my own worst enemy

Raven's Prophecy Eight of Swords Maggie Stiefvater blog bloggerMy life feels often quite overwhelming lately.  Perhaps because stuff is always happening beyond my control or it might be caused by the fact I am gradually trying to get off my sleeping medication which is mainly a “Stop worrying at night pill”

So for today, I have asked my cards how to simplify my life and I got, please don’t laugh, the Eight of Swords from the Raven's Prophecy Tarot. I didn’t see that one coming. This card is all about getting trapped by our own beliefs, our need to control and our self-doubt. This card is about being our own worst enemy. Look how the right hand is holding the left and causing us to be the victim and the attacker at the same time. The Eight of Swords tells me that maybe my life isn’t that overwhelming but that my thoughts about it are creating a more or less distorted vision of it; seeing problems and obstacles which aren’t there yet and probably will never be there either. It is hard to recognize the obsessive worrying and making up scenarios with the worst outcomes, after such a long time but it is good to know my cards are here to encourage me to stop this self-defeating behavior. Perhaps it is time to start meditating again and to practice living in the here and now, which is always perfect, simple and easy to manage. 

10 comments:

  1. As a fellow insomniac, I send you a gentle hug. (((E)))
    This card always makes me think of Byron Katie's 'Four Questions:'
    Is it true?
    Can you absolutely know that it's true?
    How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
    Who would you be without the thought?

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    1. Thank Bev! These are some valuable guidelines to separate the wheat from the chaff.

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  2. Insomniac too. It's not even about worrying. The off switch in my brain hasn't worked for ten years now. I know the knock out pills I take are not healthy. Well done you for trying to wean yourself off yours.

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    1. Thank you. I take it very slowly so the succes rate will higher. I am now on 50% of my usual daily dose. I've taken them for about 15 years now and like yours they aren't healthy at all

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  3. If you treated your daughter like you treat yourself would you think you were way out of line? Treat yourself with the kindness you show M. You are worth it.

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    1. Now you've made me cry a little...
      Thank you my dear Sharyn
      Big hug

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  4. Insomnia here too. We could start an army of women around the world trying to function with insomnia.

    If you persevere in cutting down on the sleep medication, your body will adjust somewhat. I had a week where I could not seem to get more than 3 to 5 hours of sleep and it's quite draining especially to my creativity. So when I get like that I take a Gravol motion sickness pill which will knock me out. I slept for 9 hours last night and feel like myself again.

    However, I can't take them regularly as they make me dizzy and give me headaches, but every now and then to break the cycle so I can fully rest, they are effective. Medications do tend to get a grip on you, changing brain chemicals, so not good. I'm glad you are taking steps to wean off. It's hard.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by! :)
      It is indeed hard. I an surprised so many of us have the same problems. Weaning off meds is a slow process. I hope I will able to do without them eventually.

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  5. i am intrigued with the notion of one being the attacker and the victim at one time. Very thought provoking. Truly we can be our own worst enemy,

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    1. So often we sabotage ourselves by negative self-talk or unhealthy habits and beliefs. The Eight of Swords has been my stalker card for a very long time

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