Speak with Integrity

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Queen of Swords:

I was with a group of women the other day, and one was upset about her son who had gotten locked up with a possibility of serving some serious time in jail. Several women tried various ways of comforting her and encouraging her, but one lady took a different approach. She told her about her own daughter who had gotten into trouble; she bailed her out and tried to help her in all sorts of ways. She learned quickly that her child was looking for an enabler rather than assistance in turning her life around. The young woman wound up in the middle of a situation that left one person dead and ended back up in prison. Can you guess which words of wisdom the distraught woman paid more attention to? The Queen of Swords has lived through a lot, and she knows that sometimes tough love works much better than sweet words. She reminds me to cut through all the bull and see without the aid of my rose-colored glasses.

From the Marseille Oracle comes "Protection:"

The Queen has her sword, and this card has a shotgun in the shed. I am reminded by both cards that one of the best ways to protect myself is to be a watchful gatekeeper over the words that come out of my mouth. Miguel Ruiz, in his book The Four Agreements says it best: "Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love." My words do have the power to help or harm (both others and myself).