The nine of Swords usually signals potentially challenging lessons around the power of our thoughts and how we choose to manage them.
As we move towards mid-Summer, this could play out as quarrels, hurt feelings or disappointments for us to process. It could mean there are changes, planned or unexpected, to be negotiated. Whether or not change is welcomed, our inability to control outcomes often causes us anxiety or stress.
Alternatively, it might be that the mainstream news cycle will really get you down over the coming weeks. Trying to remain optimistic in the face of global issues such as climate change and species extinction can be testing to say the least. These seemingly insurmountable problems can all too easily give rise to feelings of powerlessness and despair.
Any one of these things might leave us feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, trapped by an endless loop of negative thoughts and worries. If you do find yourself struggling with something, be sure to ask for support if you need it.
Life holds challenges and difficulties for all of us, they’re a non-negotiable. I believe they are central to why we’re here and at best, they keep us growing and evolving.
To this end, the nine of Swords is a reminder that although we can’t control outcomes or other people’s behaviour, we’re not as powerless as we might sometimes feel.
In particular, its energy supports us in becoming aware of how we process our fear or sorrow. It asks us to be sure we’re not creating suffering out of our pain or worries by brooding or ruminating – making ourselves thoroughly miserable by thinking the same anguished thoughts over and over.
If you catch yourself doing this, it’s helpful to remember that we can choose to step off this emotional roller coaster at any point by noticing, accepting and then changing our thoughts. If we can become aware of our thoughts in this way, we gain more power over them, and in turn, they exert less influence over us and how we feel.
Between now and the Solstice, there’s also an abundance of earthy Pentacles energy around for us to work with. This will support us in grounding any excess nervous energy, and in being more present to life from moment to moment.
Pentacles are all about things like reconnecting with the healing magic of Nature, being (or getting) grounded, our daily routines, and our resources – our time, energy and money.
Here, they are a reminder to keep our focus on the journey, to respond to challenges with patience and flexibility, and to tend to our physical wellbeing. To make the most of this energy, take time to reconnect with your creativity and playfulness. Find pleasure in small things and where possible, get outside every day.
If you’re not feeling confident about your ability to navigate any impending changes, the message here is to take things one step at a time. Remain open to new possibilities and surprising developments – who knows where they might lead, and who’s to say it won’t be just where you need to be?
Finally, this combination of energies presents the possibility of balance and integration, it provides us with an opportunity to bring our inner and outer worlds into better alignment.
Faced with the shortcomings of our politicians and the threat of imminent global catastrophe our personal efforts towards living sustainably, mindful of justice and equality, can seem little more than an exercise in futility.
And that’s probably true – one person acting in complete isolation (if such a thing were possible) is unlikely to make much of a difference. But, as John Muir reminds us: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” This includes each and every one of us.
We’re as much a part of the Earth’s living biosphere as the microbes in the soil and the leaves on the trees. Who we are and what we do matters, our decisions and actions have an impact. Which means even seemingly small changes add up.
So, if you have an outdoor space, do what you can to ensure it’s teeming with life – animal, vegetable and mineral. Be sure to vote – at local, national, and where possible, at an international level. From supporting businesses that operate sustainably, to how you travel and what you eat – it all counts.
Choose not to give in to apathy or overwhelm. Reclaim your power. Take time to rediscover your vital connection to the rhythms and cycles of natural things. In so doing, you’ll begin to feel more at peace, more at home and have more confidence in the value and meaning of your unique contribution.
Perhaps you’ll feel inclined to join demonstrations or take part in direct action. Perhaps you won’t. You do you. We’re not all called to be warriors or leaders, but we are all called as individuals to dedicate ourselves to our species continued evolution. As we do so, we naturally participate in the continued evolution of the Whole.
Images from Cathy McClelland’s gorgeous Star Tarot are shared with the permission of Schiffer Publishing
When she isn’t reading tarot or studying astrology, Yvonne Hufton has a kitchen table business growing and selling herbs and flowers to keep her busy. Her academic background is in Religious Studies and Environmental Science. For more tarot offerings and occasional flower pics, click here.
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