Daily Tarot Reading 08132019

King of Swords

What should I know about today?

The King of Swords in this position suggests you may be experiencing a situation which calls for clear thinking and/or decisiveness today. Perhaps this is a time to show leadership in your life—to step up to the plate and gain greater control over your destiny. You will find that decisions you make after thinking things through clearly will be more effective than those taken by gut instinct or feeling alone; or by following others' or 'common sense' advice.

More thought required

The King of Swords represents justice and ethics—the ultimate in logical thought and reasoning. The card speaks of the part of us which is able to see, understand and solve all problems easily and effortlessly. We may attribute the qualities of the King of Swords to others in authority: 'They' are clever, 'They' are articulate, 'They' are the ones who can solve problems and change nations. Yet this card represents the judgment, intellect and foresight to be found within each one of us. This is a powerful card to draw when you are feeling confused because the King of Swords' mental capacity is great. Yet, unlike so many so-called 'great' thinkers, he is also just and ethical, making him comparable to the sort of judge or leader the world so needs today.

Four of Cups

How should I approach this day?

Receiving the Four of Cups in this position advises you to focus on your own needs. Perhaps some pressures in your life will lessen and, in addition, other people will make fewer demands on you. Taking this time out to just look after your own needs for a while will help you to become stronger in yourself and will impact positively on your life in many ways. Just be careful not to return to old habits of caring for others too soon or too easily. It is important to take this time for yourself when you have it. People close to you will benefit in the long run.

Take time out to meet needs

As Groucho Marx once said: "I'm fed up talking about me. What do you think of me?" The Four of Cups sends just such a message. It is the card of self absorption—those times or that part of us which is disinterested in anyone or anything else outside ourselves. When in this state we do not usually notice how we are affecting others—in fact we may not notice others at all! Sometimes this is appropriate. There are times when we need to just focus on ourselves. Perhaps we have a history of taking care of others first, or perhaps we have been focused on a work activity and need to reintroduce balance to our lives by taking care of number one for a change. The crucial word is balance.

The Hanged Man

What is the true potential of this day?

This card suggests you may face a situation today in which you will need to make some kind of sacrifice or to surrender rather than push on regardless. You may discover that this sacrifice involves releasing a part of yourself which is getting in your way. If so, you will need to be brave and let it go in order for you to progress. This may feel unusual or even uncomfortable if you are not used to it. However, 'hang' on in there, as your patience will be rewarded.

Will need to make sacrifices

The Hanged Man is one of the most unusual cards in the Tarot deck and its meaning is a little out of the ordinary. The image of a man hanging upside down from one leg seems on first appearance to depict quite a morbid scene. However, the man is in fact quite content with his predicament! What the Hanged Man represents is the act of doing the opposite to what your head tells you you should do. The message the Hanged Man gives is that there are times when the only way to get what we want is to let go and not try (particularly with the mind). Sometimes in order to go forward we need to take a step backward—and to win we need to surrender. When the Hanged Man turns up you really should try seeing the world from his point of view: upside down.