Your Week Ahead: February 21 to 27, 2021 – The Resolute One

I was curious about the history of the word “Resolute” as I chose the title for this week’s reading. Something about the use of “Re” and “Solute”, as in finding new solutions or coming back (re) to something in order to make it more strong or solvable (sol), was percolating in my mind. Looking at the cards displayed above, I see a wonderful correlation between the etymology of this word and the story illustrated here.

resolute (adj.)
early 15c., “dissolved, of loose structure,” also “morally lax,” from Latin resolutus, past participle of resolvere “untie, unfasten, loose, loosen” (see resolve). Meaning “determined, decided, absolute, final” is from c. 1500, especially in resolute answer, a phrase “common in 16th c.” [OED]. From 1530s of persons. The notion is of “breaking (something) into parts” as the way to arrive at the truth of it and thus make the final determination.

Even looking at the number layout (8 – 7 – 9) indicates a “one step back, two steps forward” approach. If we look at the 9 of Coins, right away we can ask, “How did we get here?” And so, our investigation commences with a very investigatory card: the 8 of Cups.

I think of this card as a cauldron where we don’t come out the same way we went in. It represents a deliberate act of retreat in order to acquire and assimilate new information. What precipitated this need was an encounter with the unknown. We didn’t have the answer when we thought we would or should. The feeling is not so much about insecurity as it is about finding the truth, particularly our truth and how we actually feel about something.

No cups are overturned so this is not about loss. In fact, it is about finding the missing element within. At times, this can be about leaving a situation that one already knows to be unsatisfactory, looking within to establish the integrity of one’s position. When we look at the cards that follow, we understand that our retreat is only temporary; we cannot remain secluded indefinitely, for such would only compress our real desire for self-expression.

Living a life in hiding for fear of being questioned and tested is ultimately not going to serve us. In fact, it can create the very circumstances which run contrary to the principles of life: energy, growth, and expansion. A seed is not content by merely remaining a seed. It must become the Oak tree that it knows itself to be.

Upon exiting the cave, it appears as though we have an opportunity to show how our conclusions are correct for us. We may not have confrontations externally, but internally. Either way, we are energetic to the task and feel assertive in our knowingness. This doesn’t appear to be a reactive time, rather it shows how we are working with our power in addressing elements that may be out of balance in our lives.

A sword that is put through the fire of self-scrutiny must have the opportunity to be tested in the fields of experience. The key to knowing your opponent is to understand your own shadow. Exterior forces can only manipulate a body that does not have a central root of gravity. When we know our shadow material, we confront that which only we ourselves deem to be our weaknesses.

The shadow can be remnants of earlier experiences, trauma, bullying, abusive relationships, and all of our insecure attempts to reassert our power over others to avoid being the victim of outward forces. The truth that is at the heart of our relationship with our shadow is love. Love of ourself first, and then love of others in the form of forgiveness. When this process is done correctly, we understand that any abusive pattern cannot be repeated because it has been brought to light and reconciled.

Reconciliation occurs when we are no longer triggered and defined by the circumstances and emotions which brought about the sensation of being without power. In essence, we shed the victim mentality from continuing its paradigm because we have integrated the root of what allowed the victimization to occur initially. If the 8 of Cups coupled with the 7 of Wands indicates that we have made contact with this material and moved through its hold on us, then the 9 of Coins shows the love we have for ourselves and this process.

Feeling our worth, our energy, and acknowledging this path that we have dedicated ourselves to, brings about a deep appreciation for our strength and our resolve. Having broken something down into its parts as a way to bring about the truth of it, we have arrived at a state of being resolute.

Unwavering in your integrity, feel the power of your core. Be that seed that called upon you to be planted in the earth so that it can become the Oak tree that you know yourself to be. Realize that you are defined by who you are right now, not by who you once were. Step into your garden and be open to what the universe is preparing you for. You deserve it, and most certainly, you are ready.

Affirmation: I leave behind old outdated judgements and opinions. They no longer serve me. Instead, I understand that the process of life reveals its message to me at precisely the right time. I embrace the unfolding “now” and I know myself to be an individual who is loving and brave, and free to express my deepest desires.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you a wonderful week!

Daniel Palmo

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