King of Swords - He is not so bad after all

I really felt like blogging this morning so I picked up my trusted Original Rider Waite and pulled …oh no, not him… The King of Swords. My earlier enthusiasm dropped in an instant. What to do now? Pick another card? Chose another deck? Often when resistance towards a card is so strong it says more about us then about the card itself.

So what feeling is he stirring within me when he looks at me with piercing eyes, while sitting on this throne, holding his sword firmly in his hand?

The strict teacher, always being judged, never being good enough, a warning finger, criticism, he sometimes feels like a nightmare version of Santa.

Just yesterday I thought that a gentle reminder list could be more efficient for me than a todo list with boxes to tick off. But today it almost feels like he doesn’t  agree with this at all. But then I realized this king is a part of my personality: My inner critical Ellen. Always on the lookout to find something I messed up or failed to do.

Luckily like all tarot cards this King has also positive traits, So for today I am going to list as many as I can think of or find in my reference books:

The first few: Quick decision making, committed,  abiding by self imposed rules, has his way with words, writer, diplomatic, problem solver, unbiased,  ethical….. etc etc etc

Perhaps I was too quick to judge (neg. king again) and maybe he is not such a bad guy after all

King of Cups – The perfect ally for this season

For this new moon I drew the King of Cups from the Morgan Greer tarot in the Embrace position. 

I am not a huge fan of the King cards in general but for me this one is the most easy to relate to. He is kind and wise, he is compassionate and tolerant and he is intuitive and artistic. So what is not to like about this King. Since he has come up in the embrace position I want to emphasize his  positive traits over his more challenging ones. What I love most about him is his emotional stability and great involvement  in the lives of his people and the way he offers them advice and guidance in times of need. He also teaches me not only to give advice but also to be open to receive advice from others. Ask M, because she knows how difficult it can be to tell me to slow down and rest more.

He is also a peacemaker which can be quite a useful  energy to identify with during the holidays. Together with his other aspects he is the perfect one to have around this season. And maybe this stretches a bit too far for some of us but he does remind me a bit of  Jesus himself.

So what could be a good way to manifest his energy today! and I got the (don’t laugh) the King of Swords. This card will remind me to keep a balance between my heart and my head. Embodying the king of Cups could perhaps lead to improvident actions. I supposes the clear mindedness of the King of Swords will protect me from becoming overly involved or too compassionate and he will make sure that my personal boundaries are guarded at all times. I am sure these two kings will have a lot to talk about.

New moon in January

This month I have used the Mary El Tarot for my New Moon tarot spread.  I have been working with this deck for a few days now and my intention is to pull one card each day and set those cards apart from my deck. That way in 78 days I will have worked through the entire deck. I hope it will strengthen my relationship with this intriguing but very complex deck. For this spread I will pull two cards: The first one for the energy I am going to release and the second one for the energy which is beneficial for me to embrace:

Release – Seven of Cups

With this card we are presented with a black wolf, our animal self, our fears and deepest desires. Normally it would advise us to step of the well worn path and enter the forest to meet our wolf. But in the Release position it tells me not to walk to deep in that forest for I might get truly lost. This is not the time to dig deep for the roots of my fear and anxiety.  I see this  a warning not to stir the smooth surface of my subconscious, so that I won’t get overwhelmed by what lies beneath.

Embrace –  King of Swords

This card is quite the contrary of the previous one. The king of Swords wants me to control my thoughts, master my mind and focus on what I want to manifest this month. Only after scanning this card I noticed there are words written alongside his quills which are the swords he uses to rule his realm. The written word is a powerful tool to keep our mind focused and our intention clear.

As you all know my eldest daughter S and my SIL are living with me for a few weeks now and they plan to move out in about three weeks. So a lot of our conversations and activities are gathered around this pending move. Since it is not my move but theirs I have to allow them to make the necessary decisions about Everything! And that’s not easy….

So instead of worrying and trying not to smother them with well meant advise, I will write write and write, first to clear my mind from obsessive moving thoughts and then to focus on how to make more room for myself: for reading cards, reading books, listening to music and painting in my art journal…

The King of Swords needs to loosen up

My card for today is the King of Swords from the Original Rider Waite Tarot. It is not the first time this week the King of Swords is passing by. But today I finally understood why it is he is paying me a visit so frequently. 

Lately there are so many things on my mind; so many choices to be made. And don’t fret, nothing life threatening or life changing is going on, it is just me and my constant need for control who wants to organize and structure her life. Questions like: what journal do I use, do I type or write by hand? Do I paint in my small art journal or in my larger one? Do I meditate in the morning or in the evening etc etc etc. All those questions prevent me from doing something. 

So I pulled another card and I got the three of wands. Oh what a wonderful solution. Standing on a hill top watching the ships go by. For now he has nothing to do, the choices he has made in the Two of Wands are the right ones. Being confident about the decisions he has made is paying off. Maybe the ships are sailing to far away countries or maybe they are returning to the harbor, but either way there is movement in this card which is lacking in the depiction of the King of Swords.  So movement, flexibility in thinking and deciding is what I will focus on today. Nothing what I will decide today will be set in stone forever. So letting go of the need to structure (control)my life will give me a sense of ease and a freedom to listen to the whispering of my intuition telling what is good for me right now!

The King of Swords can be somewhat intimidating….

After yesterdays Queen, today the King of Swords is making his appearance and he doesn't seem to be too happy about things. Maybe in his point a view the queen was still too soft. His blue colors are more vibrant which tells me he is even more sure about himself than the queen. When necessary he can detach himself from his emotions; his feelings and his intuition. He is holding his swords more firmly than the queen and his eyes are piercing through you which might make you shrivel when you have to approach him. He has lot of idea’s but he is also a man of action so when he decides to do something he will execute his decisions and he will have the discipline to uphold them.

Of course this could be about M’s promise to take care of her puppy and be responsible for him not only for the first weeks but also to be committed for the long run. But since not all is about the puppy (yet) I feel as if I have been summoned to his court and he is asking me about my meditation practice. Oh my, I did have such high intentions and I can meditate for a week in row but then things happen; first appointments are starting to  interfere with my routine than the little things as TV series, the laundry etc, are becoming “so important”. So today I have picked up my practice and meditated in my garden. It was so good to do this for myself. I hope I will be able do this every day and to experience it as a daily gift to myself instead of another box to check. I hope the King is pleased with me J

King of Swords - Think before you speak

Today’s card is the King of Swords from the Goddess Tarot. We see an Egyptian pharaoh sitting upon a concrete bench. His posture is showing his self confidence, his integrity and authority. He is the personification of God on Earth. So he better be right when he decides or speaks. He uses his intellect as a sword to cut away needless discussions to get to the bottom of things and to provide clarity for his subjects. He will not be ignored and is a force to be reckoned with.

This king isn’t painted with blues and grey’s as usual to emphasize his airy aspects.  but instead with the warm colors of Egypt. His face is gentle and kind, instead of strict and severe. This king will also teach me one or two things on how to  settle an argument.He reminds me of my father who was a King of Swords at heart but also such a loving dad. He has taught me the importance of seeking knowledge, of reading and checking facts before you make a decision. And he would always come to my aid if I needed advice.

Today I will try to be more like my dad; to listen carefully and with patience before I speak my mind. 

“There are two things over which you have complete dominion, authority and control: your mind and your mouth” African Proverb