Wicca Moon Week Monday

Wicca Moon by Shirlee@wiccamoon

The Pause that Refreshes

The 4 of Swords in Wicca Moon Tarot shows a more or less autumnal scene (the leaves do have some red and yellow in them, and the breeze is stirring them about). We see bees and butterflies to remind us of the transformative power of our thoughts. The bumblebee has many symbolic interpretations. They remind us of the importance of being productive, of serving others, and of course of doing what seems to be impossible. (The bumblebee, with its fat body and small wings, seems to defy logic in being able to fly).

The 4 of Swords is traditionally seen as the card of rest, of taking time out. We can forget that time out is transformative in nature, and that taking time out leads to greater productivity, and increases our ability to be of service to others.



The message for me today in this card is to remember 'the pause that refreshes'. This pause, for me, is a pause in thought. It's that magic moment between an occurrence and my reaction to it. It's during that magic moment that I can choose how I react to it, or if I even want to react to it. It occurs to me that counting to 4 would be a good technique to remind me. Instead of counting sheep, count swords, four swords, four seconds to keep my thoughts and words in check. In fact, it wouldn't be counterproductive to imagine four restful images, or count four blessings, or think four affirmations, or even say 'thank you' four times in my head. Or even four 'allelujahs' or 'sat nams' or 'blessed be's' or four 'namastes' or whatever phrase works for you. 'All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.' That's only three, but it's a lovely phrase. And it takes four 'beats' to say.

Okay, then. My goal for the day, when something happens, anything, to which I would usually 'react' -- I will pause long enough to repeat to myself, 'All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.' (With thanks to Julian of Norwich.) Or whichever of my other options springs first to mind.

Allelujah, sat nam, blessed be, and namaste to you. And may all be well.