This reading appears as a spiritual overlay to the very active reading we have for June. Picture these cards floating above our monthly array; while we’re being called to do quite a lot in our daily life, it’s clear that we’re motivated by important truths and intriguing growth-edges.
It’s also worth noting that we have two swords cards in this reading, just like in our forecast for June, when the Page and Queen of swords directed us through a period of intellectual discovery and personal re-framing and re-naming. I love this because it tells us that this week we’re gifted the opportunity to process and integrate the enriching and complex messages from May. Whatever feels unfinished or uncertain about the last few weeks is likely to become clear now. Some questions to guide us:
What are the two most resonant insights from last month?
How did you use both your curiosity and discernment to grow?
What did you learn in that process?
Where do you feel galvanized, motivated, and passionate now?
How can you describe the choice, precipice, or threshold you’re at right now? (Journaling about this would be an excellent way to channel the swords’ way with words.)
Our first two cards are the deliberative Two of Swords and the impassioned Knight of Swords. Since we had two court cards last month, this Knight signifies a shift in approach. Having done the work to hone in on what matters to us intellectually, conceptually, and in principle, we’re now awakening to our energy and force. Let yourself be eager, expressive, and confident - follow your curiosity and share your thoughts freely.
This is an excellent week to ask probing questions, shape new narratives, share your message, and make decisions. While Knights can be impulsive and hot-headed, unable to mince words since they’re fueled by bold inner conviction, this week holds a natural counterbalance. I’m seeing the Two of Swords as our baseline approach - we want to be wise, to take our time, to get it right! - and this softens the Knight’s head first approach. On the other hand, the Two of Swords can tend towards caution and even paralysis; in this case, the intensity of the Knight of Swords is just what we need to move forward.
So what does this mean on the ground? The beginning of the week offers us a gentle environment in which to ponder, integrate, and mull over options. Use your insights from May to guide you. Looking at the Two of Swords, some of you might be feeling that a decision is on the horizon. If this is the case, be gentle. Make room for rest, other sources of information, and, most importantly, don’t rush it. The Two of Swords thrives in silence and it’s also possible that you need some time for your emotional waters to calm.
Things get exciting mid-week when the Knight of Swords storms onto the scene. I can see this happening in two ways (or, excitingly, both):
A personal breakthrough, message, or piece of information that pushes you into an advanced state of awareness. It won’t be subtle! Let it meld with your inner-knowing gently, just as hot water mixed with cold yields something just right - warm to the touch but not scalding. Move too fast and we might get a face-full of steam.
An actual person (hello, old-school court card interpretation!) arriving, probably loudly, with a message that tips the scale in your deliberations. Again, this won’t be subtle. Knight of Swords people are often cerebral, principled, vocal, and zesty. Possibilities include:
A collaborator - someone who sees what you’re doing, likes it, and wants to add their input. (2 + 1 (the sword this knight carries) = 3, the number of creativity and creation.)
A writer, intellectual, or someone with an opinion or way of doing something that unlocks a pivotal piece of information.
Someone who wants to help or sees a solution or path forward from your current situation.
So, with this in mind, be sure to balance your Two of Swords instinct for quiet and calm with some exploration and socialization. Whatever the mid-week has to bring, however, won’t be easy to miss so don’t worry about finding this Knight. Do worry about turning away its message and closing inaction over messy forward motion.
The end of the week transforms into something quite special. You might notice that the Two of Swords echoes The High Priestess; it seems that there’s something profound and enduring hiding behind our experience of the swords cards. Since we’ve been following this group throughout May, our current moment represents the culmination of a big cycle of discovery, and this discovery crystallizes this week into a personally meaningful and resonant new awareness.
If that sounds mystical and cryptic, well, what can we expect when we’re dealing with The High Priestess herself? I’d suggest taking some time to yourself at the end of the week to connect with whatever “greater than” you believe in, whether it’s your ancestors, deities, guides, guardians, or your higher self. Most of all, look for how you feel when connecting with the ineffable, the magical, and the unknown. We’re getting adept at gathering power from the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. How might these deep experiences be affecting our deeper truths? And, most excitingly, how might our seemingly simple questions and choices actually be sacred and profound?
Embrace:
Time spent reflecting, integrating, and processing the events of last month
Trust in your intuition, especially when it comes to timing
Letting your emotions (or the emotional environment) calm before making decisions
New messages, input from others, striking realizations inspired by striking people
Changing your mind, opening up your options
Updating your sense of self after recent events: How has your intuitive prowess grown?
Avoid
Getting attached to your dilemmas
Choosing inaction or rigid thinking over growth, risk, and changing your beliefs
Hiding your gifts, especially those that are less conventional
Seeing the intellect and intuition as in opposition or incompatible
Looking for certainty, simplicity, or guaranteed assurance