X of Swords

If you were looking for a somber Tuesday, you're in luck with the X of swords. This is the card for when you are absolutely wrecked, the world is shit, everything is going wrong, and you're hurting in all kinds of ways. I don't personally feel that way today, but I'm involved in a project at work where this is definitely the case for some of my friends.

Traditionally, the X of Swords is a card about ultimate loss, grief, betrayal, and pain. It's like the III of Swords after an all-night cocaine-fueled bender. If we wanted to be super specific, we have to remember that the suit of Swords represents our mind, thoughts, words, ideas, and communication, and they have our mind and feelings all cut up. When I look at this card today, I feel that poor person (especially the one from The Curious Travels Tarot with the sword in their head) feels unacknowledged and worn down by everything that's going on around them. Their bucket is beyond empty, and they are literally pinned down by the anxiety, sadness, and meh of it all.

But as we know, tens in Tarot (in the Minor Arcana) are the completion of a cycle (another fucking cycle, geez). And with the X of Swords, it's really indicative that the situation has hit rock bottom and that's there no place to go but up. I mean, that's positive, at least. But I think we've all been there before: things feel so bad that you just wanna kind'a pause the world and lie there for a while.

The X of Swords playlist is available on Spotify.

Message of the Day: The X of Swords, truthfully, isn't really the card anyone wants to get. Even reversed it means the situation is happening and you're dealing with some shit. But as is often pointed out, even behind the darkest of storm clouds is the sun, ready to shine and bring light. When the card is reversed (held upside down), those swords are going to fall right out and land on some other bitch in the Upside Down, and you'll be all set to heal.

Because at the end of the day, that's really what this card is about: healing.

We've hit the completion of the cycle, and it's time to pick ourselves up; dust ourselves off; and start all over again. That'd be nice, right? But it doesn't always happen like that, and some wounds take a really, really long time to close. Like the ability to trust: sometimes you just get an eternal band-aid and that wound is still there, bleeding into your relationships.

I'm not here to tell you how to move past what caused your X of Swords. I'm here to support and tell you that you're not alone; that you're valuable and important to me. I'm here to pull out those Swords (if you'll let me) and help bandage you up so you can get up and move around again. And maybe even use one of those swords to hunt down the fucker that caused this (and if not, I know someone who knows someone...).

And to me, particularly as I'm not feeling down and out today, the X of Swords is a reminder that there are people all around us who ARE having a X of Swords kind of day/week/month/year/life, and they could use a little help and support.

So, to the point, what can you do to be someone's Balm of Gilead? How can you help lift someone's chin today and tomorrow? How can you help someone feel better about themselves and begin to believe they are worthwhile and loved? Is it possible to put in these support devices BEFORE someone has a X of Swords moment, 'coz we all know these types of situations don't just tend to blindside us, we (or those around us) can usually see these things coming. So fly, my monkeys, and find someone you care about that could use a bit of a pick-me-up and work your magic.

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