The Nine of Swords
Have you ever found yourself wide-awake at night when you should be sleeping? Your mind running in circles over a problem or person who is bothering you? Caught in a mind spiral –you can’t get away from yourself. The last thing you can do is sink into a comfortable sleep – even though you are wishing, praying, begging for it.
This sleepless situation is the essence of the Nine of Swords!
Swords in Tarot represent the mind, thoughts and intellectuality. The number Nine means the end of a cycle is near. Good news – but position Nine on the Tree of Life is Foundation – the place where everything gets funneled. The Nine of Swords is a very hardcore place to be in.
I have an interesting exercise for you if the Nine of Swords plagues you one sleepless night.
My family moves to a spooky old farmhouse every summer. My husband was away last week. Around midnight, every noise, thump, bug at the window was a ghost, a murderer – a crazed hillbilly ready to make me his mountain bride. It was humid, I was sweating buckets, couldn’t sleep to save my life. I became the woman pictured on the Nine of Swords.
A thought occurred to me. What if I tried to live in the moment while I was falling asleep? I’m trying to be present in my waking life, release my ego, centering myself through a yoga practice. I’d never tried doing any of that stuff while falling asleep.
How would I do this? I began to focus my mind’s eye on my body from the inside out. I focused on my breath. If you focus on your breathing – it takes attention away from your thoughts. I started to feel space open up inside me. I began to think about what I was grateful for. The next thing I knew – it was morning!
The next time you find yourself pulling out your hair at 2am, try these steps.
1. Focus on the present.
2. Focus on your breathing
3. Make a mental list of all the things you are grateful for
4. Use your minds eye to examine your body – like a scientist.
See what happens.
You may find yourself in dreamland before you know it!