Impasse

A Message From the Universe: Lay Down Your Weapons

I have long wanted to learn tarot card reading.  A suggestion for beginners is to draw a single card of the day so that you gradually become familiar with each of the cards. 

Today I drew the Two of Swords.  According to The Complete Book of Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke (1985), the Two of Swords means:

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A blindfolded woman is seated at the water's edge, holding two swords in perfect balance.  The blindfold indicates that she cannot see her way through her present situation, so she steadfastly ignores the sea of her emotions and the jagged rocks of hard facts behind her.  The swords ... are well balanced for the moment, but she is in a precarious situation.  This is the card of the stalemate ... the conflict has reached an impasse.  She is so unsure of which way to turn or move that she does nothing at all except try to ignore it....  However, with courage a change can be made, and often good comes out of a bad situation.

Well that says it all; no need to delve further.  This miniature grid is to shine a light on my situation.  My intent is to acknowledge it and request help in removing the blindfold and easing out of this balancing act. 

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The stones and crystals to seal my intentions:

• At the woman's feet is a hematoid, a/k/a fire quartz, which boosts feelings of self-worth and represents my request for a fire to be ignited under her.*
• Over her head is a calligrapher's stone to stimulate a rewriting of the scenario and for optimism during difficult times.
• Farther above is amethyst to clear the crown chakra and promote clarity of thought.
• At the sides are outward facing arrowheads made of obsidian, volcanic glass and one of the most spiritually protective minerals.  Obsidian is "nature's gift of protection to sensitive individuals" (Doreen Virtue, Crystal Therapy: How to Heal and Empower Your Life with Crystal Energy).  The placement is to draw out the struggle of holding the swords so she can rest her tired arms.
• Anchoring the corners are watermelon tourmaline chips to promote release of stress and counteract resentment.

*"Her" - yeah, she's me.  I'm still uncomfortable confronting and dealing with it, and it's so much easier to ignore the "sea of emotions and hard facts," as Ms. Sharman-Burke points out in The Complete Book of Tarot.  Hopefully the implication that good can come out of a bad situation will ring true.