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Healing with the Eight of Swords

Here's some tarot magick to relieve anxiety, worry and self-sabotage. All you need is the Eight of Swords from a Waite-Smith or Waite-Smith clone tarot deck.

In the Waite-Smith Eight of Swords we see a woman who is blindfolded and bound. She is in a cage of swords.

The suit of Swords is related to the element of Air. In the language of tarot we can see each sword as a thought, an idea, a word. And so we see the woman's cage is made up of her own thoughts and her own ideas.

That's a perfect picture of anxiety, isn't it?

When you find yourself caught up in anxiety, worry and fear try using the Eight of Swords to heal.

Create your sacred space while focusing on peace from your inner turmoil.

Breathe and take yourself to a meditative state.

Hold the Eight of Swords and look at it while breathing.

Visualize yourself in the card in place of the woman.

Think about the swords that surround you and what they represent to you at this time. What are your worries? What are your fears? What thoughts keep you in a state of panic? What thoughts are you using to sabotage yourself?

Focus on your breathing, and remind yourself that these thoughts have no power over you unless you let them. Summon all your strength and break the bonds that have trapped you. Remove your blindfold and commit to see your situation as it truly is, rather than through the distorted lens of anxiety.

In your visualization, walk to the edge of your circle and remove a sword. Toss it to the ground. Move around the circle doing the same thing to each sword. These thoughts, these words cannot trap you, cannot bind you.

Once you have removed all the swords and are free, place the Eight of Swords card face down on your altar.

Take a breath and affirm your power and your control over your thoughts.

You can enhance this ritual with herbs and stones that increase clarity and calm.

-Christiana

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Christiana Gaudet, an eclectic Pagan, has worked as a full-time tarot reader and teacher since the early 1990s.  From her home in South Florida she offers readings and private instruction by Skype and telephone, as well as tarot and spiritual webinars.  Christiana's first book, "Fortune Stellar: What Every Professional Tarot Reader Needs to Know" is designed to help each tarot professional build a unique and successful tarot business.  Her new book, "Tarot Tour Guide: Tarot, the Four Elements and Your Spiritual Journey" explores ways of using and understanding tarot by understanding the Four Elements. Christiana is a popular speaker at festivals and conferences, and has done a great deal of psychic work on broadcast radio and television.

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