The cards pictured are from Uusi’s ‘Pagan Otherworlds’ deck.
Whenever we receive a ten card it means we are at the culmination of a journey, something has reached its limit and we cannot go any further. When it comes to the Ten of Swords this is a good thing as we need to release and evolve.
With this card, we often find ourselves saying everything is okay when it’s not. We are in pain and the world is in pain. We oscillate between feeling it deeply and not feeling it at all. We cannot take it all in at once or it will honestly be too much.
We have been distracting ourselves with whatever we have needed at the moment. The Ten of Swords tells us that it is perfectly reasonable and normal to use distraction to get through intensity.
Many interpretations of the Ten of Swords speak to how positive or negative thinking creates the circumstances in our lives. They will say if you pull a card like the Ten of Swords, you need to examine your thoughts and actions and see how you manifested a negative event.
This is a harmful idea, that our ability to project the right energy is connected to everything we do. I do not subscribe to this belief. Our thoughts do not make bad things happen. Our thoughts can impact feelings, but they do not create negative or positive events.
This idea makes people think their lack of commitment to positivity made something negative occur. And that negative events only happen to those that don’t keep a hopeful mind at all times. Negative things happen to everyone, regardless of their thinking patterns.
Swords rule the mind and thoughts are hard to control, especially after something terrible has happened. But we can let both negative and positive thinking exist at the same time.
We can think how unfair life is and let a beautiful sunrise make us feel the slightest bit better. We can acknowledge that things are retched while also reaching out for support from those that love us.
Part of working with the energy of the Ten of Swords is also letting go of the guilt for the things we have used to get through. To move to the next phase, we will need to be at peace with what we have needed to cope.
Work on your compassion and acceptance of yourself this week. Don’t force your thinking to be too positive if that doesn’t feel right. Through self-compassion you will find your way.
Our next card this week is the Queen of Wands. She is determined and full of grit. She has reserves of inner strength and knows her own power. She is here to support us with the energy of the Ten of Swords.
The Queen’s body is adorned with the beauties of the earth. She lovingly gazes down at a black cat, her guardian that protects her from harm and connects her to the natural world.
In one arm she is holding a staff that grounds her. With the other, she is holding treasures of fresh greens and sunflowers from the forest. All these items share their good health and grace.
The Queen of Wands is our trusted guardian. She nurtures others and herself through her earthly wisdom and cunning use of resources. She is in our corner, helping us feel bold and courageous. Her generous spirit will fill us up and we will feel safe and inspired.
She is here to help us tap into our own wisdom, to help us replace fear with knowledge. Our fears usually live in our imagining of the unknown. But when we have awareness, we can be less afraid.
The Queen of Wands offers her aware and grounded energy to us. She says to fill your home with flowers and enjoy the magical pleasures of this planet. She calls us to connect to what is ancient and powerful in us. To nurture our bodies and provide our strength to others in need.
Both our cards this week share their support and encouragement as we navigate the days ahead. They offer their gifts if we are willing to accept them.
Mantra for the week: I accept my emotions and release any guilt. My fears are eased through the grounded energy of the earth.
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