Monthly Medicine | October is Getting Back to What’s Real
What’s still lingering: Three of Swords (Reversed)
What we’re moving into: Three of Cups
Further Advice: Five of Swords (Reversed)
Decks: The Wild Unknown Tarot
The slightest dip in the weather brought talk of pumpkin spice season, memes featuring Sigourney Weaver cozying up to a pumpkin, and the promotion of horror movie marathons. While it’s tempting to solely align your focus on what you’re wearing this Halloween, or what day trip you’re going to take that will capitalize on getting a glimpse of all the fall colors, there’s still some damn inner-work to be done that shouldn’t, and can’t, be ignored. I’ll explain it in further depth below but to summarize, the cards are very well indicating the quicker you become certain what your reality is, the sooner you can tame that busy, whirling brain of yours and get back to regular social-life fulfilling activities.
We all have periods where we’re anxiety-ridden, on the brink of depression’s spell, or just filled to the brim with heart-aching sadness. What makes those times all the more painful is when someone suggests all you need is to buck up, to just forget about it already, and that everything is going to work itself out in the end, so why waste your time being upset? For some, sure, a bad day at work can be forgotten about with the snap of a finger; an ex who has done wrong can instantly be placed in the Lying Piece of Scum file, and family drama can be compartmentalized and dealt with come the holidays. For the rest of us, myself included, we get stuck in the good ol’ Three of Swords (reversed) mindset, which is how we’re entering this month. We want to be free of all the pain, stress eating/slacking/no-showering, and constant over-analyzing on how we could have avoided it all, but we just can’t get past it. We’re lodged in that funky place, lingering there just waiting for a way out, and maybe, if you’re like me, wallowing in whatever sadness is currently washing over you. Case in point, after a breakup in high school I watched A Walk to Remember just so I could feel worse. If the tiring advice to just forget it hasn’t worked for you, what the hell are you supposed to do? How are you to loosen those swords up so that they may finally fall away?
The beauty of pulling the Five of Swords in this lineup suggests first getting real about whatever situation you find yourself in. What’s your current reality? What’s not going to change no matter the amount of positive energy or vibes, determination and hard work you bring forth? Where are you possibly letting your fears and the like blow up so they’re getting the better of you? Where do you need to accept defeat? This isn’t going to be easy, deeply refreshing, or have you feeling as though you walked out of a relaxing sit in the sauna and are now radiant as can be; instead, you might feel lousy, cut to the bone, and like you’re back at square one. But here’s the thing, there’s medicine and beauty to be found in this place. There’s picking yourself up and rebuilding. There’s starting things off in a wholly honest state. There’s also that period I like to refer as the “romantic comedy montage” where you get your shit back together.
For instance, say you’re going through a nasty, gut-wrenching breakup. Advice columnist and podcast gem Dan Savage tells every single caller to start getting busy – go to the gym, hang out with your friends, be out and about and attend things, figure out what you truly enjoy and like to do and do it (e.g. Julia Roberts determining how she really likes her eggs in Runaway Bride). Case in point, you basically have to do the same thing with your brain. See it as you’re manipulating your thoughts/patterns/brain chemistry and twisting it all on its head. See it as distracting yourself and instead focusing on something that allows you to tune it out and possibly enjoy yourself. Hell, see it as you starting off as that damn worm on the card spliced in two and now regenerating an entirely new back-end.
As you bust out of whatever rut you started the month off in and get your groove back, see the rest of October as a time to throw your arms up in the air and celebrate. It’s the time to not only relish in the bounty the month brings but to also reap in the rewards of whatever community, friendship circles, and chosen family you have, which is reflected in the Three of Cups. What do you bring to the table in your group? What does everyone bring to you? How do your strengths play off of each other? Who is the Miranda to your Carrie (or vice versa)? What or who makes you feel full to the brim with warmth and serves as a welcome distraction from your ho-hum day job, rough patch in your romantic relationship, or other less than stellar situation? Maybe this card plays out as you directing the focus away from your anxiety and instead on planning an apple picking extravaganza with your pals. Maybe it’s letting your type-A personality off the tireless hook so you can indulge with a beer and a string of Will & Grace episodes.
Maybe it’s simply being less of a hermit and getting yourself involved in a class, sport, or non-profit. Whatever the case might be, the feeling of being connected and supported by those around you will be strengthened this month. I cannot state this enough, but start off the month focusing on the work at hand before you skip right over to the good stuff. Where are you glossing over what’s actually pissing you off, keeping you in a sadness bubble – you name it – in hopes your reality will magically change? Remember, delaying this work only keeps those damn swords lodged firmly in place so the sooner you get real with where you’re at and how your brain processes it all (and occasionally goes overboard), you can shake them loose.
