Up: [[Tarot]] Related: [[Relaxation]] Created: 2026-01-03 > [!leaf] In Brief > Rest, recovery, contemplation > [!leaf] What Matters This card can appear when burnout threatens, reminding you to step off life’s treadmill for a bit before it throws you off. It’s about rest and self-care because you need it, not because it would a nice thing to do when you have time in the future. The time out that comes with rest provides the opportunity to still your mind and reassess your experiences from a larger perspective. This might result in a shift in priorities, or simply replenishment of inner resources. > [!leaf] Actions 1. Do a whole lot of nothing. That, of course, is easier said than done. It’s not that you have to sit still and stare out the window, although that’s fine if you can do it. But the resting of this card is really about resting your mind so that the mental chatter quietens for a bit. There are many ways to do this. See [[Breathing]] and also [[Concentration]] for many options. Consider the arts of all kinds such as making or looking at visual art, or making or listening to music. Spending time in nature is always valuable. 2. Give your body a rest. Try to get more sleep, and use [[Relaxation]] techniques such as [[Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)]] to ease any areas where tension has been building. 3. Journal or freewrite in response to any of the following prompts or quotes: - From what situation or experience do I most need a break? - Remembering a time when I successfully managed to quieten the mental chatter, what techniques can I borrow from then that might work now? - How do I define self-care? What stops me from practicing it? See [[Self-Care not Self-Comfort]]. > [!orbit] Buddha > Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. > [!Orbit] Thich Nhat Hanh > We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don’t allow our bodies to heal, and we don’t allow our minds and hearts to heal. > [!Orbit] Audre Lorde > Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare. > [!leaf] Shadow - Withdrawing for the purpose, not of recovery, but of avoidance - Failing to listen to your inner voice - Ignoring the card’s message and pushing on into burnout ![[IMG_6696.webp]] Image on left is the classic one from RWS. On the right it is from Tarot of Mystical Moments. > [!leaf] Symbols - The stained glass window tells us we’re in a church, a place of sanctuary. The image in the window is of someone receiving a blessing. In the upper left corner of the window is the word ‘Pax,’ which is Latin for peace. This is a time for inner peace. - Position of swords — The three together may indicate paying attention to the needs of body, mind and Spirit. The one apart has been interpreted sometimes as divine inspiration, and sometimes as unconscious shadow material that is troubling the individual.