So many people that I know have been grounded by the flu-type virus that is going around. Someone asked me if it connects to the 4 of Swords card.

This card generally means that a person has been through a very stressful time and has no choice but to rest and recover. So it will emerge after a trauma which could be the breakdown of a relationship, an illness, a difficult move, a trying time at work etc. It follows hot on the heals of the Three of Swords which is a situation that hurt you either physically or emotionally.

The one thing about this card is that there will always have been conflict and stress involved previously, just prreviously. Aleister Crowley in the Thoth Deck called it “Truce” so you can imagine a situation where there is a gap to reharness energies and catch your breath before battle or a struggle is resumed. But for the moment the card is telling us to lay down our arms and lay down. The swords represent mental energies so the advice is to stop thinking too hard too. Rest, recuperate and relax your mind. Now is not the time to be up feverishly planning and churning thoughts around in your head. Just rest and from the calmness of mind and body, a new strategy may emerge.

If we fail to do that, then when the effect of the Lord of Truce passes away, we shall be left in the same position, and you could end up in the same cycle again..

So if you do end up with the flu and forced to rest, take the opportunity to just be, just rest, do nothing if you can. Do not be fretting about what you should be doing or what you could have got done. You are doing something highly advatntageous to you by doing nothing. You are allowing your body and mind to rest and heal. Call a truce with your mind, tell it to stop shouting out lists of what must be done. Honour your body and mind by just resting. The world, surprisingly enough will still be carrying on as normal and you can tep back into it with more energy after the break.

Rose Dixon

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