Ten of Swords - Blood and Earth

Here we see Oretes in the blood and the earth.When I study the Ten of Swords I see this card as a symbol of today's world. We can feel beaten down, overwhelmed and even enslaved by the furies, by what happens to us personally and or by the events going on throughout the world.

On the other hand people can impart hope to us and we in turn can impart that same hope to others. That said we can't hide our heads in the sand. Nor do we have to be slaves of disillusionment and disappointment to take into the future.

Like most people, I am concerned about the future and I want to remain informed and hopeful. Sometimes I think I listen to the radio too much, but on second thought, it's what the media reports that often leaves me feeling overwhelmed and a little despondent about the events in the world. Then I ask myself, what is it that gives me hope in a seemingly hopeless world.

Much of our hope is found in our very own nature that we have been born with. My mother always said you can tell a child's nature by the way they respond to and interact with the world around them as a baby, always smiling and happy makes for a happy adult. I believe this to a certain extent, but to say we are not affected by the way others treat us especially at a young age would be naive. Even as an adult we can be affected by the behaviour of others. We need to find a way to respond that provides a positive solution.


Last night while listening to the radio I heard Kevin Bales, a social scientist, activist and journalist talk about the deadly link between modern slavery and environmental destruction. Many of us might believe the days of slavery happened a hundred years ago and perhaps think it doesn't exist like it once did. We can't imagine that the comforts we have in the western world are made by someone who is controlled by subjected to slavery, and contributes to the destruction of the environment.

Although Kevin Bales' work is very serious, and difficult being a leading expert in modern day slavery, it makes you really wonder how he remains hopeful, seeing so many world wide desperate situations. In spite of this, he impressed me as a realistic and a very positive individual as he discussed his book Blood and Earth . He left me feeling hopeful, because he sees a solution to stop slavery and to save the earth.

If circumstances are dire, I am left having to decide what I can and can't change.  Looking to others who instill and impart hope is also where I can find serenity and hope.

Like Athene, Kevin Bales is a warrior and calls on us recognize the harm we have done to one another, to put end to it, and to recommit to repairing our world.