Taking action

Universal Waite, US Games 1992

There's no point in reading the tarot at all if you aren't going to take some action, or change your thinking, or at the very least do some reflecting on the message of the cards. I think lots of us are guilty of throwing the cards, having a look, thinking, 'Hmph, good point,' and then going off to continue the very same behaviours that led us to the cards in the first place. We write it up and then don't change anything!

This week I've received some really meaningful messages from the cards, thanks to a technique introduced to me by Rachel Pollack -- the wisdom reading. I feel that this is a technique I will continue to use!

On Monday, in a reading about Life Purpose, I was told to beware the shadow side of the Knight of Cups.  He can be envious, spiteful and self-pitying, amongst other unattractive traits! At the very least, his emoting and self-absorption can lead to torpor, which I have certainly suffered from for the last few weeks. (On the day I did that reading, I set up the Giant Rider Waite cards on my altar -- 8 of Swords on left, 7 of Pentacles on right. Then I did a visualisation. I was the woman in bindings. I slipped them off, freed my hands, and proceeded to knock over the swords. To my surprise, they snapped easily, as if they were made of thin plastic. Then I stepped over into the 7 of Pentacles card and the man and I looked at his plants. Then he led me back into the 8 of Swords card and together we picked up the broken swords and flung them into the sea and stood there listening to the waves. It was an amazingly vivid journey into the cards, and since then, I've felt more 'awake' in myself. I did not plan this journey, I intended only to slip my bonds. The rest of it occurred spontaneously.)


Then on Wednesday, I did a reading about the nature of Time, and was advised to be the Knight of Swords, charging forward to make use of the finite amount of time I've been given here on earth. The 10 of Swords turned up to remind me in no uncertain terms that there is a limited number of hours in each day, and once that day is gone, it is gone. And eventually...you run out of both hours and days. 

I've been meditating on this. I've set up the cards on my altar, using the Giant Rider Waite deck, so that I can contemplate how the Knight of Cups and the Knight of Swords are facing off in my life, and how this battle is important because it is overlaid by the unavoidable fact that actually, no, we do NOT have all the time in the world. 

Instead of putting things off so that I can ruminate over something, or completely zone out, I've been getting up and doing things. I've tidied the flat. I've done all the laundry. I've rearranged my altar. I went to the doctor, then when he gave me a paper to go to the hospital for a blood test, I didn't do as I usually would, put if off to another day, but instead I walked straight there and got it done. I then marched myself to British Heart Foundation where I'd spotted a sparkly Isis statue a few days ago, intent on buying it, but alas, it had been sold. (A small lesson in the importance of seizing a moment rather than putting things off). Yesterday, I did a long meditation in the middle of the day, even though normally I reserve it for morning or night, and if I didn't do it at those times, I just think to myself, 'Oh well, too late now,' and put it off until tomorrow. I just did it. With all that running around yesterday, I didn't get my workout done in the morning, and normally on a day off, if I haven't done the workout before noon, I chalk it up to another 'too bad, too late' and leave it. But yesterday, I actually did the workout at 5 pm instead of making an excuse to myself for why I couldn't. 

So, I'm taking up my sword. Because I don't want to end up with it sticking out of my back. :)