Feb 03 | 2023 — IV of Swords
IV of Swords — perfect card for a Friday, especially as I feel exhausted AF today. I thought I slept okay… but I guess not.
The IV of Swords comes right after the nasty III of Swords — a card about heartbreak, grief, and general emotional unpleasantries. The IV of Swords says it’s time to take a break. Relax. Be calm, cool, and collected. I like that the suit of Swords is usually pretty transparent in the visual interpretations, and this one pretty much shows a person at rest. (Granted, I think it’s actually a dead person in a coffin with a stone effigy on the lid — but hey, maybe that’s why some people say “I’ll rest when I die.” Yeahhhh…. I’m not all about that.)
Message of the Day: This has been a damn busy week for me. I’ve got a lot of projects at work. I’m expanding my Tarot reach to other platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Medium, Spotify, and Post) and reworking my website as I look to expand the type of content I offer. It has me busy as can be, and the weekend will most likely see me working on it more. But I don’t see my Tarot work as… work; I enjoy it, and it makes me feel good.
This card in a reading could be taken any number of ways. It could be that it’s time to take a break in a relationship, take some time for yourself in between your search for a relationship, step away from a job for a bit, or send the kids to the grandparents for the weekend. Coming after the III of Swords, it’s about recovery and licking your wounds, finding time to heal, and focusing on yourself.
But today, The IV of Swords is telling us, “hey, it’s Friday: time to a break.” We’ve all had a busy January, and while the world stops for no one, it needs to slow the fuck down, if only for a minute or two. Sometimes we have to take time for ourselves to allow ourselves to refresh and recharge, or like we tell our son, “we need time to refill our damn bucket. </sigh> </raises hands>”
In all seriousness, we know when we need to take a minute for ourselves. Our mental health relies on the ability to find peace, relaxation, and real rest. How you find that is on you. If it’s a relaxing bath with bath bombs and candles, do it. If it’s blowing people away in Fortnite, rock it. If it’s curling up with a book and a blanket on the couch with every fucking animal in the house on you, werk. But take time to center yourself and breathe. There is nothing selfish about maintaining or improving your own mental health. As is said, if you don’t take the time to rest, your body will find a way to make you take the time.
Additionally, if you see someone is stressed the fuck out, what can you do to help them take some time for themselves? Sure, it adds one more thing to your plate, but sometimes it takes a village… Take care of the people you love and care about. That, by itself, will help you “fill your bucket.”
Decks shown above:
- The Modern Way Tarot
- The Woven Path Tarot
- The Jasmine Dragon Tarot
