07/16/12: Persisting beyond Ego | Queen Wands, rev 4 Swords

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge

I’ve got to wonder, are these cards for you, or for me? Eh, probably both of us! We’ve got the Queen of Wands (Water in Fire) and the reversed Four of Swords (Jupiter in Libra).

I sometimes characterize this queen as stubborn because, well, she is! Hard-headedness may not be her most attractive trait when you’re at odds with her, but it certainly can come in handy when you need to get something done.

Notice the lions flanking her throne and behind her head? Very Leo, don’t you think? Those felines, her golden robes and the Sunflowers all suggest a generally optimistic, sunny disposition, but perhaps an over-helping of pride? When you’re in a Queen of Wands energetic place, be aware your ego doesn’t overtake your objectives.

Now, I’m not one of those who says the ego is all bad. A strong sense of self, joy in one’s individual gifts, is a beautiful thing. We need to feel capable and competent to take risks. But like all energy, it functions at it’s highest when it’s in the proper balance. It’s when things become all ABOUT us, instead of reflecting choices we’ve made, that we tend to run into problems.

This queen paired with the inverted Four of Swords suggests frustration things are not moving as quickly as you’d like, you could be TIRED and wanting to just rest, or you could be trying to sidestep that sort of hard-hitting self-contemplation that tells you WHY you aren’t where you want to be. Or maybe it’s all of the above!

Either way, though, it’s not time to give up or give in. While the fellow pictured in the Four of Swords is inverted, he does appear to be in a church, a place of worship and sanctuary. That’s a clue, he’s closer to the divine expression of his energy than he probably knows. His job is finding that sweet spot where both his own needs are met as well as the needs of the greater whole, those his work impacts.

The take-home message from this Tarot pair: Keep your focus on the outcome you want to create and not how much attention you get creating that outcome. Set your ego enough aside to do the serious contemplation and (sometimes ouchy) self-examination required to understand why you are where you are, right now. No need to stop feeling good about what you’re doing, or deny it’s importance to you. But do stay humble enough to realize, it’s not all about you, either. Yep, I’m feeling it.

Are you feeling this energy?

Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot by Us Games Systems

Schedule a Tarot consultation with Dixie.