Dead Wood

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Rune Cards, Tiw (Tiwaz):

There is very little right/wrong or good/bad in this world. There is, however, use and not useful.

― Clarissa Pinkola Estés

As we move through life, humans are usually unaware of the mental 'burrs' that stick to us. We pick them up from family and friends, the values held by our culture or society, and experiences that make an impression on us. While some are useful and help keep us safe and whole, many others are detrimental. Potts suggests the Seven of Wands indicates that now is a time to clear the dead wood from our lives. What is holding us back? What makes us rethink every choice we make? Tiwaz is associated with the North Star in the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, describing it as a guiding star that never fails. Are we relying on our mental burrs to guide us, or do we trust ourselves? Margie Warrell's words can encourage us:

Trusting yourself is not about becoming invulnerable to fear or eradicating self-doubt. It’s about daring to lean into a deeper source of power that lives within us and around us. It’s about taking the ultimate risk and placing a bet on ourselves that within us is all that’s required to meet the demands of each moment as it arises.