Breath of Air

From the Tarot in de Herstelde Orde (Restored Order Tarot), the Ace of Swords:

Perhaps it's the romantic in me, but when I see a sword hoisted in the air I think of liberation. Yet what needs freeing is not my body but my mind; there are beliefs holding it hostage that need to be overthrown. On this particular card, the usual laurel and palm branches have been replaced with what appear to be red currant and oak branches. The red berries tell me the time is ripe for new ideas and solutions; the oak's tiny acorns promise that from this new start something much larger will grow. Several mountain peaks are below, but one falls beneath the hilt of the sword. It encourages me to climb one peak (challenge) at a time so I don't get distracted and lose my focus.

From the Oracle of Kabbalah comes the letter "Shin:"

artwork by Veronique Cheney

Shin has been compared to a glowing coal. When we go through hard times (the dark night of the soul), it seems the light has gone out of our lives. But Shin reminds us that fire lives in that ember, and it only takes a breath of fresh air to grow into a flame (enter the Ace of Swords). With this letter comes the promise that light and warmth are close at hand, even when appearances seem otherwise.