Tarot's Four of Swords - “Practicing Stillness”

4 of Swords from RWCS

Life can make you crazy and conversely, you can make your life crazy.  It’s an art to know when to take action on something and when to let it lie.  The four of swords asks us to gear down and ease our frantic mindset by sinking into silence and stillness. It is only in these states of tranquility that can true wisdom can enter our minds.

The suit of swords deals with ‘daggers of the mind,’ or in science fiction parlance, ‘monsters from the id.’ A classic depiction of the four of swords shows us a knight, or nobleman resting in much the same pose as a figure atop a tomb from the middle ages. His hands are clasped as if in prayer, representing his supplication and request for Divine guidance. Three swords hang suspended over his head and torso. They hover above three chakras points: The third eye (ajna), where his intuition, or psychic connection lives; his heart chakra, (anahata) where he feels and expresses his love and lastly, above his solar plexus (manapura) where he houses his personal power, fear and anxiety. These swords represent the areas where obsessive thought patterns can root themselves and make us miserable.

Our knight’s eyes are closed and he lays death-like with the

4 of Swords from "The Wizard's Tarot"©
by Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen

fourth sword resting below him as a decoration on the side of the slab. This fourth sword represents a mind at rest, heedless of the day to day travails suspended above our hero in the conscious world.  Below, in the world of the subconscious, or the meditative state, all is tranquil.  

Stillness is not a natural state for most of us.  Sometimes it makes us so antsy that we take on other projects simply to avoid the stillness in our own mind. Tarot’s four of swords challenges us to still our minds, our emotions and fears in order to reach that serene place inside each of us that connects us to Source and holds our inner wisdom.  You can’t hear a whisper in the middle of a maelstrom, though. The answers we seek come in the silence of our souls and through our ability to hear inner wisdom through our connection to the Divine.

In readings this card indicates a need to rest and recover, to draw in and quietly prepare for actions to come, as well as to contemplate reality past emotion and ego. Use the four of swords to help guide you as you sort through life’s difficult situations. Taking time of rest and recoup makes you stronger in the long-run.

LADY ORACLE


Vive La France!

Kyanite - The Big, Blue Easy

Mercury Retrograde in Pisces has made some of us fretful, to say the least.  Okay, I’ll admit it.  I’ve been under my bed for two days.  If you’ve found yourself worn out from smudging and cleansing your space, take heart.  You’re not alone.  WhiIe it’s important to remember to go with the flow at this particular time, there are still some things you can do to help yourself and your environment.  One of the biggest metaphysical bangs for the buck out there is an incredible polymorph stone called Kyanite.

Kyanite derives its name from the Greek word, ‘kyanos,’ meaning blue.  Good kyanite crystals have a color and clarity similar to a Ceylon Sapphire -  a deep, rich blue that draws you into the stone itself.  Kyanite in its crystal form is found in Brazil, Kenya and the European Alps.  This gem stone carries a high vibration and is capable of automatically aligning all the chakras without any conscious effort on your part.  Kyanite, like Ametrine, cannot hold a negative charge and therefore never requires clearing (One of my favorite attributes for a crystal). Anger, frustration and stress are greatly reduced by wearing Kyanite on your body.

If you wish to improve your communication skills then Kyanite is the crystal for you.  This blue gem works with your throat chakra and assists you in both speaking effectively and in being clearly understood.  It also induces tranquility and enhances psychic awareness.  Kyanite’s vibration aids creative visualization and promotes healing during dream states. It is said to be a stone of destiny.  Under Kyanite’s influence, you open yourself to the possibilities of life and find your true calling.  

Mercury Retrograde is Mercury Retrograde, just as bad days are bad days.  However, it never hurts to have a few tools to use when the Universe grinds to a halt right on top of you.  Kyanite can make going with the flow a lot easier.

LADY ORACLE