Day 4 – The Empress

Prompt: Self-love looks like _________ for me right now.

The Empress is the embodiment of the sweet, abundant, creative, and embracing energy of Mother Earth. Under the influence of Empress energy, we know our true creative power lies within successful connection to our environment. We naturally empathize with and understand our own organic processes of growth. 🌞
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With the help of the Empress, we are able to carry our creative projects to full term. We connect with our senses, and when we “ground” ourselves, it’s her loving energy who we anchor ourselves to. Enjoying Empress energy is like laying in a soft patch of sunlit grass, enveloped in a warm hug from this gorgeous, abundant planet we live on. The Empress is also the archetype of the Great Mother, and every time we nurture and love anyone, including ourselves and our creative projects, we are embodying Empress energy. 🌎 
When this archetype lives through us, we create wholeheartedly, we love holistically, and we don’t have to put on any masks or make a show of it! Empress energy makes it possible for us to be totally authentic while feeling safe and supported. – Kayleigh Jean / Falcons and Pentacles

Nine of Swords

Oh wow! Right now, self-love looks like getting plenty of rest, using all the tools I know to keep my thoughts positive (even when I’m feeling good), acting on my inspirations when I receive them, and staying grounded in my body through movement and time in nature. 

I literally experienced this card last night! Spooky! As I was falling asleep, I heard a man’s voice whisper in my ear and it felt like someone was standing over my bed. Startled, I quietly screamed, turned on my lamp, jumped out of bed, and smudged my room with sage. I didn’t understand what he said but for my name. I locked my bedroom door and went back to sleep.

I would add that making my home space a sanctuary is also self-love right now! I didn’t exactly feel safe last night, and that is not good. I moved recently and am not feeling settled – and I am wondering if I ever will feel settled in this house.

Examining the card more closely, for me, the swords represent projects that need action. Time for thinking and planning is over. Each one of my ideas requires some risk and requires doing new things. The sword tips are out of view – I don’t know how things will turn out.  The quilt on the bed, covering the legs (first/root chakra, earth/body, survival) is checkered in roses (fertility, passion, creation) and zodiac symbols (cosmic order/seasons), while beneath (foundation/the past) the mattress a figure is defeating another figure with a sword (talk about a disturbing environment). While the figure on the bed is holding her head in her hands and her thoughts are far out into an unknown future or a regrettable past, the comforter is reminder that if she pays attention to the present, she will see she has everything she needs.

With beautiful Empress energy, I can surrender to the not-knowing, reduce my to-do list, ask for help, be present in my body and act on the thoughts that feel good, and expect that whatever happens is for my highest good.