Eight of Swords - I am my own worst enemy

My 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. 

Ace of Pentacles, Eight of Swords - Two creatures are walking in the forest

  

Two creatures are walking quietly in a dark forest. Each following their own path:

A warrior woman with her crow is carefully putting one foot before the other, expecting to be ambushed any moment from now. Behind every tree there  could be lurking a potential and ruthless enemy. There is only one way forward and there is no room for mistakes, because she knows that the tiniest mistake could be paid for with her life.

A hedgehog is scurrying between the rustling leaves, acorns and other autumnal seeds and fruits. The hedgehog is grateful for these small gifts from Mother Nature and while enjoying his meal he is always keeping an eye out for signals of danger. But he is not afraid. He knows he is more than capable to protect himself and so he strolls further over the crunching leaves without worrying about the sniffing and chewing and all the little noises he makes.

Two creatures are walking in the forest; Who are you or maybe  you are a bit of both?

(Ace of Pentacles and Eight of Swords from the Tarot of The Hidden Realm)

Eight of Swords and Five of Cups – Finding a way out

Today’s card is the eight of Swords from the Shadowscapes tarot. “Not again! ”(Deep sigh).

This card is all about being held captive by our own limiting and condescending thoughts. Although I do love working with his deck a lot, I have to admit I get a bit tired of all the swords it is handing me out. I think I do get the message now: I need to be more in though with my feelings in order to be able to move on from this plight. In this card we see how a little tiny colorful bird is showing the magnificent white swan the way out of the brambles.

For advice on how to free myself I thought I’d pick another deck; perhaps one less prone to present me a Sword card. I chose the Wild Unknown Tarot and the card I got was the Five of Cups:

I immediately was reminded of Eeyore the donkey, friend of Winnie the Pooh, who has a “always look on the dark side of life” demeanor.  So the ability to step out of the Eight of Swords situation it is not about being  more in touch with your feelings because our Eeyore knows all about that.

This card also want us to look up and this time to our five cups filled with things to be grateful for. Lifting your head up is an active conscious decision. Whether it is to God, to our higher self, to the abundance in our life or to the sun, I believe if we choose peace and acceptance over misery we may not be happy right away but it is a much better place to be that fighting to get out of a desperate situation while being sorry for ourselves.

And maybe, just maybe this challenging situation might be the door to something beautiful

"I'd look on the bright side, if I could find one." –Eeyore .

Eight of Scrolls – Illusion

For today I've drawn the Eight of Scrolls (Swords), from the Chrysalis Tarot. A far less glooming depiction than we find on a more Rider Waite based Eight of Swords. Here we see an Egyptian visionary with her Crystal ball gazing at eight pieces of shredded scroll.  She is hovering over a camel in the desert, a symbol a endurance.

This camel makes you wonder, how long you have been carrying your obstructing, fragmented stories through your emotional desert. With each step they alter, cause for more fear, anxiety, stress and illusions. Because most of the time we tend to fill in the gaps with negative self talk, worries and doom. This card urges you to enter the tent of the visionary, where she will guide you to gather the pieces and with focus and heartfelt intent and to see  the content of the entire scroll for what it really is. 

This is like a bucket of water for the camel; a relief, a moment of rest, of freedom and letting go. 

Then the visionary gives you a new blank scroll to write down your story, so whenever you doubt or are tempted to add preconceived notions and misinterpretation you can write down what you really know to be true

Today I am going to I consciously check if my thoughts and assumptions, are based on truth or illusions and journal about it.

Eight of Swords – Opening the Gate

For today I've drawn the Eight of Swords from my newest addition to my tarot deck collection: the Mary El tarot by Marie White. I've had it for a few weeks now and to be honest is has taken me some time getting used to. The imagery is stunning. But to interpret these cards is a real challenge.  The eight swords in this card are incorporated in the gate. Upon closer look it is a rather strange gate without hinges or a latch. A gentle push will open it and give way to the path leading up to the tower. There is a light in the tower and somebody seems to be waiting for you there. If the tower wouldn't have been illuminated, I would have suspected, that was what was holding me back: Being safe in my hiding place, keeping the world outside. But it is the  inward journey, which can be even more daunting, this card is talking about. When we dare to face and let go of limiting thoughts like fear and worries; when we are brave enough to change our perception, we are able to move through the gate, pick some roses and meet our whole potential self. Because that’s who this red figure in the doorway is, according to the guidebook. It makes sense that rigid thought patterns will block our intuition which is the path that will lead us to the tower and meet the one inside.

It is remarkable how my latest daily draws are tied together by my intention to face my fears. It is giving me the feeling I am on the right path now.

The Three Blessings

It sounds like the title of a fairy tale but in fact it is the subject of a three card tarot reading which Carla from Rowan Tarot came up with. Kerry from Neopagan Priestess has tried it too.

I liked it so much and thought it was such an uplifting spread, that I would like to try it for myself. I've used the Morgan Greer tarot and after shuffling my deck I asked: “What are my three blessings for this phase in my life?”

And I've got:

The Eight of Wands:

Things are speeding up and going my way. Actions of the past are setting things in motion for today. My eight wands are sprouting, so lots of my creative ideas are full of possibilities. I can pick the one which I feel most passionate about without letting myself get overwhelmed by the other seven (The Eight of wand is my todo list card J)

The Eight of Swords:

No more bondage by limiting thoughts. I am able to take of my blindfold and remove the ropes around my body. I can enter the castle behind me and go to my art room to play because playing is sacred, making mistakes is a must, and trying is a gift to myself.

Three of Pentacles :

And the first two blessings are coming to fruition in the last one: Creating with pleasure, inspiration and fulfillment. This card is one of the most supportive cards in the deck for me. The Empress may be all about creativity but here we see a craftsman doing the work en enjoying himself. Improving your skills day by day is a gift not a chore.

A Three Card Daily Spread – Trusting my swordy skills will remove my blindfold

For today I've done a three card daily tarot spread for myself with The Original Rider Waite Tarot. The positions are as following:

1 The general energy of the day

2 The challenge of the day

3 The gift of today

The Original Rider Waite tarot

1 The general energy of the day – Four of Cups

For me today this card is all about having enough to deal with and not needing any more cups  with emotional “surprises”. There is a lot going on at home which is putting me in the position of maintaining the emotional stability and to be honest it is exhausting. So three cups in a neat row is manageable but I don’t want anything else on my plate. Please !!!

2 The challenge of the day – Queen of Swords

My rescue might come from my inner Queen of Swords if, I will be able to channel her qualities: Keeping my head above the clouds. Making kind but firm decisions and setting some boundaries to take care of my own peace of mind. How I love this Queen and the wisdom with which she reigns

3 The gift of today – Eight of Swords

Yay, my gift is to take of my blindfold and step out of my circle of limiting beliefs. I am stronger than I think I am and pitying myself is not the way to tap into that strength. So chin up and try to take some time to recover, without wallowing in self pity.

So I will be able to cut away the ropes which are draining my energy and do the things I love which a clear mind. Staying active is the best medicine for today and every tomorrow

A three card spread about communication skills

For today I've drawn three cards. First I'll read the center card and then the two adjacent cards which are explaining or modifying the center card.

The center card is the Three of Pentacles and usually I read this as my creativity card but today the three debating persons are standing out more to me. Two people are standing on the side and sharing their knowledge and ideas with the craftsman. I have the feeling they want to defend their point of view without acknowledging the practical skills of the artist

Universal Waite Tarot

In Holland we have a saying which, when translated, literally says: "The best helmsmen stand on shore" and it is the equivalent of "Bachelors' wives and maidens' children are well taught." Only the Dutch saying  is probable slightly more applicable to this card.

I read the Three of Pentacles today as the Springtime gardening discussions between M. and me. M. is doing the hard work  and I have an advantage in experience. She wants to be responsible for the whole garden but I want to have some say in it too. And to be honest we don’t always agree about everything.

I see both the sword cards as  the two extremes in how we might convey our opinions. The Eight of Swords is about a  having a victim attitude, being a pushover and taking no responsibility  for what is happening and the Knight of Swords is quite the opposite: everything has to go his way or he can be become very annoyed at the least. The eight of swords attitude mostly happens when one of us doesn’t get her way (childish, I know J).

As always it is usually for the best if we to try to search for the middle way. In that way we can both have our say and learn from each other’s point a view.

It was very funny to be able to discover our gardening issues in my daily draw

Interview with the Wildwood Tarot

Never before have I done a deck interview spread with a new tarot deck. But yesterday, with this deck it felt like it was the appropriate thing to do. In that way we would get formally introduced to each other. Although I know it’s just a pack of 78 cards, it feels like there´s an old energy  surrounding this deck. It’s making me a little bit hesitant to approach it; to work with it. I’m not that overly sensitive, so this is rather new for me and I am wondering: who am I kidding? That’s why I decided to do the deck interview. I've mixed up some the other interview spreads that I've found online. These are the questions for my deck and the cards that I've drawn:

Wildwood Tarot deck  interview

1.       Who are you?

The Wheel -  I am the loom of the Wildwood and I will teach you how to weave

2.       What is your most important characteristic?

Eight of arrows -  I have enough courage and dedication to keep going even when our thoughts  collide and dilemma’s arise. I will keep my torch burning hoping for better times.

3.       What are you going to teach me?

The Gardian - I will show you how to face your fears and how to enter the dark caverns of your mind.

4.       what can I give you in return?

Ten of arrows -  Respect and reverence and an open communication

5.       What are your strengths as a deck?

Knight of bows – fox – I am determined, dynamic and clever, and where necessary innovating.

6.       What will our relationship be like?

Four of vessels – beware of boredom and disenchantment after the first rush of infatuation . We’ll strive to keep things fresh and alive and search for new challenges.

7.       Is there anything else you would like to tell me about yourself?

Queen of vessels – My child I will guide you with love through the Wildwood and I’ll ask you to dedicate yourself with an honest and open mind to our journey together

This was a very deep experience. I just sat at my table watching my cards and felt really connected to whatever it was I felt. For some cards I had to look up additional information in the guide book but the overall message was very clear… I had to laugh about the gift of respect this deck wants from me. I was right about that J

Also the Fox of bows has given an unexpected touch to this reading. “Innovating and clever” wasn't what I had in mind for this deck. It has added an unknown spark of wit to it.

This reading has been very helpful to get the edge of our first real encounter and we’ll see where we’ll go from here.

Help I‘m haunted by a tarot card!

October 10:  At this time the birds are migrating. The birds fly high above the ground and see a lot. What gives me a wide field of vision?

Rider Waite Tarot

Well what do you know:  Today I've got the Eight of Swords; Again!!! Whatever deck I choose there she is again! Even when I use my trusty, Rider Waite deck. This deck was the first to introduce me to the wondrous world of tarot. And it still has a special place in my heart. But let’s get down to business. How do I get from this restricting place to somewhere, where I can have a wide field of vision. First I have to get rid of that f*cking blindfold and loosen my ties, Then I turn around, walk between the eight swords and away from the muddy ground. After a stroll along the seashore I reach the mountain, which I have to climb. Then, probable with soar feet, I arrive at the castle, climb the stairs to find a man holding a globe and a wand. I ask him what is doing there and he answers: “I have found a wild field of vision.”

So taking that example, today I am going to focus on all the possibilities I still have to enjoy myself and keep myself busy. This will be a lot healthier then playing a pity party because I have neck problems. So instead of focusing on the problem I am going search for the solutions with a broad perspective J

Take of that blindfold

Druidcraft Tarot

24 September: This is the last day of the corn harvest: “Harvest home”.  From the last corn a corn dolly was made to keep the spirit of the harvest alive till spring. What can I do to keep the spirit of this harvest  alive?

Today I’ve drawn my card out my Druidcraft Tarot. Just for some variation. Imagine my surprise when I’ve got (again) the eight of swords. It is the same card that I ‘v picked for the waning part of this moon cycle (what do I want to release). So let’s remove that blindfold…

The spirit of the harvest is for me all about gratitude, abundance and celebration. It is easy to forget those attitudes in the coming weeks with heavy rainfall and stormy weather. Or in our ordinary daily life’s, when routine takes over and we just struggle to get through the day. For me it is so important to be aware of my blindfold and limiting beliefs. So I am going to dig up my gratitude journal and taking up that practice  again: writing down at least three things for what I am grateful for at the end of the day. In that way I will take of that blindfold and step out of the circle of swords

New Moon in September

After a meditation in my garden, I drew two cards for this new moon from my Osho Zen deck. (This is an idea from Neopaganpriestess).

What should I let go of: Conditioning

What should I welcome in my life: Playfulness

Osho Zen Tarot

 These cards gave me the goosebumps for they talk about attitudes I really want to try to let go and to develop.

The time is now right for me to shed my sheepskin and let my wild woman run free to play and enjoy herself. Perhaps first like a gentle fun-loving cat to rediscover my inner self. But I am certain my inner Lioness will emerge in due time.

I have combined this spread with a slight variation of the tarot spell from Monsoonmagick:

Pick three cards from your deck that represent your intentions for the next mooncycle and put them on your altar as a focus point;

One card for the waxing moon; for what you want to welcome in your life.

One card for the full moon; for your goal. What do you want to have accomplished  and is to be celebrated on the full moon.

And one card for the waning moon; for what you want to release or be careful for.

From my Crystal Visions Tarot I’ve picked the matching cards: The devil and Page of wands,

so for the waxing moon I've already got the page of wands. For the full moon I've picked the Strength (Yes, me and my lioness J) As my goal for the full moon is to embrace my inner lioness. For the waning moon I've picked the eight of swords. My all-time nemesis card.  I want to be strong enough to prevent myself from falling in to repetitive blocking and paralyzing thought patterns.

All four cards are now on my altar. During this waxing moon my page of wands is on top. I put some  carnelians around them to enhance the energy.

Crystal Visions Tarot - Jennifer Galasso

I am very excited to work with these three cards this monocycle and I will let you know how it went.