The Swords on overthinking

The Swords are the perfect suit to turn to for guidance whenever you’re struggling with racing thoughts, rumination or worries. With 14 different perspectives on it, for each experience of overthinking there is at least one card that’s able to serve as a gateway back to yourself and the present moment.

This is how I believe the cards would respond if you’d ask them about their view on overthinking.

The Ace of Swords from The Spacious Tarot

Ace of Swords

‘‘What if there is nothing wrong with it – with this moment, with this overthinking? What would that mean, what would you do differently, how would you feel?’’

2 of Swords

‘‘Often overthinking comes from a lack of self-connection. Maybe you can’t hear the calm clarity of your inner voice, because there is too much external noise floating around. It might just be time to find some stillness.’’

3 of Swords

‘‘Are you sure it’s just your brain that’s stormy, or is it possible that your heart is where the actual storm resides? Check in with what’s happening in there; your mind might just be noisy to cover something else up.’’

4 of Swords

‘‘What would you be doing right now IF your mind was calm(er)? Now you know what to do to help yourself get there. 😉’’

5 of Swords

‘‘Why not put down your sword and see what happens when you refuse to keep piercing yourself with self-judgement and self-criticism? It’s always just one decision away.’’

6 of Swords

‘‘Mistakes do not make you a mistake. Because you are not your actions – nor your thoughts. You need those mistakes to get to the next (more authentic) version of you(r life). Try to treat them as such.’’

7 of Swords

‘‘Maybe there’s simply no room for calmness in your mind right now. What might you be looking at or holding onto, that keeps you from feeling more aligned and at peace? The moment you know, you’ll automatically let it go – it will release its grip once you become aware of it.’’

8 of Swords

‘‘Take the belief that is triggered and try to put the word ‘‘today’’ at the beginning or end of this statement.

As long as you believe a certain action is not simply something you’ve done, but is who you are, you take away the possibility of change. This ‘‘unlabeling’’ helps you to leave some room for a different tomorrow.’’

9 of Swords

‘‘Overthinking makes your nervous system go into ‘‘danger mode’’ and that often causes you to freeze up. One way to help you reconnect with your inner safety, is to ask yourself: ‘‘What would I do if I was at my best?’’

Try not to let the answer to this question turn into something to strive for. Let it just be a direction indicator. And any tiny, tiny step in that direction is the best one for this moment. 💛’’

10 of Swords

‘‘Is it possible that this overthinking is the result of a certain belief or thought pattern you’re holding onto that is ready to be released? If you knew for sure this was the case, what would that belief or thought pattern be?’’

Page of Swords

‘‘As Pema Chödrön wrote: ‘‘You are the sky – everything else, it’s just the weather.’’ What’s the weather like in your mind, your heart, your body, and your energy right now? What would happen if you tried to tune in with this skyness that is your awareness, your essence?’’

The Elder (King) of Swords from The Spacious Tarot

Knight of Swords

‘‘The worst thing already happened. Your worst nightmare has already become a reality; that’s why it has become your worst nightmare.

What might this worst thing that already happened be? In what way did a version of the awful situation you’re imagining already happen?’’

Queen of Swords

‘‘You don’t have to believe or give your attention to every thought that enters your awareness. What if you just put this one (main) thought that keeps revisiting you in a closet for an hour or a day? After that time, you can come back to it, but this pause will help you see if you actually need to.’’

King of Swords

‘‘Do these thoughts (still) align with your current and/or favorite self? If not, send them back. Just like you would with a sweater you ordered online that turns out not to fit you (as well as you’d like), you are free to decide to no longer hold certain thoughts.

And of course, they’ll return, but nothing prohibits you from sending them back again (and again). Know that the effort you put into this visualization, is actually effort you put into deepening your self-connection.’’

Let me know which card was able to guide you through your moment of restlessness, worst-case scenarios or other mental suckiness!