Never has there been a better time to turn to our trusted Tarot for guidance. Right now, we are facing a global crisis, locked down in isolation and facing an uncertain future. Some questions remain unanswered. On top of all that, we’re experiencing one of the most powerful paradigms shift in the collective consciousness taking us forward into the Age of Aquarius.
For many, this has driven them further into a state of panic and fear, and this is not the place where answers can be found. Rather it tends to drive us towards the guidance and advice of others, particularly those in authority who we, for many years, have held the belief that they have all the answers.
However, the truth is that we can learn a lot from what triggers our deepest fears, but we must first switch our minds on to critical thinking rather than run from the monsters in our heads. Only then will we find the truth that lies beneath it all.
In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her friends remain in a constant state of panic and fear for most of the story. It is not until the end that they learn the truth, that behind the curtain is not this big almighty powerful wizard, but rather a pitiful little man who had fooled the whole kingdom that he held all the power and that they had none. Once Dorothy realised that she held power within herself all along, she could free herself from fear and return home.
The Two of Swords and Eight of Swords respectively depict a blindfolded female, which often reveals that we’re blinded to the truth, or rather that we’re unwilling to accept the truth. It can also be a warning that we’re being prevented from discovering certain truths that would free us up along our journey. We are also reminded of the consequences of turning a blind eye to the truths revealed to us. What truly scares us is the idea that what we think we know, what we believe with all our heart, is not necessarily the truth. In this instant, we should instead ask, ‘what am I fearing?’ Sit with the awareness of that truth, and as uncomfortable as it may be, know that there is no greater power than Truth!
In history, we can see the false truths that have held people trapped in their own minds and the impact of those perceptions once the blindfolds were removed. For instance, the oppression that brought about the American Civil Rights movement for race equality, and the Women’s Social and Political Union, also known as the suffragettes, who fought for the women's right to vote. And indeed, there are many more. Imagine, if you will, a world where blindfolds remained that would be scarier than ever facing the truth!
If we look at our past, we may find many blindfold instances. Although this brings pain, anxiety and fear, we can see how it ultimately sets us free to continue with fresh new insights that bring wisdom and new opportunities for further soul growth.
With the world in such turmoil right now, it is the perfect time to go within and ask, ‘what is our truth?’ Not what we have been told, but what we know intuitively to be the truth. This is where our true power lies!
First, we must open our minds to allow for new insights. The Classical Greek philosopher, Socrates, introduced the Socratic method, where he asked his students to use curiosity and critical thinking to answer questions and invoke problem-solving. It requires a neutral mindset, devoid of all attached emotions, where every answer is then subjected to further questioning. With each layer, other truths are often revealed, which brings clarity to the answers we seek. Unfortunately for Socrates, his teachings were deemed as corrupting the minds of the youth of Athens, and he was put on trial and found guilty, subsequently resulting in punishment by forced suicide of drinking poison.
When we look at the world we live in today, we can still see this oppression in our thinking minds. We are still being silenced and told what we can and can't say and how we should think and feel. We can find this in our relationships, at work and within communities, and most alarmingly within our governments, world leaders, and global businesses.
When we objectively reflect on the Two of Swords and the Eight of Swords, it will lead us to the powers of the Ace of Swords, where new truths are revealed, and clarity puts us on the path of freedom and liberation from oppression.
No longer are we kept in the darkness. Instead, truths will lead us to the light!
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