II. of Swords

Keywords: choices, decisions, unknown future, blockages, impasse, lack of progress, resistance, need for balance, missing information, need for perspective, avoidance

Reversed: closed off, indecision, miscommunication, confusion, releasing blocks, mental difficulties, feeling stuck, opening your heart

Associated Card: The Moon

The energy of the Twos in the tarot is about making choices. With the Aces we were blessed with an idea, an inspiration, a goal, pure potential. Now, with the Twos we must decide how to act on that spark of possibility. How will be shape it? How can we let it take form? The II of Swords challenges us to make decisions in the realm of the mind. We must analyze, strategize, think it through rationally. These are the hallmarks of the suite of Swords: logic, truth, and fortitude. These are the idealism of the Ace though, and reality presents us with so many choices it can be overwhelming and cause us to become confused and shutdown.  We stand at an impasse, unsure of what path to take.

The II of Swords marks this stalemate, where we are faced with options and we don't know what to choose. We are stopped in our tracks. It seems like we are lacking crucial information that will help with our decision making procress. Shouldn't we know more? Should we wait and see what outside forces come into play?  Maybe our dream isn't ready, or good enough, or right for this moment in time. These types of thoughts are resistance, they are blockages, they keep us stuck. The mind has a funny way of letting these negative thoughts keep cropping up until they trap us in place. Now we are not even sure if we want to try at all!

When the II of Swords comes up in a reading, try to get outside of your head. How do you feel both physically and emotionally?  What does your gut say? What does your heart say? What makes your soul soar? Pure logic and over rationalizing are getting in your way. It's time to step out of your head and consult your intuition, your feelings, and your body.  You must make a decision in order to move on, so trust yourself. You will not chose wrong.

The biggest regret you can have with the II of Swords is failing to choose at all and remaining stuck at this impasse. Nothing happens here, only hesitation and doubt. You can't know the future, you can't be certain that everything will work out, but you can try your best. Be satisfied and reassured knowing that you are doing, you are deciding, you are choosing your life. That is the best you can do right now.

II of Swords reversed: With this card in reverse you may find that a time of thick indecision is passing away. You were rooted in place for a time, trying to make up your mind, but you succeeded in doing so. If you are thinking "wait a minute, I'm still stuck," look a little closer. Don't you actually already know what you want? You have chosen, you just haven't filled your conscious mind in on the decision yet. Don't back down now.  Follow that subconscious choice. It is the right one for you. You are going down the path of your destiny that is surely leading towards your aspirations.

If you listen in for that inkling of a subconscious decision and you hear nothing, well, this reversal might be showing you that you are hopelessly mired in denial. You simply will not make a decision to move forward. So here you will remain until you work through your options and begin to make some decisions. Do you want to remain stuck here? What purpose it your resistance serving?  What do you gain by remaining here?

You are confused. You feel misinformed. You feel cheated or lied to on purpose. Where are these feelings and thoughts coming from? How can you work on these issues? What bad experiences from the past do you need to confront and let go of before you will be able to move forward.

Choosing is difficult, it essentially kills one of your other options. Yet, that is life.  We can only go down one path, even if there are a ton of awesome options, we can only choose one.  And it's time to face the music. You will ultimately never know what would have happened if? ....and that's ok. You will know what happens if something else, and that is worth knowing.  So open up and decide.