What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you see Ten of Swords? Retaliation? Revenge? Betrayal? Or perhaps treachery?
When this card surfaces, it usually indicates a low point in our life, or denotes sudden misfortune. The defeat is unavoidable, there’s something beyond our control. The higher we rise, the farther we will have to fall.
However, this card also tells us to keep hope. There’s a bright horizon and some good will coming out of all this.
Think of the swords as the weapons of the mind, they wield extreme powers, both constructive and destructive. This card shows us that we need to reap the fruit of the mind.
The Ten of Swords are commonly linked to the death of Julius Caesar. What a lot of us don’t know, is that the old Zen saying: “if you meet Buddha on the road, kill Buddha (逢佛殺佛)” has also been associated with this card. The Buddha here is not the actual Buddha, for the real Buddha has no true form, whatever appeals to us as “Buddha”, is in fact an enchantment. The killing here is not to literally instigate murder, but to get rid of false prophets and illusions.
The illogical riddle of the Zen Buddhist calls upon all of us to dispense with all role models and idols, to stop accepting any emperor-like authorities in our life; Beware of highly sophisticated and cultivated people who nevertheless succumb to their baser instincts and malice. A form is simply what characterizes the appearance of something, like a sign. Buddha also said: “where there is a sign, there is always deception”.
The Buddha exists right here within ourselves and nowhere else. The sooner we herald the end of all role models and idols, the sooner we can break free.
Let’s start thinking for ourselves, strengthen our mental alertness, treat thoughts, decisions and definitions with care. Open our eyes and open up our hearts to the flow of life.
Inner Orbit 