For Good

[Updated July 2021. Essay on Tarot: 6 of Swords]

Recently, I encountered an interpretation of the 6 of Swords as: “moving away from harm.” I prefer to look at it as: “moving toward something better.”

In numerology, Six symbolizes harmony. In this case, the emphasis is on harmonizing…and specifically using movement to restore harmony.

In this image, we see people traveling across the water. All of the Swords cards deal primarily with thought. So one way to interpret this card via the image it to keep one’s thoughts above the water…above trepidatious emotions. This does match the idea of moving away from harm, in this case, the pain of wallowing in negative emotion.

A common interpretation of this card is a trip and possibly a vacation. The movement is again literal. Being away from home changes our perspective—what we see around us. This often improves our mental perspective as well, which does help us feel better.

Last night, a friend and I were discussing this card. He expressed being intrigued with the orientation: rear view and faceless. This immediately inspired insight.

Since the movement (travel) is restoring harmony, something must have taken these characters out of harmony. By not showing their faces, we don’t know what their initial emotional state is. But that is not the point of this card. The message is that they are going somewhere better…and the new land is within sight!

Another common interpretation I see with this card is regarding a move…a change of address of one’s home or office. The following is the original post I wrote in 2012, just after moving into a new home.

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It is 7:15, Sunday morning, January 15, 2012. I just unpacked my monitor and am breaking in my new office. One of the cats is back to her intermittent exploring while the other is curled up on the familiar old sofa.

In some ways, it is hard to believe that everything came together so quickly. I only first looked at this place on December 31st – only decided to take it on January 2nd. Since then, five rooms and a long hallway were cleaned up, repaired, and painted – thanks to my friends who are now my neighbors.

The biggest reason to tell you about this experience is because it is an example of how manifestations works. When it’s right, it’s right and there is evidence everywhere.

I never mentioned this before, but I had been wanting a new place to live for almost two years now. I even took to actively looking for a while, but nothing turned up. The energy was just not there then. As Abraham would say, I was not a vibrational match to what I was looking for. So I let it go trusting that when I was, the Universe would let me know.

And it did. The last Thursday of the year, I noticed the sign out front. There was no information other than a phone number. I called out of curiosity and, as they say, the rest is history.

But here is the icing on the cake. Yesterday right around noon, the moving truck was packed up and we were ready to roll. My truck was also stuffed, so much so that the cats were stacked one crate on top of the other in the passenger seat next to me. The 2.8 mile journey thus began.

Now, 2.8 miles doesn’t take long. In fact, it is about a 2-song drive. I was playing Pandora and the first song that came on was one that I hadn’t encountered before. It was a modern version of an old song. With the cats mildly complaining, I started singing the familiar words. And then it struck me! This is what they were saying:

“Come back and stay for good this time…”   (<– click to hear the song via YouTube)

After commuting from my old place to my new place every day for two weeks, I was told to come back and stay for good this time, which is exactly what I was doing!

And who says the Universe doesn’t talk directly to us – in words?!?!

A big reason I set down the path to do the work that I now do is because of examples like this. I have experienced Universe communications like this for many years. I have been shown over and over again that no matter how rough it gets, there is always the other side. We are always guided. We are always accompanied. Spirit can’t take away the challenges we create for ourselves, but they can guide us through them, help us get as much out of them as we can, and then assure us that it’s all going to work out.

December 2011 was one of the most difficult months I’ve lived through in a long time. And at the very end, a gift out of left field fell into my lap. In this new home, I now have one room as a dedicated office, for writing and creative work, and another room that will be dedicated to healing work and readings. This is the vision I’ve had for years and this is what has arrived.

And notice the words chosen by the lyricist of that song:

“Come back and stay for good this time…”

I never thought about it before, this alternate meaning of good. “For good.” It’s a double entendre! Come back and stay – for good.

Last week, I said there are no permanent addresses; everything changes. But there’s always for good!