May 08 | 2023 — Ace of Swords
Here we are approaching mid-May, the time of the year when our calendars are invaded by graduations and graduation-related celebrations. And if there was ever a card in the deck to represent graduation, it’s the Ace of Swords; it’s like a Valedictorian speech pre-packed and ready to go!
The Ace of Swords is a powerful and enabling card. As with all Aces in Tarot, it represents a new beginning or change. Obviously, this opportunity for something new differs with each suit (Cups: relationships/emotions; Pentacles: career/possessions; Wands: creative endeavor/spiritual something-or-other). For The Swords, however, we’re looking at new ways of thinking, new ideas, new or altered beliefs or understandings, and maybe even new ways of communicating.
That’s why this card reminds me of a Valedictorian speech; it has plenty of advice and opportunity to offer. Logical, mindful, sensible tidbits that are fluffy and light on the surface, but hold a lot of weight when taken into consideration and implemented — new insight and perspective at a time when change is inevitable.
The question is: do we accept the offer of a new opportunity to grow and change?
Don’t get me wrong — this card could be very literal and is telling you to go forth and write your memoirs or send an email to an old college friend you’ve lost contact with. It could also be about sitting down and having a (very factual and awkward) chat with your kid about the “birds and the bees.” But it could also be about evaluating your personal belief systems and identifying where things aren’t lining up. (This card has so much potential as a preparatory leap into the suit of Vessels in the Terra Volatile.)
Message of the Day: Going back to the graduation scene, I can’t help but think of the song “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).” It’s just a rambling list of advice that (now, 24-years later) is so spot-on. I mean, I was in college when this came out, but even then, I still had that youthful ignorance that comes from lack of adulting experience (like the recommendation to “enjoy your knees; you’ll miss them when they’re gone…” Psh. No shit, Sherlock!). But advice (in any form) is only as valuable as what you choose to do with it.
The suit of Swords, if you recall, is all about logic, our mindset, beliefs, knowledge, wisdom, thoughts, and words/communication. And when I internalize this card, I can’t help but think of the times when I’ve felt inferior or like I’ve really fucked up and let others down (or let myself down for that matter). That’s when I begin to re-evaluate my values and priorities. What is important enough to me that is worth me taking the time to willing make an effort to change?
It’s not as if I’m sitting around contemplating switching religions every day or pondering on the existence of God. But there does come a time for all of us when something happens and we stop and take stock of where we are, not only in our current lives but our place in the Universe. It’s amazing how suddenly small you can feel from that perspective. It’s that perspective that allows us to feel the flow of time, our experiences, and their effects on our happiness. I guess it’s a sort of existential mid-life crisis.
Tarot, for me, is probably very much that. :)
And it’s been great for me. It has encouraged change. It has encouraged new ways of thinking about things, evaluating myself and my reactions to things. It has helped me become aware of how much energy I put into things that frustrate and confound me and shown me that I can willingly choose to stop myself in that moment and let it go — or at least do my fucking best to let it go. I still have my moments, trust. But that’s the whole point: it’s all a journey to improve who we are. For many of us, I don’t think the “self-reflection bug” bites until we are in our late 30s or early 40s, and even then I think we’ll experience different “intensities” of that as we progress through our adulthood.
For me, the Ace of Swords is about recognizing my weaknesses as a parent in communication and teaching important lessons while still allowing my child the freedom to make mistakes and learn from natural consequences. I have to change my perception that I am molding this child into what I want him to be when in reality, all I can hope is that my influence will be positive and help him be successful in his life. The more pressure I put to shape and mold, the more resistance he puts up, and the more frustrated and angry I become. And that isn’t right. I’m the one that needs to change, not him.
So the Ace of Swords sets out a new opportunity for growth and change. What does that look like for you?
- What influential areas in your life are due for an audit? Are they serving you or are you serving them?
- What advice would you give your 18-year-old self now that you are <insert age here>? Are you heeding that advice now? If not, what is stopping you?
- What sort of shifts in beliefs have occurred in your life? What brought them about? How have they improved your life?
Decks shown above:
- Taylor Swift Eras Tarot (unofficial, obviously)
- The Modern Way Tarot
- Skele-Tarot
Originally posted on Pixel-Tarot.com on May 8, 2023.
