Today’s card has an unpleasant scene. The entire forest is on fire. Flames are taking over. It’s an unusual interpretation of the 10 of Wands to be sure.
But fire is not completely destructive just as water is not always kind. Balance is a key ingredient in nature. I think it should be the same in our lives.
Traditionally, the 10 of Wands shows someone overburdened and most likely dropping things. But, and you knew there was a but, right? But! How did he or she become overburden? Who told them to try to do it all? What switch got flipped that made them need to play superman/woman/mom/dad/business owner to the world?
I’m here to bet that it was not an outside force.
Our society has been in an “I Can Do It” mode for a long time. It seems to have snowballed. I doubt Rosie the Riveter could have made tanks and planes as well if she was also baking cookies, visiting the elderly, watching soccer/ballet/the dog AND cooking a three course meal for the boss and his wife.
When a forest catches on fire, often it is a natural occurrence (I’ll edit out my opinion of arsonists). And if the forest has a lot of undergrowth, that gets burned out first and fast.
Yes, fire is destructive. But what is left after a burnout is clear ground.
New growth happens.
When you are in the middle of what feels like a personal firestorm, hang on to this thought by Viktor Frankl who went through one of our world’s worst human events–the Holocaust. He said, “What is to give light must endure burning.”
You, like the forest, like Frankl, like everyone before you and after you, will survive. You will get things done. You will learn this incredible skill called delegation. You will also learn the busy person’s most useful phrase.
“Thank you for thinking of me but I cannot take on another project at this time.”
Learn to say no gracefully. Allow yourself space to just be. Space. It’s what’s for dinner.
Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.
10 of Fire, Gaian Tarot, Llewellyn 2011
choices. In the Gaian Tarot, this seems