I think that spiritual learning or growth is all about learning to accept and develop within both an inner and an outer world of paradox. We’re such thinkers, as humans, but sometimes that thinking can over-complicate things.

When I do readings for myself, I love to simply allow a time to do nothing for a few minutes. Don’t you love those times? I’m sinking into one right now:-) Where I live, it is EXTREMELY cold, and so I got up while it was still dark outside, built up the fire, and got myself a wonderful cup of coffee. I’m now bundled into my favorite blanket with a lovely warm fire, a candle burning, and spending some time just letting the words flow off my fingers as I turn a few cards over. Just letting my mind wander where it will, not worrying about this day ahead, whether it will EVER warm up, not jumping up and running around. Just giving myself five minutes to do nothing except just be, be warm, and contemplate.

It’s not a bad thing to do absolutely nothing.

Technically, I’m not doing “absolutely nothing,” but I am allowing my brain to disconnect somewhat, and simply just going with the flow of the morning. I am stopping the eternal train of having to figure things out. I am allowing myself to be a part of this universal energy, this endless time, allowing myself to be a part of whatever river of life this is, this great mystery. I’m part of what came before me, and whatever comes after me here in this space will contain some nano-shred of my energy. Whether I like it or not, in this frozen cold tundra environment I call home, I am right here, right now.

Do you ever use these online Tarot card readings? Sometimes I do that, for fun, but interestingly, I’m working with the energy of the Queen of Swords this morning, and I pulled the Queen of Swords in some online generator I just clicked on as well. I think the first Queen looks a bit more like a Queen of Wands, but maybe I need to balance the swords with wands today. Interestingly, if you look at the Rider-Waite Tarot Queen, she’s gazing away from everyone. Which to me, embodies a bit more of what the Queen of Swords energy is about. She’s independent. She’s not so much as looking AT US, but she’s looking off in the distance, thinking about what she wants to create.

So what’s the Queen of Swords all about right now?

This Queen cuts through the fluff and nonsense of life. She is an independent thinker and a direct communicator. Sometimes a little too direct. She’s headed toward a goal, and sometimes, she can be a little bit hasty, but she’s also a strategist and a planner. While a sword often conjures up images of medieval warfare, a sword is also a tool. I’m not sure you can open a jar of peanut butter with a sword, but, you could probably do things like cut open a bale of hay, maybe pry up a stone off a secret passage way to some magic destination. I don’t think you can cut wood with a sword, however. For that we will need an axe.

This Queen is bringing us some fire, which makes sense, considering I just got busy with the aforementioned axe and we now have a nice blaze going. She is a ruler of her universe and while currently, her universe is throwing some challenges her way, she is calm, confident, and ready to rule with style and grace. And, she even did the laundry, which means there is a clean shirt and pair of slacks for later. Maybe not the Royal Robe and Crown, but, we all have our particular royal attire for whichever pursuit we so choose.

In this day as I walk forward, I will bring this energy of the Queen with me, and when I feel hasty, or compelled to slice with that sword, I will pause my words and actions a few moments, and contemplate a more steady, even hand.

Meditation for this morning: If you need a fire, bring an axe. A sword will be better for slicing the bread.