Today’s card is the Queen of Swords from the Spirit Within Tarot by Steven Bright. As you all know I identify highly with this queen and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how Steven has captured her in his deck.
We see a woman sitting at her desk in front of her laptop, scratching her head with a pencil. She is obviously pondering what to write next; how to formulate her words in a way they will describe her feelings and ideas as clearly as possible. It feels so natural to see myself in her place. It is almost as if the silhouettes are inviting us to put ourselves or others in the depictions of the deck.
I like to journal, almost on a daily basis. It helps me to get my mind in order and to think in a more linear way, which can be a good thing when your mind sometimes resembles a merry go round. Also, I feel that writing things down makes them more real, more tangible. I’ve been journaling since I was ten years old so I can hardly imagine myself without a journal by my side.
And then I was wondering what she was journaling about and I got …the Nine of Pentacles. This is a favorite of mine in any deck. Although I don’t shy away from writing about sad and painful things, I do like to emphasize what is beautiful, magical and delightful in life. Focusing on the sad stuff comes naturally to many of us. It used to be that way for me too. So nowadays I’d like to push myself a bit further and try not to write only about the clouds but even more so about their silver linings. Like the lady in this card, I have so much to be grateful for.
I also identify with the Queen of Swords (she's the other side of the coin to my Queen of Pents), so I was very happy to see her portrayed as a woman with a brain rather than simply cold and icy. Rick Hanson says we need to intentionally remember more good things than the bad, because the bad sticks like velcro in the mind and the good slides out so easily. :D
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly with this statement. It is so easy to focus on the bad things. also often we get the most attention when we talk about diseases, divorces and lost jobs.
DeleteBeautiful Reading
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
DeleteThose two card pair so well together and you have given us an insight to their pairing. I like to take the place of some of the characters in the cards, it is a good way to really get a feel for them and of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThese card are really so easy to enter. Pathworking, I believe it is called.
Deletemy mother in law has 50+ years of journals, half a closet full, all about that she took her pills and names them and what the weather was when she gets up. I expect her daughters dumped them when she moved to an apartment. I'm thinking they were her life line of continuity in a troubled and sometimes overwhelming life.
ReplyDeleteSome people do need a journal for that purpose. The mere act of writing these things down every day must have given her the structure she needed but I can imagine they are not very exciting to read. :)
DeleteI totally agree: Steven's images work really well because you can almost imagine these are your own shadow, with the light behind you :) And how perfect a combination - two of my favourite ladies, too! You describe the Queen of Swords beautifully, pondering how to formulate her words. It's amazing how writing works, bringing a clarity that thinking on its own does not achieve :)
ReplyDeleteWriting words is my true passion. I don't really care whether or not I am good it. Just the act of writing brings me so much joy
DeleteWhat a compelling deck! I've added it to my Wishlist. And I love your insights into the pairing of this complex Queen and the 9 of Pents.
ReplyDeleteI know for sure you will enjoy working with it Zanna! Thank you for stopping by. :)
Delete