Ten of Wands - Oppression, Suppression, Repression

Here we see Jason surrounded by burning wands looking very despondent. I ask myself why doesn't he just bust himself out of that inferno, how did he get in there, and who put him in that position?

The way I see it is there could be three answers to this question. 1. Someone who's taken him hostage wanting to do him harm. 2. Someone who's punishing him for something he's done or perhaps not done. 3. He's unknowingly placed himself in there.

All these answers relate to how people can be oppressed,  suppressed and finally how we can suppress our thoughts and feelings so much and for so long, that our feelings reach the level of repression and we are left unaware that we've crossed that line. We're completely out of touch with our feelings and are unaware that this has happened.

It's been said many times if you don't deal with your emotions they will deal with you and come out side ways. I know through my own personal experience to be so true, as a recovering person for many years.

If we are being oppressed and feeling over burdened, we have to find a way to change this, whether we're doing this to ourselves or someone else is doing this to us. If we are constantly stuffing and suppressing our feelings, after this eventually leads to repression, which is very unhealthy and can lead to serious mental health issues.

Queen of Swords - You Don't See Her Tears

This Queen of Swords is classy, perceptive and a person of influence. She maintains her composure and grace under pressure during times of duress. She has an inner strength that I greatly admire, and I identify with her in many ways. Embodying the mythic figure of Atalanta, she relates to life from a rational, seemingly detached outlook and an untouchability of the mind. In spite of this, her deep emotion can not be underestimated. She has a strong sense of justice and compassion for others, that is of a result of her own life experiences.

It is often thought that men are the ones who bare up under difficult circumstances, showing that proverbial stiff upper lip, giving the impression they're the strong ones, however this is not always true. I saw this with my own parents who suppressed emotions, and this imparted onto me.

I have known and do know many women who are great examples of strength and have coped with such tragic circumstances. They are wonderful examples of what it means to be a strong compassionate human being. That said, I don't want to confuse suppression of emotion with strength.

 Men and women can both suppress emotion for long periods of time and even in to years so that it has become their way of interacting with the world. This isn't a positive modes-operand because eventually this suppression is transmuted into repression and often the effects our health can be very detrimental.

Ace of Cups - I Don't Want To Be Steven Seagal

Getting on an emotional merry-go-round can wear a person out, or may alienate others. It can be very superficial in that emotion that is not tempered with wisdom and insight, can not be sustained and can make for feelings that escalate into despair, and hopelessness. At some point there has to be action taken in order to bring about positive change.

Not every one is comfortable showing emotion or seeing any one else emote. I heard it said many years ago, feelings are just that, feelings not good or bad. Why so many feel compelled to make a judgement about feelings seems a strange thing to do, but I think we all do it at some point. Mostly I think we place this judgement on ourselves.  Why do I feel that way?  I shouldn't feel like that. I wished I felt differently. I'm stupid for feeling this way.  Sound familiar?

The Ace of Cups (Aphrodite) is a force of nature, it's about having your cup overflowing with emotion, and having an outpouring of feelings that well up within, and can't be contained.

It was once explained to me by a therapist that emotions are not something we should get into the habit of suppressing. If we knowingly, and continually suppress our emotion, they eventually become repressed, and we are unaware they even exist in our subconsciousness. She compared this to a old mattress with springs that pop up. We keep pressing them down with our hands and feet. Very quickly we run out of appendages to push them back down, and this repression is what leads to mental health problems or issues with our physical health. This made so much sense to me, and I knew I had to make changes within myself, and in my life.

I learned as a young child, that showing emotion was not acceptable, and so I shut down. I continued on that way into my adolescence and adulthood, until my emotions became deeply repressed. Eventually could no longer control my emotion. This is when I had to seek help and I am grateful everyday of my life that I did.
I heard it said once, ' if you do not deal with your emotions they will deal with you.' As much as a do like Steven Seagal, I don't want to be like him.

Two of Swords - An Open Heart

The Two of Swords represents a delicate balance between opposing forces, which can potentially be destructive, but there is a resolution if one can face reality, and not spend energy in preserving the status-quo keeping up appearances, constantly controlling our emotions. This will wear you out, and you will be neither happy, nor unhappy. There will be no growth or movement forward. It is will be a stalemate.

The message of the Two of Swords is, keep your heart open, and this will give peace and wholeness deep within your being.

I have often heard it said, if you do not deal with your emotions they will deal with you.
It was once explained to me, by a spiritual mentor, that stuffing our feelings is like a bed spring that has popped up through a mattress. You step on the spring to press it back down, and then another spring pops up. This continues until you run out of limbs to keep the springs down, and they are popping up everywhere.

Suppressing our emotion, and not facing the truth, over a long period of time, can lead to a very unhealthy emotional state of mind, creating confusion and grief, to ourselves and often to those around us.
 Initially we are aware that we are suppressing our emotion but after years of doing so, we end up with repressed feelings, that we don't even know we are carrying them around, buried deep within in our psyche. This state can lead to mental and emotional breakdowns, leaving our lives completely unraveled. There can be much good that comes out of adversity, but a destructive situation can be prevented if you deal and accept your feelings. It's good to unhook from the merry-go-round of work, and from the storms of life. Taking ourselves to a quiet, peaceful environment, that will provide serenity  so we can reflect, and do nothing but sit by a stream or on the banks of a river, so we can listen, to that still quit voice, and to begin to open our heart.