The Lesson of the 7 of Swords

The Tarot has been around for a long time.  The images are often medieval and the archetypes classic.  It only makes sense that, as humanity shifts, the meanings of the cards would also shift.

I feel like part of my work as a reader (of the Tarot), writer and teacher is to bring through these new meanings.  With 78 cards, this could take a while!  I am sure there is a book forthcoming.  In the mean time, y’all get to read of these insights right as they come through!  (And, given the law of attraction, that means y’all are calling these forth and are in co-creation with me!)

The next card that’s up is the 7 of Swords.  This one has been coming up a bunch of times this past week and as a result, I’ve gotten a more complete re-interpretation.

Looking at the classic image, we see a man who is tiptoeing away with 5 of the 7 swords shown.  The traditional meaning of this card is theft.

The suit of swords represents air, which signifies thought and communication. For me, the meaning of this card some time back morphed into the theft of ideas.

In this day and age, it is easy to see how the theft of ideas or information is an issue.  We see (very hyped up) commercials about protecting ourselves from identity theft; we have an entire industry dedicated to copyright law; and the film and music industry are continually pleading with us to not steal their media.

But just this week, I got a whole new perspective on this card.  Rather than it mean the theft of ideas, I now see it as the idea of theft.  In other words, it is here to highlight the belief we have that someone or something outside of ourselves can interfere with our manifestations.

You want a quick trick to find what they are?

First, think about what you most desire, that elusive dream.  Bring it into your primary consciousness.  Go ahead and allow the wanting to flow, and I mean wanting.  I know so many teachers these days tell you not to want, but I’m saying to go for it.  Want it as badly as you can for a moment.

Got a hold of it?  Feel it burning within you?  Take as much time as you need.

Okay, once you have it in mind, now let me ask you some questions.

- Who (or what) do you want to go away so you can have what you desire?
- Who are you competing with for this dream?
- What organization would you do away with (or make yourself exempt from) to get you there faster or more easily?
- What behavior out in the world needs to change or be abolished for your happiness?

Now, if you are not coming up with answers yet, let me ask you these questions.

- Do you believe you would have more money if you didn’t have to pay taxes?
- Which laws would you like to get rid of, right this minute, just because they are just a pain in the neck?
- What rules, imposed by others, make your blood boil?
- If you can change anything out there in the world, what tops your list?

Really look at these things because these are what’s blocking your success.  Not the things themselves, but the idea of them.

I would be happy if this rule was changed.
I would be happy if this person moved away.
I would be happy if s/he stopped doing that.

Every time we entertain these thoughts, we are entertaining the “idea of theft”.

The last time some thing was stolen from me, it was an iPod and it was stolen from my truck, which I accidentally left unlocked that night.

Was this perfection of the universe?  Absolutely!  Why? How?  Well, here is the accumulation of thoughts (that I am aware of) that culminated in this event.

1) I had my first new car broken into 3 times in San Francisco in the early 90s.  The Seats were stolen the second time and the car was stolen the last time. Fear around the safety of my automobile therefore became greater.

2) When I first bought my iPod, I protected it with a screen cover.  I later took the cover off and when I went to clean off the sticky goo, I significantly damaged the screen because I used the wrong type of cleaner.  My fear of damaging my iPod led to the protecting of it, which then directly led to my damaging it myself!  My iPod screen was now cloudy and every time I looked at it, I was unhappy about it.  I didn’t like having a damaged iPod.

3) I wanted a new iPod Touch, but was afraid of spending the money for it.  I thought it was too expensive, but I wanted it anyway.  I kept denying myself of my own desire.  It wasn’t that I couldn’t afford it, I just didn’t want to spend what they were asking for it.

The combination of all of these beliefs, all 7 of Swords type beliefs, resulted in my iPod getting stolen out of my truck.

And would you believe that I still denied myself a new iPod for about 6 additional months?

But, after all of that, the events described above still served me, in many ways.

Many times in my life, once I’ve gotten past some limitation based on fear, I would say to myself, “Why did I wait so long?” 

Yet, we’ve all heard about it when one of our friends tries something that they feared for a long time only to have the worst experience.  “See!  That’s what I was afraid of,” they post on Facebook.

There is no rule for pushing past our limits.  The best that I would say in a general way is to:

1) Identify what you are afraid of.  That’s what the 7 of Swords is here for.

2) Accept that your fear is your fear.  It may have been inspired by someone else, or by some past event, but it is held by you.

3) Theft exists.  We are not trying to convince ourselves that it does not. The point is not to pretend there is nothing to fear, but to find the path ahead despite that fear.  The Strength card reminds us that the courageous are those who have fears and find a way past them.  The fearless are not the courageous, they are just not afraid.

4) You have all the time in the world but no reason to wait.  You can push yourself and possible jump a bit too soon, or you can never challenge the fear and never move past it.  And then, of course, there is everything in between.  It is your choice and all choices are valid.  There is no “right” or “wrong” way.  And faster is not necessarily better.

Through this exercise above, the goal is to see that we hold the key, always.  Our fears may attract a robber, an external obstacle, a person, law or institution that is making it hard for us.  But also realize that not everyone has the same experience as we do with that outside thing.  Why?  Because of their attitude about it.

The Law of Attraction need not be magic to be effective.  Money doesn’t have to fall out of the sky; people or institutions do not need to disappear; the whole world does not need to shift to make us happy.  We simply need to find our own specific guidance to all that we desire.  If you wait for everyone around you to accept a new belief before you give yourself permission to be happy, you might be waiting a long, long time.

Seven is the number of transformation; going deep within to repair or replace an underlying condition.  Air is about thought, so the 7 of Swords applies this to our underlying beliefs.

Now that you have identified these underlying beliefs, let’s offer them up for transmutation!

I ask to be relieved of all beliefs that no longer serve me
And I know I AM freed

Ĕl:ïk

The Mask, the Shield, and the Sword

Do you remember that game Rock Paper Scissors? Remember how paper beats rock by covering it up?  Well hold on to that thought because it is an analogy for something we all possess.

Today, I am going to mix my modalities a bit.  I am going to mix a little Astrology and Tarot.

First, we are going to revisit the birth chart.  When looking at a birth chart, the most basic aspects to look at are the sun, moon and ascendant.  The sun indicates your personality.  The moon indicates how you express your heart, how you express your emotions.  And then there is your rising sign or ascendant.

A few weeks ago, spirit described the ascendant as one’s “mask, shield and sword”.  I had previously learned it as your outer personality, the personality you tend to exhibit to those you do not know.

If your sun sign were a rock, your rising sign would be paper. In fact, that is the gift of our rising sign. It is a tool, of our own choosing, and one that we can wield at a moment’s notice. We do this unconsciously. Many a time, when I have tried to guess someone’s sign within an hour of meeting them, I ended up guessing their rising sign (or at least the element of their rising sign).

So why did spirit describe the rising sign as the mask, shield and sword?  Well, it is a mask when we use it to hide our sun or our moon.  It is a shield when we use it for protection, and it is a sword when we defend ourselves through it.  Notice that the mask, shield and sword are just parts of a suit of armor and that there are only subtle differences between their uses.

Let’s look at some examples of how a rising sign can be put to use. Let’s say our rising sign is Leo.  Leo is a fixed fire sign ruled by the sun.  Like the sun, Leo’s like to light up the room.  They like to be the center of attention and their fixed fire energy, like the July sun, can last all day.

So, how does that work as a rising sign?  Well, Leo rising is the aspect of the performer. A person may be shy and introverted, but put them on stage and watch the Leo shine!  In this example, the rising sign is used as a mask, like during Mardi Gras or a Halloween party.  Have you ever found your inhibitions melting away when the anonymity of a mask removes all self-consciousness?

Okay, how about Leo as a shield; what would that look like?  Well, Leo is the king of the jungle and as such, has his fair share of ego. Only the best will do for the lion. In nature, the male lion often lives alone in his lofty nook.  As such, Leos can be aloof.  With Leo rising, one can shield himself from danger by separating himself from the crowd.  “I’m above that behavior,” he might say, and rather than confront a problem, he merely walks away from it.

Now Leo used as a sword is easy to spot, “I am lion, hear me roar”.  Leo, as fixed fire, has a long fuse, but once gone, his fire can burn and burn. If push comes to shove and a Leo rising is backed into a corner, watch out; his fire will burn singeing your eyebrows!

Of course, I know Leo rising so well because I am one!  And, for whatever reason, we seem to run in packs because I know more people with Leo rising than any other.

So, the rising sign, like any other characteristic of our chart is an aspect of ego and ego is nothing more that that part of us that makes us unique.  The rising sign, when used as a mask, shield or sword, separates us from our surroundings.  In this regard, it is again simply an aspect of ego.  In reality, we are not separate, but thanks to ego, we experience ourselves separated from All That Is, and for a reason. Sometimes we love it, sometimes we hate it, but this separation always serves us.

The degree of separation is a choice however, and this brings us to the 2nd part of this blog.

Recently, I have been pulling the 4 of Pentacles in many readings I have done for myself.  The 4 of Pentacles is a little tricky because it can be very positive or fairly negative.

Pentacles represent earth and therefore physical matter.  It can represent our body, our home, or money.  It can also represent our work meaning our livelihood, how we make a living and support ourselves.

To me, physical matter is just slow moving energy and thus the 4 of Pentacles can also represent non-physical energy held within the body and mind.

Four is the number of stability.  It is a platform that once reached, gives us a reprieve from otherwise constant growth.  Often, when reaching the four, things feel pretty good.  Initial goals have been reached and the choice to continue or not is often ours.

So one can interpret the 4 of Pentacles as financial security, a stable job and a stable income.  It can mean money in the bank, savings, having enough with some left over.  When the 4 of Pentacles comes up, we have already successfully created something that we desired.

But at times, the possessions we own own us.  At the 4 of Pentacles, we now have something to lose!  Fear of loss causes us to protect our cache (or our cash).  Fours are conservative and the 4 of Pentacles maximally.

If you look at the card, you will see a man who is holding on to his coins.  They are often times depicted as very large in comparison to his size.  When you look at him, rather than basking in luxury like the woman on the 9 of Pentacles, he looks like a miser, pinching each penny he spends.

So while the 4 of Pentacles can indicate financial success and stability, it can also indicate over protection and stinginess.  It can indicate our cutting off of abundance with fear.

In one deck that I have, the miser clutches his giant coins in front of a wall that is taller than he is (or nearly so).  Spirit said to me once when I was doing a reading for another, “he cannot surpass the wall unless he lets go of the load”.  The coins are large because at this point, what we are holding on to is greater than our own weight.

Once, when in a particularly clear conversation with spirit, they spoke to me about protection.  They said, you can walk around with your skin off, naked and unprotected, or you can walk around in a suit of armor.  When you are unprotected, you can more easily get hurt, but your growth will be fast.  When you are coated in armor, you will feel safe, but with safety comes very slow growth.

And, of course, there are all of the states in between.

And that’s where the rising sign comes in.  Our rising sign is the suit of armor we chose before we were born.  We all have one.  It is with us at all times and can be put on instantaneously.  If we feel unsafe, it is there for our protection.

But it doesn’t have to be used. The knight sheds his armor when he makes love to his lady.

Spirit always says to me, “All choices are valid”. It is your choice.  Protect yourself when you desire protection and expose yourself when you want to. But remember the way of The Fool. He knows that when he asks for growth, spirit may guide him to shed his clothes and run through the forest.  Will he look foolish? Sure. But appearing foolish is not foolish.  Spirit knows what his heart desires and spirit also knows how he is keeping it from himself.  The Fool’s Journey is always from where we are to where we want to be and there are infinite ways to get there.  You can take the fast track or meander the scenic one. You can rest in the sun or frolic through the grass.

Look at your rising sign and compare it to your sun and moon.  Learn how you protect yourself and how you hide your more vulnerable parts from others.  Then ask yourself if you are over-protecting yourself.  Maybe, to reach your most desired goal, it is time to lay down the mask, shield and sword, most especially the sword.

If you need any assistance in looking at these aspects and getting divine guidance on any of it, I am happy to help.  For a cost of $40 and via email, I will be happy to look up your rising, sun and moon signs and gather some guidance for you from spirit on the combination.  We can even focus on a particular subject for the reading.

And I now offer one-question tarot readings via email for only $30, a most affordable way to receive some tools to help you on your way. Visit my website and/or email me for more details.

Many blessings to you as we travel this most beautiful season of the year!

October Readings

Last month, I mentioned to y’all that I have been working with Stephanie Golden-Falcon on a weekly basis.  Well, as a result of our work today, we’ve brought through two very similar readings, which serve as guidance from spirit for this current phase of development that is now upon us (and just ahead).

In this first reading, you will see five cards laid out in an octagonal shape.

The middle row illustrates an ideal path forward. 

Notice that in the center (of the wheel) we find The Emperor. The Emperor represents a man or woman who is centered (anchored) within their power.  The Archetypal Emperor becomes the powerful leader he is by commanding (owning) his power of self, not through a demonstration of power over others.

At present, The Emperor is positioned between The Devil (below) and The Tower (above).

As spirit shows, The Emperor, by being centered within his power, is able to ride above all physical entanglements (The Devil) and weather the storm (The Tower).

The Devil represents this physical realm, neither good nor bad in and of itself. Yet, it is the pleasure and pain of the physical realm that can gain power over us.  We become addicted to our sensory pleasures.  In fact, fear is equally as addicting, attracting our attention and immobilizing us like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck.

The Tower represents those events within the physical world that are jarring.  In an instant, a belief system, an ideal, an infrastructure, and even a physical building can collapse into ruin.  In nature, eggs crack open as part of birth in some species.  In other species, the skin rips open and is shed through molting.  In order to grow, old structures must be abandoned.  Even the hermit crab, which does not create its own shell, must abandon an old homes when it ceases to provide enough room for its growing body.

To me, The Tower represents abrupt discontinuity – a hard left.  It is time to change direction to stay on course.

Within your power, as your Emperor self, you rise above physical encumbrances and survive the collapse unscathed.

Looking behind The Emperor, we see The Chariot. The Chariot is not driven; it is ridden!  It is a one-person vehicle and we each have our own.  In fact, The Chariot looks very much like the Emperor’s throne, but with wheels! [Study a traditional Emperor and Chariot and notice how similar they are (although not in this deck per se).]  To successfully ride The Chariot, you first must be in your own chariot; then hold on.  The stallions of spirit drive these mighty carriages.  They are designed to move and fast!

And look where you are headed, straight into your own guiding light! The Star represents your Higher Self.  Each of us has our own Star just as we have our own Chariot.  There is only one Sun shining down for all of the Earth, but there are thousands and thousands stars.  To navigate our current stage of growth, we each need to follow our OWN Star.

In the second reading, notice that we have many of the same cards, yet also notice we have additional information.

Focus on the upper left corner.  Here we again see The Chariot and The Star, but this time, it is The Hermit that lies between them. The Hermit represents turning inward, tuning in, and listening to spirit.  The Star is behind The Hermit, out of his sight, yet shining light on his path ahead.  The Chariot lies in front of the Hermit directly in sight as if spirit is saying to him, “Board! We have been waiting for you.  Let us carry you to safety.”

The Star also represents ‘being’ while the Chariot represents ‘doing’.  Notice that Temperance is below The Hermit and between these two states.  Spirit is guiding us to split our time between being and doing.  There is a time to be and a time to do.  Our state of being prepares the path, and then we are called to walk it.  The time to do, to act, may be drawing nearer!

Now in this particular and unique layout, Temperance also lies in between The Hermit and The Devil.  The Devil is again about the Earth Realm while The Hermit is about tuning into the Spirit Realm.  We ARE spiritual beings, but we are also physical humans walking the Earth.  The Earth (within and without) needs to be attended to.  Our physical bodies need care: food, air, water and even touch!  We cannot live in this realm on spirit alone (at least not at this stage of evolution).

Now look at the upper right corner where The Wheel of Fortune jumps out at us.  Surrounding it are Justice, The Sun, and The Tower.  The Tower sits directly below and at the lowest point of the Wheel.  Radical discontinuity on the Earth Plane is harsh and disruptive.  Instantaneous disillusionment is just as jarring.  The Tower, while sometimes necessary, is not fun.

You cannot see this, but Madam Justice is holding scales in her left hand.  Lying on top of her scales is The Wheel of Fortune.  These scales represent the Law of Karma; we attract what we focus on and The Wheel of Fortune delivers it to us.  Justice is a constant reminder that it is our thoughts that turn the wheel.  Are you going to turn it to the left and towards The Tower?  Or are you going to turn it to the right and towards The Sun?

And The Sun is The Golden Light that is here to nourish us all.  The Sun is directly responsible for our bodies.  It grows food enough to feed the whole planet, directly or indirectly.  It can be said that without the Sun, there could be no Earth, and thus everything that we desire is under the Sun. 


Looking again at the reading with a fast glance, you see The Devil in the middle of it all.  Yes, this Earthly realm is front and center.  Your and my life here on Earth is our utmost focus right now, as it should be!  In some ways, this moment is not unlike any other, yet it is wholly unique as well.


We know not what lies directly in front of us, yet the guidance is clear.  The power is in your hands.  Your Chariot awaits and your hand is on The Wheel of Fortune.  Take it all in, but know you are being called to act!  Your guiding light is shining the way out of darkness and into the sunlight where we can all bask in it.  There is enough for everyone!


Thank you spirit for your continuing and loving support - now as always!