Queen of Swords - The Huntress of Perfectionism

The Queen of Swords embodies the mythic figure of Atalanta the Huntress, who was born the child of King Iasus who'd wanted a male child, not a female. She was rejected and abandoned by her father, left on a hillside, but was rescued and suckled by a bear, who was sent to her by the moon-goddess Artemetis-Hecate.

This card urges us to think before we act, to use our intelligence, to be perceptive and brave. She can seem cool, distant and even calculated. This impression can be seen in her deportment and surface identity. Upon closer look there is an individual who has a great depth of character and influence as a brave woman, and a quick thinker. This Queen, with very high ideals, strives for perfection.

However her high standards may be difficult for many of us to live up too. Her perfectionism, can cause a kind of loneliness, as a result of her unrealistic expectations of others that fall short of her idealism. She is always making an effort to prove herself, and projects this on to others, as a result of her once having been expected to be perfect but failed in doing so.

The message found in the Queen of Swords is that we are human, and therefore vulnerable to being hurt. We may demand superhuman perfection from others and from ourselves, but it more than likely will create problems for us.

The Queen of Swords - Atalanta

There are no mistakes. Really? Well I think I can agree with this statement, though it does sound like a ridiculous statement on one level, it does not mean perfection, and that we never stop making mistakes. This is far from being true. Our so called mistakes I do believe, are wake up calls, all part of our life journey, and they can serve us well, to enable a change in our behaviour for the better.

In spite of the mistakes, I don't need to panic. I do need to try to relax. I know this is much easier said than done, because of my human fight or flight reaction, but it doesn't mean I stop trying to do some serious introspective homework, to figure out what the next step is. I cannot fear my mistakes, but I do need to embrace them, in order to make the changes necessary in order to avoid a repeat.

We don't always purposely make mistakes, but regardless we can avoid many of them if we can let go of our demand for perfection, often creating our own problems.

The Queen is the perfect card to draw today, as she lifts up the individual struggling to overcome a panic attack ( namely me). This Queen uses her intelligence, and her intuitive passion to solve her problems.

 Atalanta is embodied in the Queen, and when she was born, her father King Iasus, who wanted a male child, cruely abandoned her on a mountainside to die.  Atalanta was then helped by Artemis-Hecate, the moon-goddess, who sent a she-bear to suckle the child, and so, she is well acquainted with animal instinct. Later she was found and raised by a clan of hunters who found her. She learned to fight, and was a fierce hunter along side of men, and was always happy. Atalanta became the 'swiftest mortal alive' and was full of prowess. She greatly identified with the masculine world, and strove for perfection.

 It is said that she was the only woman who joined the Jason and the Argonauts on the great ship Argo, in search of the Golden Fleece.

Crescent Moon Bear - Catherine Meyers

Five of Swords - Acceptance

I write and think about acceptance a lot. I expect because it is one of the aspects of life that I have to face, some times on a daily basis and generally speaking. Life is difficult but acceptance makes it much easier. Along with this having a grateful attitude direct output of this increased happiness.

 As of late my thoughts have been about family, as I have recently and over the past years been in touch with many relatives I never knew existed, due to family estrangements, distance and even secrets. I know this is a common issue in most families due to past events, many that are above and beyond our control. There is no such thing as a perfect family and life is far from perfect.

In the Mythic Tarot, the Five of Swords portrays Oretes facing the God Apollo, who has informed Oretes  he is obliged to accept his fate in having to avenge his father's death, at the hands of his mother. He is faced with having to accept overwhelming limitations of his family inheritance.

We cannot change our family history, and it can seem almost impossible for some of us to resign  ourselves to what has happened to our families, and how it has affected us, whether it be physically, emotionally or psychologically. Granted, it is not easy, and much of the time there is no resolution. We simply must accept that the only resolution is to accept that there is not going to be a resolution that we want.

We can not change anyone but ourselves. Acceptance of ourselves and circumstances is directly proportional to our happiness and peace of mind. However, we do have a choice to accept, not out of obligation, but because we want to and are willing. Even a willingness to be willing, makes all the difference.

Our burdens are much lighter and easier to bare, if we embrace them, but are heavy and overwhelming if we drag them; wearing the weight of the world, instead of wearing the world as a loose garment.

Queen of Swords - Idealism

Today's card from the Minor Arcana, the Queen of Swords is a strong independent woman. In the Mythic Tarot the Queen is Atalanta who was abandoned but her father who was disappointed that he had no male heir. He left her on a hill, but she was rescued and nursed by a bear, sent by the moon-goddess Artemis- Hecate.

Crescent Moon Bear - Catherine Meyers

The Queen appears aloof and cool, but don't be fooled, she has a soft underbelly after experiencing  great losses, and many difficulties in her life. This Queen is very familiar with hard times and suffering, but continues to thrive, not just in spite of them, but because of these burdens she has had to bare, this has given her an inner strength.
She has a vehement sense of justice, and benevolently upholds and champions the rights of others, perhaps as a result of her own loss and brokenness.

 Quick witted with a sharp tongue, she can cut to the quick, being very intelligent and passionate about her high ideals. Not willing to settle in love she can cut her nose off to spite her face because of this idealism, which in the extreme, is an expectation of perfectionism in others; an expectation that was placed upon herself as well at a young age.

The Queen is a woman possessing a strong sense of integrity and pride, but she is also lonely, and isolated as a result of these high ideals. She may be unconscious of her perfectionist expectations, however it does have a positive aspect, in that others are inspired by her, to improve upon themselves.

Being too idealistic prevents us from ever measuring up to a perfectionist ideal. It does not exist in reality, and is an image. This state occurs because this individual is fearful of being human, and leaves us vulnerable to being hurt.

Many of us have been hurt in early life or in the past, which manifests into our adult life, especially if we lack self-awareness, and choose not seek help to resolve these issues. Serious problems arise in our relationships with others, as a result of clinging to an unmovable faith in high ideals, leading to an addiction perfectionism.