22/01/2026
Last night in the tarot class we were discussing the suit of swords.
To give an example of how the class works I wanted to share what we talked about when looking at this card as it will demonstrate how we use the imagery on the card as a catalyst to reflect on our attitudes to life.
In this card you see a clear depiction of anxiety, possibly sleeplessness and someone whose thoughts and ruminations are keeping them from rest.
As we turned our attention to the blanket, we could see that it is colourful, has butterflies and flowers and in some of the squares, symbols of the zodiac.
We talked about how a reminder of a bigger picture was right in front of her as symbolised by the images on the blanket. Much like when we see an image of earth from space, we are reminded that we are only a minuscule part of something incomprehensibly vast.
This turned into a conversation about how turning our attention outside of ourselves can help with anxiety and rumination. Sometimes doing something for or with others and being of service can be the thing that helps with our mental health, especially when we feel like an accepted part of a community.
We are social beings. Isolation is torture for us and becomes a breeding ground for looping anxious thoughts.
The card reminds us that anxiety, worry and fear are real and create a painful experience for the person suffering. The remedy is remembering that we are never truly alone as we are all connected. So long as we nurture connections, actively create them, let ourselves and others be seen, known and valued, we might live healthier lives. Being a part of the world, knowing we have some kind of mark to make, however small is also helpful.
This reminds me of the poem You by Donna Ashworth:
If every single person who has liked you in your
lifetime were to light up on a map, it would create
the most glitteringly beautiful network you
could imagine. Throw in the strangers you’ve been kind
to, the people you’ve made laugh, or inspired
along the way and that star-bright web of you
would be an impressive sight to behold. You’re so
much more than you think you are. You have done
so much more than you realise. You’re trailing a
bright pathway that you don’t even know about.
What a thing. What a thing indeed.
Donna Ashworth
