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

The Devil-The Devil Made Me Do It

The Devil - Made Me Do It!



Wearing the world as a loose garment comes to mind when I think about this card. I learned the hard way many years ago, that I'm responsible for my own happiness. It's an ongoing lesson in one way or another that is proportional to my conscious contact with the Creator every day.

This isn't an easy lesson, living in a world that seems to perpetuate the illusion of happiness, to be found outside of ourselves, as we can spend a life time trying to fill a spiritual void with this illusion. I call it a hole in the soul.

It's a perfect card for me to draw today as I contemplate how I'm addicted to the internet.

Addiction is often what's reflected in this Major Arcana card of The Devil or represents emotional, spiritual and physical  bondage of some sort. Pan is the embodied god and the goat figure symbolizes the scapegoat, symbolizing the person or thing that people project their inferior side of themselves on to, in order to make themselves feel better. Being human is about accepting ourselves, the positive and negative, is a necessary life lesson to learn and essential to our happiness.

It's easy to blame this or that, or someone else for our life troubles. But ultimately we are all responsible for our own actions and for our own happiness.

"Write your sorrows in sand and your blessings in stone."

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.

The Devil - Did The Devil Make Me Do It?

No the devil didn't make me do it, sometimes that's the way I felt, but that would simply be another excuse, and after a while I didn't need one.


What am speaking of? It's what this card can indicate in it's interpretation, and if it does come up in a reading diplomacy, empathy, and sensitivity need to be used. Addiction or being in some kind of bondage, can and often does include a wide scope of things outside of ourselves. It's a topic many of us avoid or deny, and denial is often the hallmark of addiction. Usually everyone else knows before we do.

As in life and with each Tarot card there is both dark and light to be found in it's interpretation. I'm always on the look out when The Devil card appears for the questioner, because they might be dealing with some kind of addiction.

In my case, drawing this card today, is synchronicity at work, as it is my 22nd AA anniversary of being clean and sober, which I am so grateful for each and every sober day. I don't look for congratulatory comments. I once heard it said by a fellow long time recovering friend say, that giving an alcoholic a congratulatory medal is like giving a cowboy who has hemorrhoids, a medal for not getting back on his horse. I thought that was pretty funny, but I think he was right. Of course, I do acknowledge my sobriety, and have many medallions. I share my struggle with addiction, because  it may give someone else hope.

Addiction involves all kinds of "isms" and I still have a few. There is always lots of talk and controversy about when addiction begins, or if it is curable etc. To me that all just doesn't matter to me, because I understand my addiction, I know I'm an addict, and I know what I needed to do to get better, and what I need to continue to do to maintain contented sobriety.

 The best explanation of addiction I have ever heard came from Dr. Carl Jung. He called it "Spiritus contra spiritum" which is Latin  meaning,  "Spiritus" in Latin means both "alcohol" and "religious experience," while "contra" means "against." Carl Jung wrote this phrase to one of the founders, Bill W. of Alcoholics Anonymous and Jung described it as being,  "Attempting to fill a spiritual void with a material reality", is Jung's definition of addiction. Bill W. and Dr Bob felt that is was Dr. Carl Jung who enabled them to lay the foundation for the 12 Steps.

My desire for the drink or substances has gone, thank God, and I thank God for the 12 Step fellowship, that is second to none.

The Devil - In The Details

We got off pretty darn good compared to others in the Maritimes, after the great big snow dump yesterday. Some folks got 100cm in a week.
Oh boy, seemed if there was anything that could go wrong this morning, is sure had a good kick at the can. Feeling good now that things worked out, and my good neighbour came, and plowed my driveway. After I shoveled, got myself dug out, and after jumping through a number of hoops, I finally got something to eat around 1:30 p.m. I made myself some bacon and eggs with homemade biscuits and piping hot coffee.  Ahhh what comfort. If you can't take good care of yourself who will?

So I ask, why does all this crap happen? Like Harold Kushner's book, I also ask the question, Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? Is it the devil? Does God not like me? I don't believe in the Devil the way he is often depicted and thought of traditionally in our Western culture. The Devil nor God have nothing to do with these events. I don't have any pat answers, but you know, life is difficult enough without the darn Devil added to the mix, or blaming God. The Devil is in the details of life and is my monkey brain. . These details can either drive us down into the pit, or make us stronger. Focusing on the positive and being grateful for the simple things brings happiness and lightens our burden.

 I try real hard to remain the eternal optimistic. I have faith in my Creator and in myself. I manage to get through the storms and other irritations of life. Don't get me wrong it isn't easy. Life is not easy. But it is easier accepting life on life's terms, rather than being burdened with a big messy living problem, not having faith..

Often when this card comes up in a reading, people get jittery, full of dread and fear. It is a card about bondage to people, places, and things, that we allow ourselves to be controlled by. If we have hit a bottom and we are sick from these things controlling our lives, mentally, physically, or spiritually, we can choose to reach out for help or we can choose to try and fix the problem using our own willpower. Sometimes this works, some times not, depending on the kind bondage we are in.

Take the disease of alcoholism. Willpower just doesn't work in this situation, nor with any other kind of disease, in thinking that if we simply exercise our willpower, we will be able to overcome our affliction. Try willpower next time you have diarrhea. Good luck with that.

The Devil - Bondage

When the Devil card comes up in Tarot readings people generally get into an state of anxiety. I could be the same if I didn't know better, and besides I've been experiencing enough anxiety the past few days, without heaping more upon myself.

 There are positive and negative aspects of this card. I understand the negative very well, as a person in recovery and a member of a 12 step program for over 20 years. The positive is that I became honest, open minded, and willing enough to accept my shadow self and I have been recovering ever since.

Pan is the great god represented here, once worshiped by the Greeks, as the Great All. He roams and haunts the woods and pastures of Arcadia. His nature is characterized as being wild, fertile and untamed.
In Greek myth, Pan was not considered evil, but simply being in his natural state, untamed, and amoral.

Not surprisingly his name is derived from the word 'panic' and he likes to give folks sudden frights. Whenever this card comes up in readings I do, though it seldom does, the thought that comes immediately to mind, is one who is in some kind of inner bondage.


As human beings, we are all aware of our shadow self. The saying. " we are only as sick as our secrets" is very true. It takes humility and honesty to face the truth, to confront our shadow side, and the most shameful parts of ourselves, and to look into the face of Pan, in acceptance. The acceptance that Pan is merely natural not evil, enables us to release our creative power when we face our own darkness.

 If Pan does not face his shameful secrets, he will only exhibit a sense of superiority, projecting the worst of his character on to others,  manifested in the form of prejudice, bigotry, discrimination and persecution toward others, whom he considers 'evil.'

Eight of Swords - Patience

When I was in grade nine, I remember hearing my Geography teacher say under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear, she said, " Patience is a virtue ". The class was about to drive the poor woman over the edge.

We have all felt this way some time in our lives when we are tested, to the point that it felt we were at the end of our rope, and our patience is wearing thin. It is then, that we have to stay the course, dig our heels in, and find that reserve, to draw on our inner resources to persevere, and some how find the patience we need to overcome, whatever circumstance. If you don't, the situation will get much worse, and you very may well regret it, ending up in a worse mess.

You cannot ignore this situation, and you need to face it square on, even if there is nothing to be done. Coming to terms with reality, and going through whatever the challenge is the only way out.

The Eight of Swords portrays a situation of being in bondage through fear of the consequences. Fear will paralyze, rendering you incapable of moving forward, and you know it. You know you have played a part in creating this dilemma, and need to honestly accept responsibility for what you have contributed to this situation. There is a solution possible, but there is a need to try to understand what it is you want, and take action in order to change it for the better.