Boundaries and Betrayal
Monday’s As Above, So Below reading dealt with partnership and boundaries while Thursday’s reading dealt with betrayal, so there may be some linkage between the two readings. Both readings appear below.
As Above, So Below for Monday, 20 March 2023
Today is the Ostara and the Spring Equinox which celebrates new beginnings and the Earth awakening from its winter slumber. And that theme appears as well in today’s reading.
Today’s runes were Laguz and Carcer or flow versus restriction. Laguz represents flow from higher awareness or Spirit, intuition, clairsentience, empathic awareness, emotional balance, and cleansing. Carcer, on the other hand, describes imprisonment, either by self or others. It can also involve bringing something to an end or it can be viewed as setting boundaries. And I recommended keeping an open mind about Carcer and how we’re going to interpret that rune with issues of boundaries the likely focus.
Todays cards were the 4 of Wands, the Ace of Swords, and the King of Wands. Breaking down the cards we have all cards from the Minor Arcana with one from the Court and two from Wands (Fire Element) and one from Swords (Air Element). The overall numerology for the cards is five: change, protection, and freedom versus restriction (aligning well with Laguz versus Carcer).
Beginning with the 4 of Wands, a couple has gotten married with the four staffs establishing the new foundation of their lives. The crossed garland above is similar to the rune Gebo ᚷ and the idea of marriage and balanced energy exchange which I think applies here. There is a dual line of demarcation between the staffs and the couple and the life they’re now embarking on together. The staffs appear separate with two on each side. This may represent the polarity of each individual and the internal balance each one brings to the marriage or new partnership. So the 4 of Wands can indicate a new opportunity that marriage/partnership provides with an eye toward a new structure or foundation that’s forming.
Next, we have the Ace of Swords. Swords reflects the Air Element and the mental side of life (interaction, legal activities, justice, balance, fairness, decisions, etc). So after the decision was made to get married or establish a new partnership with someone, new perceptions or a new agreement is formed. As a hand reaches out from a darkened cloud, it holds a sword that points upward to Spirit. The crown at the top of the sword represents higher awareness and the two garlands that hang down represent victory and align with the two garlands that appear in the 4 of Wands. And since the partnership may also involve legal issues, it takes us to the final card of the reading, The King of Wands.
The King of Wands depicts a King sitting on his throne, appearing to look toward the past. He holds a staff in one hand while a salamander appears on the ground next to him. The back of his throne shows two lions and three salamanders holding on their respective tails in an ouroboros fashion. He’s a wise mentor, an older man in authority who is knowledgable and can be trusted, so perhaps the King of Wands is representing someone you can go to for advice about this new endeavor/marriage/partnership that was indicated by the 4 of Wands.
Realistically, whether it’s a marriage or partnership of some kind that could be personal or business-related, today’s reading suggests that a new opportunity is developing that may result in some new ideas and the need for new boundaries. And if you allow higher self to inform your perceptions (Laguz) while doing your due diligence regarding any legal issues or agreement issues that arise by seeking counsel where necessary, then you can define the boundaries (Carcer) that will then allow your new partnership to grow and flourish.
As Above, So Below for Thursday, 23 March 2023
Monday’s reading dealt with partnership and boundaries while today’s reading involves how one deals with betrayal, so there could be some synchronicity between the two readings.
Today’s runes were Nauthiz and Albus. Both runes indicate higher awareness and inner wisdom. Nauthiz, one of three Norn runes in the Elder Futhark, represents the inner friction or inner will to manifest something new. Of the three Norn runes, Nauthiz is considered a rune of the future. Albus represents the sage, or wisdom and clarity, so again, this is not an ego-oriented rune as with Rubeus, the counterpart of Albus. Whereas Rubeus represents a misuse of force, Albus represents the clarity or wisdom within to understand the greater picture.
Today’s cards were The Magician, the 3 of Swords, and The Chariot. Given that both runes reflect higher awareness, the presence of two cards from the Major Arcana surrounding the 3 of Swords seems to suggest that it will be higher awareness that will see you through the betrayal reflected in the 3. And with the overall numerology of two, issues of healing, love, balance, reciprocity, and decisions may come into play.
The Magician assumes an as above, so below stance with one hand holding a scroll to heaven while the other hand points downward to the earth. A table with his magickal tools is in front of him while roses and lilies are on the ground around his feet, with rose garlands appearing above him. His tools, the wand, the cup, the sword, and the pentacle also represent the four elements as well as the four suits of the Tarot: Fire/Wands, Water/Cups, Air/Swords, and Earth/Pentacles. Like today’s rune, Nauthiz, The Magician represents the development of will as well as alchemical balance. It represents our life force, inspiration, and manifesting our experiences in energetic balance.
Next, the 3 of Swords defines the catalyst in the reading: betrayal of some kind. It’s here that the linkage occurs between today’s reading and the reading from Monday involving partnership and boundaries. That reading suggested that a new partnership may need its boundaries defined and either the 3 of Swords is suggesting the reason for it, or it could have nothing at all to do with Monday’s reading and this is a new and separate situation.
The scene in the 3 of Swords depicts a heart pierced by three swords, with two of the swords behind the center one, while rain pours down from the clouds above suggesting a betrayal of some kind by two other individuals has happened. Does this represent the need for boundaries from Monday’s reading? Possibly. But this may also be something new and unrelated to that information. Either way, this is a difficult moment where we have to come to terms with what’s happened before we make a decision about it.
Finally, we have The Chariot where we see a King standing in his chariot, his scepter in his right hand and his other hand at rest. His black and white sphinxes/lions are also at rest on the ground in front of the chariot. On the lower half of the chariot, we see a winged sun atop a shield with an upright dreidel, both suggesting healing and balance. Two castle-like buildings appear on either side of the chariot. Grounding and progression are seen in the cube on the King’s breastplate (Earth element) and the suggestion of Maiden, Mother, and Crone depicted by the crescent Moons on each shoulder and the implication of one under his neck. Stars in the shape of Merkabas adorn the cloth drape above his head as well as on his crown suggesting higher awareness.
The Chariot involves movement and momentum, but it also implies knowing when to take the reins (control) and when to drop resistance. In the case of how you processes the betrayal from the 3 of Swords, it suggests that dropping resistance with respect to your emotional response may give you more clarity than responding before you’re truly ready will provide.
If you look at both Major cards as the guidance for how you respond to the betrayal of the 3 of Swords, then you really must use the inner will and higher awareness from Nauthiz to guide your perceptions and choices. If this is a love triangle, then it might be related to Monday’s 4 of Wands, where a new marriage or partnership has happened. But even if this is a separate issue, you still need to deal with the shock you feel from the betrayal and how you do that will either help you to move forward or keep you stuck in that experience.
Decisions need to be made, but to do that you have to let go of the emotion you feel, or at least set it aside for the time being, and try to understand what happened. If this was a business relationship that’s been betrayed or undermined in some way, you need to understand the truth of that before you can make the best decision for yourself. And remember, that even though this has happened, and you might feel the ground is a bit shaky under your feet, in truth, you’re in charge now. You now know what happened and the decision regarding how you process this and then move forward is entirely up to you.
The seven numerology of The Chariot, reinforced by the two numerology of the cards, may be what defines that process with its suggestion that for healing to take place, you need to step outside the situation itself so that you understand what happened. Seven can represent the scales and the need for things to settle out before a decision can be made, so take the time you need before doing anything. It could be that the other individuals involved did something without thinking or from a faulty perspective and out of the situation, something better can result. But if that’s not the case, then at least it gives you the time necessary to decide when and how you react.
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Thank you... Jan Erickson
