Love ’em or hate ’em, tarot cards have been used for centuries to help people improve their lives. They’re effective because they allow you to tap into the wisdom and insight of the universe, allowing you to finally get at the root of your problems and create long-lasting positive change in your life. You can use tarot cards to improve your mental health, but it’s important to remember that nothing can substitute for your own hard work, discipline, and dedication to accomplishing your goals.
How can I use tarot cards for my mental health?
You’ve probably heard of Tarot cards, but maybe you don’t know what they are or how they work. Though they’re often thought of as a tool to help people predict the future, Tarot cards can also be used to give you insight into your own life and goals. These cards are meant to inspire self-reflection about important issues in your life, whether you want to focus on areas of personal growth or relationships.
When used correctly, Tarot cards are an alternative way to help with mental health. This can be helpful for self-expression, processing difficult emotions and situations, and bringing awareness to oneself.
The process of using a tarot deck is different than some other methods because the reader is not completely in control. The cards do not act as a crystal ball – they provide messages that help give you direction, motivation, and inspiration.
Want a Tarot card reading?
Martina Silverman-Hecht, LPCC, one of our big-hearted therapists at Knot Counseling, uses tarot as a tool for working with mental health, trauma healing, and so much more! Today she pulled Tarot cards from her deck for collective about what September might bring us. As you read through her interpretation, please take what resonates and leave the rest!
The energetic signature of the month: Daughter of Swords reversed
September may have us feeling distracted, uninspired, and just mentally exhausted. In this busy and chaotic world, it can be so easy for the mind to become inundated with anxieties big and small and information overload. It can be challenging to know what to mentally hold onto and what to let go of. Just holding all of these loud thoughts in our head can be so depleting, a feeling that most of us are very familiar with. Daughter of Swords invites us to consider that, perhaps, thinking our way out of a chaotic mental space isn’t the best approach.
What are we being invited to let go of this month? 10 of Swords reversed
Reiterating the message of the previous card, the 10 of Swords signals to us that we’ve taken a particular train of thought as far as it can go. It’s time to get off this train and choose a new adventure. Here, 10 of Swords reversed indicates that, on some level, we know that the thinking mind is the source of our discomfort and exhaustion but we are struggling to let go of the habits of thought. Make no mistake, thought patterns can be just as addictive as cigarettes, porn, or gambling. This card invites us to admit to ourselves that something we are thinking or believing is no longer serving us. This card isn’t showing up to shame us for getting stuck in a destructive cognitive loop, rather, it’s inviting us to recognize that we are struggling with the very human challenge of having a loud-ass brain.
What are we calling upon for support this month? 4 of Swords
I truly can’t think of a more perfect card to call upon for assistance when dealing with our loud-ass brains! 4 of Swords invites us to create a quiet room in our minds. What tools do you rely on to gain more mental peace and quiet? Meditation, spending time in nature, going for a walk with headphones, or even taking a nap are just a few of the ways you can create a bit more stillness in the mind. Give yourself permission to take a break from the constant mental chatter. You may find that you are able to look at your thoughts with a new perspective and might even have an easier time knowing which thoughts are worth holding onto, which ones are taking up valuable space, and which ones are downright destructive.
How is this process serving us? Mother of Swords
Much like the 4 of Swords, the Mother of Swords reminds us that we need to have internal boundaries with our thinking minds. Once we have prioritized taking mental breaks (4 of Swords) we can more clearly see what cognitions and beliefs are helpful and which ones need to be cut loose with this queen’s dispassionate sword. Of course, cutting thoughts loose is not as simple as identifying which thoughts no longer serve us and deciding not to think them anymore. When we practice mindfulness, one of the first things we notice is that we have very little control of the coming and going of our thoughts. Scientifically, we don’t yet know where thoughts come from or where they go when they’re through with us. What we can control is our awareness of the thinking mind. We can start to observe that thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. Awareness is the Queen’s sword; it is what gives us the ability to choose how we respond to the chaos in our heads rather than running ourselves ragged by reacting unconsciously to every whim concocted by our silly brains. By using our uniquely human gift of awareness, we are able to gain more sovereignty over our mental chatter and psychological peace becomes more attainable.
Tarot cards for your mental health
Though Tarot cards aren’t a substitute for therapy, they can leave you with a message…a direction. Processing this with your therapist can help you find meaning in struggles. Martina Silverman-Hecht with Knot Counseling, practices a unique form of therapy using Tarot cards when it helpful. She offers free consultations.
