Friends, many of us are finding the news cycle harder and harder to take. It seems like voices of reason are being drowned out. It seems like voice of victims are being ignored. It seems like our worst nightmares keep coming to life. Perhaps worst of all is the despair - not knowing what you can do about it.
Particularly since the fallout of the Ford-Kavanaugh testimonies yesterday, I’ve been feeling that too. But one of my core beliefs - about tarot and about life - is that no matter what the circumstances, there is a better way to respond and a worse way to respond. And when I am at the point where I have no idea how to respond at all, I ask the cards for guidance.
Since the 9 of Swords is a pretty perfect description of how a lot of us are feeling right now, I pulled that out of the deck first. Then I asked for next steps. Just for now. To get through the day.
What I pulled seemed strange at first: the 7 of Swords. We often think of this card as sneaky. Unreliable. Shapeshifting. But there’s a lot more to it. I think of the 7 of Swords as a card that emphasizes resourcefulness above all else. So let’s think for a minute about what resourcefulness means to you.
Maybe “resourcefulness” means that you focus on what you can do in the face of what seem like insurmountable odds - call a Senator. Join a protest. Donate to an opponent. Maybe “resourcefulness” means that you take care of yourself for a little while, so you can live to fight another day. Maybe “resourcefulness” means you are able to compartmentalize - set your anger and hurt aside for the moment, until you can revisit it. Until you can turn what is only serving to pain you at the moment, into a weapon or a shield. Maybe “resourcefulness” means finding the shape you shift into to find the power you have lost.
For me, “resourcefulness” means being able to think of something else for just a few minutes - to get off the train track of disbelief, recrimination, powerlessness. For this, I thank you, 7 of Swords. May we all find the resources we need today.