Do you ever have one of those Mondays where nothing goes right and your brain is a confused jumble of negativity and failure? No? Just me?
​
That's my Monday this week. I tried to get all my phone calls out of the way, and none of them went right. I couldn't get through to the dog's vet. I booked the cat's vet on the wrong day. I can't renew an important prescription because my insurance won't cover it, and offering to pay out of pocket confuses the pharmacist. It's only eleven dollars, I'm sure I can cover it! 

But no, it's just going to be one of those days where nothing goes right and everything is a big pile of bewilderment and misery. It is a reversed Queen of Swords kind of Monday. I guess I'll sit by the window and eat a scotch on the rocks.

​The Queen of Swords is self-aware, fiercely individual, and unique. This perfectionism may be a cause of pain or sorrow, however.
Reversed, we see the pain and sorrow come out as an overly pessimistic or critical person. The queen is manipulative, rude, and lacks empathy. Sometimes she is infertile or very confused.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Queen of Swords:
Who? A malicious woman 
What? Miscommunication
Where? A trauma center
When? Mid-September to early October; When you are suffering emotionally
Why? “Just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.” ~Criss Jami
Yes or No? Probably not

The reversed Queen of Swords as:
…an action?

• Be cautious when sharing information
• Stop lying to yourself about your situation
• Hold back criticism

 
…a place in your house?

• A window
• The attic

 
…a place in your city?

• A dorm or sorority
• A strip mall

 
…a place in the world?

• Las Vegas
• Russia
  
• Greece
• China

…something to eat?

• Ice
• Liquor

 
…something to clean?

• The windows
• A box from the attic or high storage

 
…where to find the missing item?

• At the bottom of a drawer

 
…a color? black, beige
 
…a movie theme? Manipulation; criticism

• Trainwreck
• Captain Fantastic

 
A new career?

• Marketing
• Software Engineer

• Program Manager
• Locksmith

Queen of Swords reversed
Before any card: Someone is being lied to about (card)
After any card: Manipulation; criticism; pessimism

For more on this and other reversed Queens, read Applied Tarot Reversed

We have reached the mid-point of my youngest son's final year of high school. I have been counting down the days, literally, on my personal Facebook page. I can't wait to be out of this school system. They have jerked my kids around a million times in a million different ways, and I'm just ready to be done already. 

So we find ourselves at the reversed Knight of Swords. This guy literally represents the middle of the school year, or mid January to early February, which is when I'm first posting this.

What do I do about the conflict and disagreements I've had with the school district? The reversed knight says back away, leave it alone, think before I explode. Alright, alright, alright. It also suggests I get a JOB at the high school, but I think we'll skip that option, thankyouverymuch.

​The upright Knight of Swords charges into battle with focus and purpose, but is prepared for inevitable turbulence.

Reversed, this knight may have missed an opportunity, or been far too aggressive in his pursuit of success, leading to bullying behavior, conflict, and cowardly actions.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Knight of Swords:
Who? A rebellious teen 
What? A dispute
Where? A locker room; a “boy’s club”
When? Mid-January to Early February; The middle of the school year; The time has come and gone already
Why? “No one heals himself by wounding another.” ~St. Ambrose
Yes or No? No

The reversed Knight of Swords as:
…an action?

• Think before you speak
• Back away

 
…a place in your house?

• A basement bedroom
• A phone charging cable

 
…a place in your city?

• A schoolyard
• A gym locker room

 
…a place in the world?

• Portugal
• Austria
• The West coast of South America

 
…something to eat?

• Food you bought with other people’s money
• Meat and eggs

 
…something to clean?

• Fix holes in the wall

 
…where to find a missing item?

• Where you last looked - you missed it

 
…a color? Black, green
 
…a movie theme? Bullying, aggression

• The Grinch
• Napoleon Dynamite
• The Prom

 
…a new career?

• Engineering manager
• A job at a high school
• Boss

 
The reversed Knight of Swords
Before any card: Thoughtless disregard about (card)
After any card: Rudeness, aggression

So far today I have not experienced any reversed Page of Swords energy. Knock Wood.

I do want to speak about gossip for a minute, however, as it's this reversed Page's modus operandi. Somehow, over the course of the last 500 years, the Patriarchy convinced us that gossip was bad, and that people (particularly women) who gossip are evil or witches. However, gossip has its beginnings in the very early days, when stories weren't written down but instead shared orally. Gossip is just storytelling. Whether it's told in hyperbole or not, all gossip has its roots in truth. If it didn't, it would just be a lie. That's a different entity. 

So, when you find yourself in a circle of gossip, don't feel bad. It's a way to communicate with your friends, get some inside scoop on what's going on in the world (very helpful at a time like this!) and become closer to everyone. If you do feel like the gossip is getting out of control, make a note to yourself to only gossip with what you know to be true. If you're not lying, you're storytelling, and that's what gossip is supposed to be. 

Grab some hot tea and spill the tea! 

The Page of Swords upright heralds the beginning of learning something new, or a fresh academic start. Although stubborn and intensely opinionated, the upright page is curious and intellectual. 

Reversed, this page brings bad news, bad ideas, and a lack of education. They might be cynical, deceptive, or gossipy and opinionated.
 
Questions answered by reversed Page of Swords:
Who? A dimwit 
What? gossip
Where? The coffee shop
When? The entire season of Winter (Northern Hemisphere), or Summer (Southern Hemisphere); When your head is in the clouds
Why? “Those who seek to know gossip will hear ill about themselves.” ~Kate Morton
Yes or No? No

The reversed Page of Swords as:
…an action?

• Tell the truth
• Be wary of someone who may be taking advantage

 
…a place in your house?

• The internet router
• A whiteboard or message center

 
…a place in your city?

• The coffee shop
• The hair salon or barbershop

 
…a place in the world?

• Bolivia
• The Caribbean
• Portugal
• Cambodia

…something to eat?

• Hot tea
• Juicy fruit
• Turkey and stuffing

…something to clean?

• Teacups
• Coffee machine

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Near your coffee mug

 
…a color? Green
 
…a movie theme? Mental manipulation; gossip

• Inception

• Mean Girls

• Crazy Rich Asians
• In the Heights

…a new career?

• Communications and Informatics
• Private investigator
• Flight attendant

 
The reversed Page of Swords
Before any card: Someone is being dishonest about (card)
After any card: Bad news, lies

For more on this storytelling Page, read Applied Tarot Reversed

As we crawl our way through this unending and miserable Pandemic, we can begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. My oldest and youngest children are getting their Booster vaccinations today, which I'm very excited about. My friends have all seemingly avoided the big C this winter, which was very hard to do, and despite the news media saying "we will all get Omicron, the question is when?" I'm doing okay hiding out in my little cave and avoiding other humans. I have enough happy pills to keep me smiling instead of worrying.

We will get through this, and the getting through this is The Reversed Ten of Swords. It's recovery or finding one's way out of disaster. On it's most negative side, it is regret and an inability to move on, but it still implies that the worst is behind us now. 
​
I'm going to go pop some vitamin C and watch Chef.

​Upright, this Ten is pain, destruction, defeat, and a terrible end. There is nothing positive about this card. Even reversed, it can often represent clinging to disaster and not being able to move on.

However, there may also be some positives to the reversed interpretation. You could be rising above your difficulties, through the worst of a disaster, or your life could slowly be improving after a devastating event.

This is one Tarot card where the reversed interpretation might be better than the upright one.
 
Questions answered by reversed Ten of Swords:
Who? A survivor 
What? An escape from disaster
Where? At the end of a long road or dark tunnel
When? The middle of June; After a devastation; ten days
Why? “Freedom is what we do with what is done to us.” ~Jean-Paul Sartre
Yes or No? Yes

The reversed Ten of Swords as:
…an action?

• Fix something
• Celebrate your small accomplishments

 
…a place in your house?

• The toolbox
• The bathtub

 
…a place in your city?

• The river
• An event venue

 
…a place in the world?

• Switzerland

• Seattle, WA
• New Zealand

 
…something to eat?

• Vitamin C
• Berries, fruit, veggies, and nuts

 
…something to clean?

• Restock the first aid supplies
• The emergency prep storage

 
…where to find the missing item?

• On a tidy surface
• Someone else will find it for you

 
…a color? Rainbow; bright
 
…a movie theme? Recovering; surviving disaster

• Chef
• The Martian

• Stranger than Fiction

…a new career?

• Start a new business
• Knife salesman
• Chef
• Go back to school

 
The reversed Ten of Swords
Before any card: Surviving the worst of (card)
After any card: Regeneration; recovery

Oh Hey, my friend Jesikah wrote a book and you should read it. It's sci-fi, magic, romance, and suspense all rolled into one! It's very Ten of Swords Reversed! and it's only 99 cents right now!

Well, I've had it. 
The pandemic has reached the worst it has ever been. I wish I could say it's the worst it'll ever get, but honestly I thought that was four months ago. And six months before that. And six months before that. So really, who knows? On this date in time, the Omicron virus is spreading so rapidly that an hour ago my kids' school sent a notice that they were moving back to remote learning, effective immediately. They made it 80 days into the 21-22 school year before they had to call it. They just don't have the staffing. Everyone has the virus.

On the plus side, I'm now in two kinds of therapy - talk and medical! I have been prescribed panic attack medication, anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressant medication, and the latest: ADHD medication. I am FLYING HIGH. It's great.

It is both these ups and downs that the reversed Nine of Swords represents. It is either intense fear and giving up (the viral worst!) or it could be a light at the end of a difficult tunnel (my new meds!) Or it's both! 

Don't mind me, I'm going to mow down on some potato chips and rewatch Groundhog day, because right now I feel like I'm reliving the past 700 days over and over and over again. 

Upright, the Nine of Swords is a card of anxiety, pain, and nightmares.

Reversed, it is often about seeing the light at the end of a tunnel, being able to let go of some of the anxiety and negativity, and taking help when it is offered.

However, in rare instances it might be even worse than its upright meaning, and could represent extreme night terrors or a complete nervous breakdown.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Nine of Swords:
Who? A guilty person 
What? A bad dream
Where? At the therapist’s office; at recovery
When? The first week of June; When the light at the end of the tunnel becomes apparent; nine days
Why? “Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” ~Steve Maraboli
Yes or No? No. Do not start serious things now

The reversed Nine of Swords as:
…an action?

• Practice coping mechanisms
• Accept or ask for help
• Write in a journal

 
…a place in your house?

• A chair in the bedroom
• The light in a dark closet

 
…a place in your city?

• A tunnel
• A bookstore

• A recovery center
• A self-help group

…a place in the world?

• The Portland Underground
• Montreal, Canada
• Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland
• Spain 

…something to eat?

• Salty food
• Coffee
• Tapas
• Honey

…something to clean?

• The attic
• A dark drawer or cabinet

 
…where to find the missing item?

• In your bed
• Under the furniture

 
…a color? White, Yellow
 
…a movie theme? Learning to cope; accepting help

• Groundhog Day
• The Incredibles

 
…a new career?

• Early shift work
• Tunnel or cave maintenance
• Psychoanalysis

 
The reversed Nine of Swords
Before any card: Severe anxiety associated with (card)
After any card: Nightmares, Being frightened

Need to journal your worst nightmares? Pick up a copy of the Applied Divination Journal. With spaces for drawing, writing, and a helpful daily quote, this journal is... oh, what the hell. It's a blank journal. Just do whatever. I give up today.

Today, I started a new medication for ADHD. I'm over 40 years old and have never taken ADHD medication before, as I wasn't formally diagnosed until earlier last year.

I'm both afraid and interested to see what this medication might do. I have often wondered how "normal" people can just do things - follow routines, organize their house, answer the doorbell, or even just read the mail without getting sidetracked or having a panic attack about every such thing. I'm interested to see if this medication might help me do some of those things. I wonder if, at my age, it's possible to BE normal. 

This kind of test, where I attempt a new mental health medication intent on freeing myself from the burden of a condition that limits my ability to function, is one of the perfect examples of the reversed eight of swords. It is freeing. It is finding a cure. It is trying something new.

Although I've had a wonderful life and have accomplished many things with this condition, it's still interesting to anticipate that I might now be able to do even more.  Time will tell. It will take at least four to six weeks to reach full efficacy, so we'll see how I'm doing in mid February. 

On to more reversed eight of swords wisdom!

Upright, the Eight of Swords is about breaking free of self-victimization and finding your way out of a bad situation.   

Reversed, this could be an incredibly positive card, where one has found their freedom and made an escape from whatever was holding them back. Alternatively, it could be a terribly negative interpretation of the upright card, where one has sunk deeper into despair or found that there is no way out of their situation.  
 
Questions answered by the reversed Eight of Swords:
Who? Someone standing up to abuse 
What? Facing your fears
Where? On the other side of the fence
When? The middle of May; When you are free
Why? “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” ~Japanese proverb
Yes or No? Possibly

The reversed Eight of Swords as:
…an action?

• Find a solution
• Fix the gate
• Believe in yourself

…a place in your house?

• On the other side of the wall
• The playroom

 
…a place in your city?

• A park
• A car dealership
  
• A zoo
• A wide-open space

…a place in the world?

• Hadrian’s Wall, UK
• Yosemite, CA
• Hveradalir, Iceland

…something to eat?

• Cheesecake
• Oatmeal
• Melting chocolate ball

 
…something to clean?

• Fingerprints off the walls
• The backs of chairs and doors

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Scattered across the room
• Standing upright in plain view

 
…a color? green, orange
 
…a movie theme? freedom, facing fears

• The Shawshank Redemption
• Django Unchained
• Wreck-It Ralph

 
…a new career?

• Construction
• Pilot
• Elevator technician

 
Eight of Swords reversed
Before any card: Facing one’s fear of (card)
After any card: Escape, freedom

​For more on the Reversed Eight of Swords, read Applied Tarot Reversed! Free on Kindle Unlimited, and currently on sale on Kindle for $4.99!

For the holidays, I took almost a month off this website in order to focus on my family.

That's a lie! 

I started new happy pills and took off to the Dominican Republic for a much-needed vacation. My family was there, which was great, of course, but really it was all about unwinding, thinking about my next moves, and imbibing all the bad things I possibly could. It was a very reversed seven of swords vacation. Not only did I get away with lounging by the pool with unlimited pina coladas, but I also took time to figure myself out and maybe reevaluate the direction my life is heading. 

Speaking of turning over a new leaf, I was worried about my plants while I was away, as I'm on a very strict watering and feeding schedule with them, but they seemed to like the vacation from me. I have a bunch of new spider plant blooms, and my philodendron seems twice as long. The reversed seven of swords might also be about plants (turning over a new leaf), so tend your gardens! 

The Seven of Swords upright is about stealth, manipulation, and getting away with something sneaky.
Reversed, we’re compelled to confess our sins, turn over a new leaf, or we’ve been caught in a lie. Alternatively, we might dig even deeper into the sneakiness and become a pathological liar, a cheat, or malicious. 
 
Questions answered by the reversed Seven of Swords:
Who? A pathological liar 
What? A lie
Where? In your own home
When? The middle of February; After seven confessions; after seven lies
Why? “When a lie is uttered, it naturally brings with it more lies. It is an art, a form of fiction writing.” ~Chaker Khazaal
Yes or No? No

The reversed Seven of Swords as:
…an action?

• Face the consequences

• Do the right thing
• Confess

…a place in your house?

• The warning light in the car
• The fire alarms

 
…a place in your city?

• Church
• A casino

 
…a place in the world?

• Vatican City
• Machu Picchu

 
…something to eat? 

• Fish
• Bread

 
…something to clean?

• Screens, such as on a cellphone, laptop, or TV

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Near your phone
• Under something to do with leaves (turning over a new leaf)

 
…a color? Purple; blush
 
…a movie theme? Confession, turning over a new leaf

• Despicable Me
• Aladdin
• Spider-Man: Far from Home

 
A new career?

• Pastor
• Something in a new city
• Consulting; training

 
Seven of Swords reversed
Before any card: You’re being dishonest about (card)
After any card: Lies; confession

For more on the Seven, read the Applied Divination series!

The reversed six of swords is all about travel delays and an inability to go anywhere. I hope this doesn't apply to me. We have a big family trip planned next week for my partner's 50th birthday. Like others in the world, we haven't been anywhere in two years, so this is a pretty big deal. If it gets cancelled or there are delays and we can't go, I don't want to think about that. 

Luckily, the reversed six might also mean rocking the boat, which IS something I have done recently. My kid is having an issue in one of his classes, where he and other kids are feeling threatened, so I emailed the principal like an angry bear momma the other day, and accused them of not providing a safe and secure learning environment. 

They took awhile to get back to me and their email this morning was a simple "we know about this. If your child has any more issues they should come directly to us." It read like a form letter, which only served to make me more livid. Some kids don't feel comfortable going to anyone but their parent, you know. 

Anyway, I'm pissed and unable to move on from this, which is a very reversed six of swords way to be. I think for lunch I'll have some comfort food and watch Jurassic Park. Seeing dinosaurs eat useless authorities will bring me joy.

The Upright six depicts a gradual change or difficult journey. This is a troublesome trip, and one that is not wanted but is necessary for survival.
Reversed, someone is having trouble making that move forward. Perhaps there is a delay or cancellation of travel plans, someone has “rocked the boat” so to speak, or perhaps the worst has happened, such as a flood or a drowning.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Six of Swords:
Who? A submissive person 
What? An inability to move
Where? The water
When? The first week in February; Six weeks ago
Why? “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” ~Lyndon B. Johnson
Yes or No? No

 
The Six of Swords reversed as:
…an action?

• Check the weather
• Listen to reason
• Stop fearing the unknown

…a place in your house?

• A shelf of memorabilia
• A plugged drain
• Dishwasher

…a place in your city?

• Your ex’s apartment
• An old workplace
• The train station
• A freeway into town

…a place in the world?

• Southern USA
• Croatia
• Poland
• France

…something to eat? 

• Comfort food
• Chicken nuggets

 
…something to clean?

• A closet
• The tub
• The boat

 
…where to find the missing item?

• It’s right near you

 
…a color? Yellow, amber, red
 
…a movie theme? An inability to move on; trapped

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• John Wick
• Jurassic Park

 
…a new career?

• Factory work
• Warehouse employee
• Remote work
• Caretaker

​
The reversed Six of Swords
Before any card: An inability to move on from (card)
After any card: Slow progress, travel delays

I don't have much to say about the reversed Five of Swords. It's a card about ongoing resentment, rage, and holding a grudge. It could arise after a battle is over but you just can't let go of it, or it comes up during a battle that seemingly never ends. Without getting into personal issues, I'm in one of those situations and yes, I'm holding a grudge about it!

Luckily, a few of the suggestions from the reversed five of swords are right up my alley, including eating a box of chocolates in front of the movie Elf, one of my faves! I think I'll do that.

Upright, the Five represents the time after a battle or conflict. If it is a victory, it is an empty one. If it's a defeat, it requires a major regroup and re-plan.

Reversed, this card is tricky because there are so many ways to look at it. If we imagine that it has the same meaning as the upright five but that the battle or conflict is ongoing inside ourselves, it becomes a bit easier. This card could mean compromise, sacrifice, or holding on to resentment.
 
Questions answered by reversed Five of Swords:
Who? Someone holding a grudge 
What? The end of a conflict
Where? A place where a truce or mediation happened
When? The end of January; Five days after a fight
Why? “To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.” ~Confucius
Yes or No? No

The Five of Swords reversed as:
…an action?

• Forgive and forget
• Apologize

 
…a place in your house?

• The filing cabinet
• The dining table
• A video game system

…a place in your city?

• A law office
• An ice cream shop

 
…a place in the world?

• California, USA
• Taiwan
• Japan
• Germany 

…something to eat?

• A box of chocolates
• A charceuterie board

 
…something to clean?

• Dishware
• Your room

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Where someone last apologized to you

 
…a color? Red, seafoam green
 
…a movie theme? Apologies, forgiveness

• Elf
• The Wedding Singer
• Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri

 
…a new career?

• Lawyer or Law Clerk
• Designer
• Sales representative

 
The reversed Five of Swords
Before any card: Holding a grudge about (card)
After any card: Apologies, forgiveness
​

Speaking of people who hold a grudge, have you ever met Satan? Well, in this highly recommended book, the main character Miriam was married to him - how about that for a reversed five of swords battle that seemingly never ends?

​Read T.J. Deschamp's Eastside Hedge Witch today! 

I started some new medication for my brain, and it seems to be working pretty well. Now, rather than lying in bed frozen in worry and angst, I'm able to walk around and do stuff in worry and angst. That's a pretty good first step!
I'm trying not to rush things, however. Although I have a ton of stuff to do before the holidays, I'm trying to take recovery fairly slow and methodically, like a positive reversed four of swords. 
Generally, this card has a negative vibe to it. It often means recovery is stalled or slow, or we're suffering burnout. However, the more rare alternative meaning, that we've taken our rest and are now ready to fight again, is the one I'm channeling. I need to get back to work so I'm glad I'm on the right path - even if I need to pop some pills to be there.

The four of swords upright is about withdrawal and retreat, perhaps temporary, so you can recover.
Reversed, rest and recovery is slow or difficult. There may be burnout or a lack of proper self-care. Alternatively, it could be that moment after a decent rest, when we have the mental strength to fight again.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Four of Swords:
Who? An angsty or restless individual 
What? A slow recovery
Where? A school; an office
When? The middle of October; Later; After a nap
Why? “Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” ~Barbara Jordan
Yes or No? Yes, but later
 
The reversed Four of Swords as:
…an action?

• Find stability
• Be prudent in your tasks

 
…a place in your house?

• The shower
• A comfy chair
• A bar

 
…a place in your city?

• A bar
• A recovery center
• An exercise studio
• A hair salon

…a place in the world?

• Atlanta, GA
• San Diego, CA
• India
• The Maldives

…something to eat?

• Coffee
• An energy drink
• Cucumber

 
…something to clean?

• Make the bed
• Your shoes

 
…where to find the missing item?

• By the front door

 
…a color? Blue; orange
 
…a movie theme? Awakening; burn-out

• Amelie
• Office Space
• I Heart Huckabees

 
…a new career?

• Freelance work
• Go back to school
• Construction

 
Four of Swords reversed
Before any card: A recovery from (card)
After any card: burn-out; lack of progres