The Way Appears

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Cedar Runes, Ansuz:

As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.

― Rumi

The Eight of Swords depicts those periods when we feel powerless and trapped by circumstances. Like this swan surrounded by thorny brambles and unable to fly, we think we can't move. But the swan, using it's sharp beak, could move some briers and walk out of them. We often feel stuck because we fall back on old patterns of thinking and acting, which only further entrenches us in a feeling of helplessness. Instead, we could do something different, even if that action seems to have no connection at all to the issue. But it could help the real issue - getting our mind unstuck and giving it a slightly different view. Ansuz is said to symbolize the mouth of the wise Odin and suggests divine or ancestral wisdom or inspiration. When we feel powerless, it is easy to forget that others may have advice and encouragement that could help us. All we need to do is ask and listen.