Date:  November 7. 2016

Today's Tarot Card:  Five of Swords

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"Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition - in having put forth the best within you."

~Henry J. Kaiser
 

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As we venture through life, we discover that our existence is a series of competitions.  We find ourselves competing for our parents' attention and affection, we compete against our siblings as well as our peers and as we get older, we compete against others for love, career and acknowledgement.  It is difficult to get through life without taking part in a competition of some kind.

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Depending on the card we view, the Five of Swords card shows us competition in some manner.  Whether it is with others or with ourselves, the energy of the fives - chaos - is clear.  Fives are about imbalance, having added one (+1) to the stable, solid, dependable energies found in the fours.  While sometimes we try to avoid confrontation because we simply do not wish to deal with the drama, there are times when it is needed, and even welcomed.  These encounters help us to discover what we are truly made of - what our strengths AND weaknesses are, and how we measure up against our opponent.  It is about putting our best foot forward, to win on our merits, and to be recognized for them.  It is also an opportunity to show our sportsmanship - if we can win graciously and lose with dignity, or if we flaunt our win over those people - or things - we struggled against.  It speaks to our character, our mettle.  And when we lose, it becomes a catalyst to work on ourselves so we can be stronger, wiser, and more adept.

 

The additional aspect of the Swords also speaks to the friction that can be seen and felt from this card.  Swords are connected to the thought processes as well as communication, so it hints at using your mind and logic, as well as your proficiency with getting your point understood, to hopefully come out ahead.  Swords also are known for "cutting through the bullshit" of a situation, so this card can also hint at being able to get to the core of the disagreement to bring about a more harmonious outcome.

 

When this card comes up in a reading, it can represent a struggle or event of opposition in your life.  If this is the case, it may suggest that you take the high road by trying to get to a meeting of the minds by compromise and working together.  It shows that, win or lose, competition can be a learning experience - about ourselves and others - and can be handled with respect and poise.

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Be sure to check out past "Tarot of the Day" posts on my blog!