A harvesting time

Today was an interesting beginning to my morning reading.  The Eight of Wands appeared again so I chose two more cards for a more complete message for today.  Next I received the Eight of Swords and finally the Seven of Pentacles.

The Eight of Wands, as previously discovered, signifies the beginning.  A desire whispered to the winds, a decision sent to the universe to be made manifest.  We see a great undertaking which has been started.  To me this shows the beginning of when we decided to move from Florida and begin to find ways to make it to California.  The desire, whispered on the winds, the decision to definitely make it happen made.  The universe began to place things in our path to make this happen for us.

The next card pulled was the Eight of Swords.  This card filled me with so much emotion looking upon it.  The first thing that is drawn to the eye is a swan that is struggling with brambles and stuck.  Pain is being inflicted.  Looking closer at the card you see the background which resembles to me, the Dark Goddess.  The swan has begun a walk on the path of shadow, a Dark Night of the Soul is taking place.  During the dark night you are faced with challenges which will either force you forward through will and aid or you will falter and fall into the brambles to be added to the discarded remains of those before you, that have undergone this journey.  As you struggle, you take more damage to spirit and body.  Becoming frantic only makes matters worse and the pain increases.  You want to give up and walk away from the pain when you notice it.  Just above you a light, a messenger in the form of a hummingbird.  At the insistence of the hummingbird, the swan stops struggling.  The hummingbird is representative of the light ahead.  You have struggled for so long, you are about to be rewarded with the completion of this Dark Night.

The next card pulled was the Seven of Pentacles, a card of completion, accomplishment and relaxation.  The seeds which you whispered on the wind so long ago have grown and blossomed.  They have been fortified for strength through the Dark Night, they have been given the gift of light and fertilized with hope and joy.  This is a time for harvest.  Appreciate the growth that has come as you began this journey.  The time for work on this has passed, your seeds have grown to fruition.  It is a time for calm moments, consideration and the alternatives of a new path which now lays ahead of you.

What an amazing reading today that signifies everything that we have been going through as this phase truly comes to a close.  In two weeks time I will be making my way westward.  There is much mundane work to be done between now and then for packing, loading and various visits with friends and family as we prepare to leave the East Coast.  This is all a part of the harvest.  We are ready to gather up that which we have created this year as Lughnasadh approaches quickly and in this time of the first Harvest we will be granted our desires and a prosperous new journey to undertake.  I look forward to new challenges and a new direction for life.  I foresee a healthier and happier time ahead filled with new spiritual and mundane challenges which I eagerly plan to gobble up.