Five of Swords – “Winning, Losing and Weighing the Costs”

If you’ve ever held a sword in your hand, even a ceremonial

The Five of Swords - RWCS
US Games Edition

one, you know that they are   weighty things.  To wield a sword is to weigh the cost of each blow you strike whether the sword is real or metaphorical. Is each swing worth the cost to your strength? Are the transgressions of your opponent so egregious that striking the blow is worth diminishing your own power?  These are just a couple of the questions posed by the Five of Swords.  

Swords are the element of air and the suit’s intent is to show us our state of mind and how we communicate.  The keywords for the Five are, strife, dishonorable conduct and self-interest.  In a nutshell, the Five asks us to consider the nature of wins and losses and how we relate to them.  In the RWCS depiction, we see a sky torn asunder.  In the background two figures turn away from the battle, striped of their swords as well as their pride. They grieve the death of their dreams of conquest.  To the victor, goes the spoils and as a result the losers have lost their weapons, or symbolically, their personal power.  The water in the background gives them nowhere to retreat.  They must stay and face their defeat and subsequent humiliation.  The rough surface of the water expresses their emotional turmoil.

The figure in the foreground of the card is a seasoned combatant used to defending himself against all comers – note the five swords in his possession.  His thoughts are about securing his place in the world order.  He is not a gracious winner. He believes that carrying the day is its own reward and he spares little thought for his defeated opponents, other than to gloat over his victory. You could say that the lesson of the card is to be a gracious winner, or loser, but that’s an over-simplification and the Five’s meaning.  

"Tarot of the Pagan Cats"©
from Lo Scarebo

The Five of Swords is not always an easy card to understand.  It asks the reader (and the querent) to look for a deeper significance in the imagery. Which figure represents you?  Are you being asked to stand and face the unpleasant consequences of losing a trial by combat when you’d much rather quit the field to lick your wounds in private?  Should you consider that self-interest is not always a bad thing? Part of the Five’s lesson is to remind us that there’s no crime in putting ourselves first when the situation warrants it. Do you give up your dreams too easily for the benefit of others? Do you pick your battles carefully, but find yourself unready to commit to the first blow when the trumpet sounds?

Tarot’s job is to make you think – to make you delve deep into the complexities of your life and come out with true wisdom.  It’s not an easy task, but them neither is defending yourself against all comers.  Next time the Five of Swords turns up in your spread don’t quit the field with a glib interpretation.  Ask yourself what winning means to you and when is a battle not worth the cost.

LADY ORACLE  

Gemini, May 21st through June 22nd - “They Talk the Talk, But Do They Walk the Walk?"

#6, The Lovers, from "OSHO Zen Tarot"©
by Deva Padma - This card is tarot's
association for Gemini

Gemini, the third sign of the zodiac, is the sign of the twins.  No, this doesn’t mean people born under this sign have multiple personality disorder - well, not necessarily, that is.  It means a Gemini is outgoing, quick witted, intelligent and curious enough for two people.  Go to a party and the person with the largest knot of people around them is probably a Gemini.  Twin people are ruled by Mercury and therefore naturally born communicators.  They can tell a story like none other and can persuade, even manipulate, any situation with their the gift of gab.  

The Sign of The Twins is ruled by the element of air (tarot’s Swords) which correlates to matters of intellect and the mind.  These people know a little bit about many things and are always seeking information that improves their store of knowledge. They are highly effective in communications, Gemini tends to commit more time to talk and less time to action.  (Which can be really annoying during romantic moments) The twins are very analytical, able to see all sides of an issue.  However, it’s that very ability to thoroughly dissect a subject that can prevent them from making true progress towards a goal.  

A Gemini can be a highly effective member of a sales team. 

Mercury, ruler of the sign Gemini, has
#1,The Magician for its tarot card. This
depiction from "Wizard's Tarot"©
by Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen

They are also good at managing, though they may have a tendency to act impulsively and allow their focus to drift. Their only serious flaw is their tendency to be superficial.  They are social and easy going, but not given to looking at any person or situation with a great deal of depth.  They are the quintessential ‘glad-handers’ or ‘baby-kissers’ - exuberant, but always with an eye towards the popular and the expedient.  They have an uncanny ability to match and mirror other people’s traits and viewpoints.  Again, this makes them highly successful communicators and sales people, but the downside is that you can easily find yourself maneuvered into a position in their chess game. Gemini is not above using deception to put you where they want you to be.

People born under the sign of the Twins become easily bored and are not known for bearing it gracefully. Although they are good at friendships, they prefer the flavor to be light and easy-going.  They avoid emotional subtext like the rest of us avoid a trans-fats.  They give great advice, but don’t expect them to get down in the emotional trenches with you, because Gemini avoids topics and situations that they find to be depressing.  Still, when all is said and done, they are the people you seek out for adventure, wit and that all around ‘happy to know you’ feeling.  

LADY ORACLE

#1, The Magician or, "Linking Merlin With the Divine"

#1, The Magician - my personal
favorite depiction from "The
Wizar'ds Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen

In tarot, The Magician bears witness to the fundamental truth he we are always connected to our divine creator.  The depiction of the Magician in RWSC decks shows us a wizard standing at his work table.  He has the power of all the elements literally at his finger tips as symbolized by the suits in tarot’s Minor Arcana: Wand, Cup, Sword and Pentacle (fire, water, air and earth respectively).  

The Magician represents consciousness, directed action and intentional creation.  He stands at his work table, his wand held aloft while his other hand pointed to the earth.  He is a living conduit between the power of divine consciousness and Its physical manifestation on earth.  He embodies the words on the Emerald Tablet, “As it is above, so it is below.”  Unlike Fool, the Magician doesn’t nonchalantly toss his consciousness over his shoulder, moving through life on a whim.  He takes responsibility for his

life force and his gifts by using them to shape his world.  Flowers grow around his table - signs that the power of his potential is in full and directed use.  He blooms where he’s planted.  He shows us that our gifts are the currency by which we purchase our dreams. If you waste your gifts, or let them stand idle, you not only bankrupt yourself, but you squander all of your potential.

We are conduits for cosmic energy.  It passes through us for

use in creating actualities - job, lifestyle, or to effect lasting change in the world around us. Our personal power must be allowed to flow freely guided by our directed thought.  Otherwise we create chaos in our lives and the lives of those around us.  Often we want to hold fast to our power base, fearing it will disappear.  However when you act as a conduit, you carry current from an infinite source - a universal power plant if you will.  Think about the batteries you bought last year for your emergency flashlights.  They are still in the package, their power contained.  What is their shelf life? Are they still good?  Just as the charge in an unused battery will eventually dissipate, so will the consciousness or cosmic power you struggle to contain.  As with water, electricity and air, there must be a flow through.

From "OSHO Zen Tarot"© by Deva Padma,
we see the #22, The World - a culmination
of the hero's journey.

Today ask yourself: Am I part of the Divine flow?  Do I direction to my power and manifest things that benefit myself as well as those around me, or do I react to whatever direction life takes me and create chaos in my wake?  This is a magic day and you get to decide what you will do with it. 

LADY ORACLE