Hallowquest - Lesson 13 - The Sword King, Sword 8 and 9

QUESTIONS.

1. Which actions violate your sense of integrity? You may find the perusal of a daily newspaper will help focus your sense of justice.
2. What are the best ways of listening to the messages of the earth?
3. Which areas of your life are unmoving and stagnant?
4. What are your worst fears?


TASKS.

1. Spend one day this week really listening to what people say to you; concentrate on listening rather than responding. What did you hear?
2. Choose one area of personal responsibility and determine to take positive action on it this week.
3. Pick out a recurring nightmare or a bad dream you have recently had. Write it down. What is most fearful to you in this dream and why? Now rewrite your dream, bringing it to a satisfactory resolution using the imagery and power of the sword cards.



A GUIDED MEDITATION ON THE KING, EIGHT AND NINE OF SWORDS.

Lesson 13 Questions - Pathwalker

Lesson 13 – Sword King, Sword Eight and Nine.

QUESTIONS.

1. Which actions violate your sense of integrity? You may find the perusal of a daily newspaper will help focus your sense of justice.

In human terms, the way our society/government fails to have care and compassion for the least well-off and the least able. So many people seem so self-centred; as long as nothing disturbs their comfort they don’t really care.

In earth terms I grieve and despair over humans treatment of the land and animals. Recently, a young British man was attacked and killed by a polar bear. I know this is a tragedy for those who loved him. BUT he was camping in the territory of a hungry animal. No humans normally live there, it is the bear’s land.
Polar bears are endangered species, due to loss of habitat and changing climate. The bear was hungry, the humans had food – it was a natural action. The remaining humans killed the bear. How is that fair? How does that respect the animal, it’s right to live in it’s place and behave naturally?
Humans are so wasteful of life, so greedy, so cruel.




2. What are the best ways of listening to the messages of the earth?

For me locally, it’s about getting out and walking, looking, seeing how things really are. I see chestnut trees with the latest blight, crops dry from lack of rain or rubbish in the hedgerows.
Sometimes I’ve found dowsing useful.
On a global scale I find it harder – but changes in weather patterns are obvious, and areas where man is poisoning the land or sea.
It is possible to find information and news items too – to learn about what’s happening.




3. Which areas of your life are unmoving and stagnant?

Oh, it’s about tasks that need organising; and getting out to social occasions without transport.
I’ve had a passport application form – had it months – what’s the point of filling it in, we’re never likely to go anywhere? I need to write a new will, I need to understand it all, can’t get my clever OH involved. I want to get things done, changed repaired in the home – no help or input.
I guess they’re things I feel I can’t achieve on my own, but I can’t get help either. I then allow myself to inhabit this place of powerlessness.




4. What are your worst fears?

My OH descending into such a dark place I can’t reach him, and he needs constant care. I don’t think I could do that.
My health becoming worse so I could not walk.
Bills I won’t be able to pay, and the consequences.
Being without my most beloved family members.



Pathwalker

Lesson 13 Tasks - Pathwalker

TASKS.

1. Spend one day this week really listening to what people say to you; concentrate on listening rather than responding. What did you hear?


Some of them (the conversations) are about creating who the person is or wants to be. (These are mainly young folks). They create an image of themselves with words, and they try and to make connections (friends, places, experiences) with their listeners. Thy are trying to fit in, to mesh with their chosen group.

Older folks are more definite in their statements, they try and show you their point of view, and even to persuade you to their way of thinking. Sometimes their actions don’t match their words and ideals, they talk about what they wish they did – not what they really do. But they want you to join them in that place, that thought-universe they unfold.

And those closest to me tell me about their days, and what they do, and about love. Again they try to draw me into their world, so that we might understand one another, and draw closer.




2. Choose one area of personal responsibility and determine to take positive action on it this week.


Okay, I need to work on understanding about will writing, and sort out my own will (maybe this will encourage by example?)




3. Pick out a recurring nightmare or a bad dream you have recently had. Write it down. What is most fearful to you in this dream and why? Now rewrite your dream, bringing it to a satisfactory resolution using the imagery and power of the sword cards.


I don’t remember very much of my dreams ( or I don’t sleep for long enough periods to dream often) but I do remember being upset about a dream where I was leaving/deserting my beloved. (Very much a Five of Swords scenario.)

The card I’m drawn to is the Four, the Chapel in the wood, perhaps we could have gone there together, and just rested in each others company until the rage had passed (don’t know what or why, just the awful leaving)
Then we could have taken the boat in the Six, and made a fresh start.


Pathwalker

Lesson 13 - Meditation - Pathwalker

I travelled until I reached the hill where the Sword King dispensed justice. He had the huge Sword laid across his knees, and he leant forward to hear what each person had to say. He managed to seem kindly and encouraging to the timid, stern to the brash and loud.
As I watched, it seemed to me that some of those who came and spoke to him began to glow with a silvery, inner light. They were energised and lifted by being able to explain things to him. But some seemed to become greyer, to look ill or old – almost as if they might crumble around the edges. Talking, they realised their error, their wrong motivations or deeds which had brought them here. I did not see what other justice was meted out to them – can the Sword help them?

Then he turned to me “And you little one?”

…this section written only in my journal…


“…that is your duty”
I nodded, holding back tears. He touched my forehead in blessings, and then I moved away to travel to the marshland of the Eight of Swords.

There I wondered why I come to places like this, desolate, bogged down, lost, disempowered.
“Because you had no mind map” came the inner voice. “You got lost on your way here, and then did not ‘pole’ the routes, to find a way out.”
So I followed a careful course to find the palisade of the Swords Nine.

It’s a frightful place, I felt weak, frightened, horrified. I imagined I saw my own head on a stake. I wept. But I came to understand that this is a place under the control of the Sword King – this is the Otherworld – this is a representation of a state of mind or being in the everyday world. Even if I see myself here, it does not mean that I am dead, it means I am trapped in a place of great mental anguish.
But the Sword is the cure, the way, the release, the weapon. It is the tool I could use. So I climb down into the ditch. It is unpleasant, dirty, slippery, filthy with nasty things. I take the sword, and hold it against me – a charm and an armour. I clamber out, wipe my hands down on the grass and my dress, and wipe the sword clean.
I sit there, thankful to have been granted knowledge and my own sword to help me.


Pathwalker