Eight of Swords - Bondage Through Fear - Freedom Through Change

Ever find yourself in a scenario where you feel like you're suddenly in a kind of paralyzing emotional pickle? For instance someone seems hell bent on arguing and are looking for you to give them a reason to fight or attack you, or to take you emotionally hostage. When this situation presents itself, I go into a slow motion mode, because I'm kind of in shock and I never feel ready for this kind of thing, as I don't expect it and it can take me off guard. Your left feeling isolated, and trapped. But it happens to everyone more often than we realize, we aren't alone and it's possible for change. There's a way out, in spite of these feelings of being in bondage.

 I can certainly feel the temptation to defensively blat something out in retaliation, but will undoubtedly later regret. On the other hand, I need to keep my dignity in tact. I do want to respond, but in a way that defuses the situation in a positive way, to stand up for myself, calmly and clearly speaking my own truth, without infringing on an individual's right to express themselves. We all have a right to our own opinion, but I do believe this can't be at the expense of the individual we're interacting with. This is more about resentment and vengeance.

I'm certain everyone encounters these typical life situations, creating stress and fear. So I have to stop, step back, ask myself how and what is going to be my approach? This is usually my default now after many years of practicing and refining the habit, and now I feel I've finally come closer to getting it right these days. I've also learned to trust my heart, my intuition, to let go and to not force a solution.

This habit allows me to make an accurate assessment of a situation, in order to figure out what's really going on behind the scenes, or beneath the surface. I have to consider who it is, what are the antecedents that are exacerbating the circumstances. I need to take all of these into consideration before I can decide how best to respond and not simply react, before I can move forward.

Perhaps at times the best response is no response, until the dust settles, because there can be unknown factors beyond our control or beyond another person's control, such a mental health of physical health issues.

Understand I'm processing events that happened in my own life recently, and I'm still kind of working through them, and it always helps to write, because it enables me to make sense of what took place, in order to get some clarity and a clearer perspective.

Today I choose to remain hopeful and positive in my attitude. I also have to ask myself these questions. Can I change this situation? Can I accept those things I can't change? And most importantly, I ask the God of my understanding to help me to know the difference between the two. It's what's commonly known as practicing The Serenity Prayer. The Four Directions Prayer also helps me to find discernment and direction. I've found that these prayers are both preventative and practical to keep the chaos at bay, or to find that serenity in the very eye of the storm.

Drawing the Eight of Swords this morning was no coincidence, and it's just what I needed to reflect upon today. In this card we see that Orestes is frozen in the moment, he's being tormented by the Furies and fear has paralyzed him, preventing him from doing anything to resolve his dilemma. But, he needs to make a decision, even though it may appear that either choice will lead to trouble.

It's so important to come to the realization that we all have to face honestly our own part in the problem and we don't have to, nor is there any need to resign ourselves to the bondage of fear. Once we figure out and understand what it is that we want, act once and for all, then we will find the possible solution and be free from the bondage of fear.

Geshtinanna

Eight of Swords - Crazy Makers

This card looks pretty crazy I must say. There aren't really any pleasant images. On one side we see the threatening Furies with their wild creepy snake hair, and wacky bat wings. On the other side stands Apollo looking unimpressed and majorly pissed off at Orestes, who stands stuck in between the two.

Regardless of what's initially being presented in the cards we draw, as I've stated before, every card offers a positive beneath the surface of the negative imagery, and visa versa..

Having an awareness of the things we need to address and change, is what each Tarot card offers us and we are given the opportunity to live life to the fullest, based on the decisions and choices we make, no matter how big or small, and no matter how seemingly significant or insignificant.

Ultimately what is presented here in the Eight of Swords is a situation of being in bondage, created from our own fear. We can't or won't take action because we fear the consequences. The only solution to moving forward, is to make a decision to be honest with ourselves and no one can do this for us, it is completely our choice and we shouldn't ignore this, because there will be consequences that will cause us more trouble and grief.

The number eight is symbolic of change. The Eight of Swords reflects the feeling of being intellectually and even emotionally constrained, isolated and imprisoned. It's the opposite of how we feel when we experience the element of air that offers us energy, freedom to express ourselves, change our mind and to have the ability to act on our passions.

Eight of Swords - What Do I Fear?

A card well chosen for me  today, because I've been feeling a little fearful and a little stuck.

The Eight of Swords shows Orestes who is between a rock and a hard place. He feels like he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. In a state of paralysis, with Apollo on his left, who's giving Orestes the evil eyeball and to the left are the three Furies, with their ugly on a ape faces, their bat wings and snake hair. I think we all can  identify with this feeling like we can't move, change our mind or our situation. It's not good.

Fear is something that is present in life, for all of us and manifests itself in so many ways and when we can't make a decision we can feel paralyzed, knowing that whatever we do is going to be problematic for us and might even be perceived as being life threatening us in one way or another. If nothing else it's stressful and anxiety producing.

 At times our fears are natural, realistic, warranted and understandable. Others fears emerge as phobias that we might carry into our adult life from childhood, like fear of the dark, or like me, I had a choking phobia when eating cheese or ice cream, and had a fear of bees when I was a kid. I still have my phobias but have learned to control them.

We can get treatment for phobia and we can choose to avoid situations where they present themselves, or they may lessen with time when we learn strategies to cope. But some problems are more difficult to overcome with out making a decision to do something about it, in spite of our fears. If we choose not to take any action we remain stuck in the quagmire, hobbled by our fear and the situation worsens, effecting almost every aspect of our lives.

 Some of us experience a learned helplessness because we've become dependent or co-dependent on someone else to solve our problems, but this is ineffective in the long term. It's pretty difficult for any one else to help us if we can't help ourselves.

Ultimately we have to make the decision to change what we can for ourselves, face our fears and learn new skills that will help us to cope and hold those fears in check, without letting them control us. Otherwise we are simply spinning our wheels, going nowhere fast.

My experience has been that I had to make friends with my fear. Not to say fear's my new best bud, on no, definitely not but I've learned to make fear work for me. Sometimes this doesn't work, but I know fear is a necessary normal feeling, that will pass and that I need to work with it, instead of against it. I can then hopefully, make a good decision with some discernment in order to make a necessary change. Asking for help from others who have perhaps been through similar circumstance is important because I don't need to solve all my problems in isolation. I've always believed that when I can share a problem with someone else, it lessens my problem by half.

Two of Cups - Better Take Off Those Rose Coloured Glasses

Eros and Psyche are seen here meeting one another for the first time in the Two of Cups. Psyche is bound and abandoned, left to a certain death in the jaws of a sea monster. She's isolated on that rock in the middle of the ocean and completely unaware of Eros approaching behind her. He is there to kill Psyche, but has inadvertently pricked his finger on one of his arrows, and now has fallen in love with Psyche. So she is assured of both rescue and love. These two are possibly soul mates.

The beginning of a relationship is what's indicated here, or the reconciliation of an already existing relationship, that has undergone difficulty or separation. Blind love could also be the warning here. It is easy to see things through rose coloured glasses in the beginnings of romance.

Sometimes, more often than not in my the daily draw, and/or with individual readings for others, things will be revealed that perhaps we'd rather not address or even hear. We might not want to face what the cards are urging or telling us, because we have to make a decision, take a certain course of action that we'd rather avoid.

Ultimately we are the only ones that can decide what we do with the information that is presented in the cards. I think it might be time for me to do another full reading for myself, because the Two of Cups has thrown me for a bit of a loop emotionally!

Some Tarot readers find it difficult to do their own personal readings, but I usually don't. I find them helpful, and I manage to mostly remain objective. Objectivity is essential when doing your own reading. What is in my mind and thoughts aren't always reality. I like to stick with the facts, based on the studied meanings, my intuition, and correlate each card in relation to one another in the spread, in order to get a complete and comprehensive reading, tying them altogether.

The Hermit - The Inner World

The Hermit is the ninth card in the Major Arcana. he was was once the Magician, is now the wise old man. He withdraws from the world, to find an inner world. His grey robe, a mix of black and white, represents consciousness and the unconscious. Scythe in left hand represents the nature of the life cycle and impermanence. He is often also seen carrying the patriarch’s staff, a symbol of the narrow path of initiation and an emblem of power and authority. It represents the Hermit’s ability to use his isolation and the knowledge he has gained as a tool upon his path to reach even higher levels of awareness.

The Hermit also is carrying a lantern in the other hand where a six-pointed star shines symbolic of the elements fire and, water, and of wisdom. The merging of opposites, both masculine and feminine are intertwined.
The Hermit retreats in solitude, into his inner world, and his will begins to unite with will of the Divine, in order to understand the self, and to seek spiritual wisdom, discernment and improvement of self.
The adage if you cannot live with yourself, and be comfortable in your own skin, it is very unlikely you will be able to live with or appreciate another.We must accept ourselves and the situation we find ourselves in, finding contentment and peace within our soul.

 Although there is power in creativity and skill, these do not lead to a spiritual awakening or enlightenment. Happiness is only found within, not in the material world. The Hermit asks us to meditate and to turn our attention inward, so as to find our own truth and understanding.
He is a solitary figure on top of the mountain, which symbolizes achievement, accomplishment and growth. The Hermit is now willing to share what he has learned with others, with love and compassion, with those who are open, who seek and honour the inner wisdom to be found within themselves.
 
On The Hermit shoulder sits a raven associated with Apollo, the god of prophecy, the symbol of good luck and were the god's messengers in the mortal world.

Dr. Carl Jung deemed raven symbolism to represent the shadow self, or the dark side of the psyche. By acknowledging this dark side, we can effectively communicate with both halves of ourselves. This offers liberating balance, and facilitates tremendous wisdom.