Daily Tarot Reading 08172019

Nine of Swords

What should I know about today?

The Nine of Swords in this position suggests you may be overly anxious today. Perhaps you feel worried about the future or have regrets about the past. This may be impacting on your health, relationships, work, etc. Your anxieties may be out of proportion in relation to what there actually is to be worried about. It may, therefore, be important for you to talk to someone about these worries, or just to learn some techniques for dealing with them. Try to be kind to yourself and to understand what is at the root of your problems.

Unnecessary worries

The Nine of Swords is the card of anxiety. Worrying can warn us when we're on the wrong path, facing difficult times, or are avoiding something that needs doing. However, this worry can turn to anguish as we repeatedly torture ourselves with questions, such as, "Did I do the right thing?" or, "Will it work out?" It is worth remembering that, although distressing, anxiety can be seen as a positive sign that we want for a better life. Most often at the root of anxiety is a lack of trust. We doubt that things will work out for us and we lack the faith that the universe is actually a benign place, in which we are always loved and cared for.

The Tower

How should I approach this day?

The Tower advises you to be prepared for and welcome dramatic changes in your circumstances. Much of our human suffering comes from a resistance to change, which is unfortunate as change is the only certainty in life. If you can be adaptable and try to see the positive side to change, you will be much more likely to find inner peace. When the necessary changes have occurred, you can look back on this experience and see the lessons learned. Hopefully, through making the greatest use of these lessons, any future changes will be that little bit easier to deal with.

Be prepared for changes

The meaning of the Tower is a simple but sometimes unsettling one. It stands for dramatic upheaval and violent changes. The card depicts a scene of devastation where a tower is brought crashing down by a fork of lightening, representing a sudden dramatic reversal in fortune. For those who don't like change, this card will not be welcome, as sometimes change does not give us time to adapt, but can be abrupt and come without warning. However, sometimes that's just what we need: to be shaken up or given a wake-up call. Although it may not seem so as it's happening, it is times like these that can be most beneficial to us.

Eight of Swords

What is the true potential of this day?

Receiving the Eight of Swords in this position predicts you will find yourself becoming more aware of your true path today. By being completely honest with yourself now and seeing where you may have been tempted off your path (e.g. by money, security, or popularity), you will be able to get yourself back on track. This could require great strength, clarity of thought, force of will, and belief in yourself, but receiving this card implies that you possess all these qualities. Choosing your right path can mean having to make difficult decisions about who your real friends are, what your right work is, whether your relationship is working, etc., but these areas will need to be looked at in order to lead the authentic life you deserve.

Getting back on track

The Eight of Swords signals lost direction and confusion. It speaks of those times when we suddenly think, "How did I get here? What happened to my life? Where did my dreams go?" At such times, we may feel hopeless about our situation. After all, we may have worked incredibly hard to get where we are today, and, as the saying goes, we now find the ladder is lying against the wrong wall. The Eight of Swords is a real wake-up call for us, and one that may make us feel fearful. Realizing the truth of our lives can be daunting, but to not realize it is worse. Thus we are trapped: We need to change things in order to live more authentic lives, but we are aware of what hard work this will be. Our existing lifestyles may be trapping us in these inauthentic lives—and to be honest about who we really are may run the risk of a great deal of change, and perhaps also great discomfort. However, it is necessary for us to face up to the truth of our situation in order that we can be who we really are, and not look back on our lives with regret.