Tarot card reading for February 13, 2023
Thoughts for today
Welcome friends. I hope you had a great weekend.
Today I meditated briefly on the date before shuffling and pulling out three cards—our first card in the Ace of Swords.
I've gone back and forth a lot in my study of the cards. Some will say to treat the ace like a one. One’s are all about new things. In this case, the Ace of Swords could be about new thoughts or ideas. But I don’t prescribe to the notion that the Ace is the same as a one. I see it for what it is, an Ace. Aces represent all the things it's suit is about. This Ace is a sword. And swords are all about intellectual matters, our thoughts. Our conscious mind. This is part of our brain that we can control directly.
In the Ace of Swords, a hand reaches out from a cloud with a sword in its grasp. A crown hovers at the top of the blade as if by magic. There are leaves on either side of the crown. Each one is different and stint. I’m not sure what kind of plants there Fromm, but each one is different. The card features a sizable grey sky and a landscape of small mountains at the bottom of the card.
Let’s start first with the hand. It’s giant and white. The color white symbolizes purity. All of the aces in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck have white hands. So the hand that brandishes this sword has pure intentions. I also feel that this sword is a gift. Like a high power is offering us this sword. The crown hovering magically symbolizes our head, again emphasizing that this is a card about our mind. The grey sky can be a sign of neutrality. Neither good nor bad. Not a clear sky, but not necessarily a stormy one either. Just grey. I see in this card that today will be about mental clarity. We’ll be able to think very well and clearly today. Perhaps that means some new thoughts will be able to emerge.
Our advice card in today’s spread is the Page of Swords. This card came up yesterday in the same spot. The page is standing on a slight rise, appearing as though she is in mid-step. About to walk away, but turning back to look at something. She is dressed in a short reddish tunic with green leggings and red shoes. Red is the color for passion and courage. Green is all about health and growth. She holds a sword in both hands rather loosely. She appears to be looking at the Ace of Swords in this position in our spread.
This card has youthful energy to it. But not a foolish energy. She’s curious about the world. She’s overseeing something like a supervisor or an advisor. Maybe she started to walk away and then decided to take one more look. Maybe she’s started to dome something and then changed her mind. This card tells us that it’s okay not to lock on to our decisions today. That it’s ok if we make a decision and then change our mind. And because of the mental clarity we have today, we might be able to see something from a different perspective that allows us to be flexible in our thoughts today.
A few days ago, I started changing the way I do this spread. I put the first two cards together, face up so I can see them clearly. I can study them and see their similarities and differences. And also understand them as a pair. They interact and communicate with each other. But I’ve always felt the takeaway card being face up was distracting to me. Like I was reading the last page of a book before buying it. The takeaway card has been facing down this entire time, and I haven’t seen it at this point in writing this.
Our takeaway card today is the Knight of Swords. This card is a warning card. In this position, it speaks to us of a man who is quick to jump. Ready to fight. He’s that guy who seems t always be looking for something to get into. Usually, that gets him into trouble, though. He’s impassive and reckless. This card is warning us to watch out for that today. With this newfound mental clarity, we could quickly jump into something too fast without thinking through our actions’ ramifications. This card asks us to slow down and examine our thoughts and actions before we do something harmful or that might not benefit us. Slow down. Take time to think it through. The mental clarity we have today will allow us to be flexible and see all the options available to us. We’ll be able to make good decisions as well as bad ones. Our takeaway for today is to be mindful of your thoughts. Weigh your options before you act.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this or if it resonated with you, please leave a comment and let me know. If it didn’t resonate with you, consider sharing this with someone who might need to hear this message today. Thanks again, and enjoy the clarity!
About the Creator
Jason Almirez-Taglianetti
I'm an intuituve tarot reader studying the tarot and writing about my journey. To purchase readings please visit my livelogue site.
Keep reading
More stories from Jason Almirez-Taglianetti and writers in Longevity and other communities.
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts14 days ago in Longevity
More Than 5 Million Native Plants Reintroduced in Deserts Are Slowing Land Degradation and Rebooting Arid Ecosystems
Deserts are often seen as barren, unforgiving landscapes, but they are far from lifeless. These ecosystems, while harsh, support unique biodiversity and provide critical environmental services, from carbon sequestration to regulating local climates. Yet, decades of overgrazing, unsustainable land use, and climate change have taken their toll, leaving many arid regions struggling with soil erosion, loss of native vegetation, and diminished ecological resilience. Now, a bold rewilding effort is turning the tide: over five million native plants have been reintroduced into deserts worldwide, and the early results are promising. The scale of the initiative Across regions from the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa to the arid plains of Australia and North America, conservation organizations, local communities, and governments have collaborated to replant native species that were once nearly wiped out. These plants range from hardy shrubs and grasses to iconic desert flowers, all carefully selected for their ability to survive in extreme conditions and restore ecological balance. The numbers are staggering: more than 5 million individual plants have been transplanted over the last five years, covering thousands of hectares. While this effort is labor-intensive, involving soil preparation, irrigation during establishment phases, and ongoing monitoring, the environmental payoff has been remarkable. Slowing land degradation One of the primary goals of these reintroductions is to combat land degradation, a process that affects over 40% of the planet’s land surface. In deserts, degradation is particularly acute because soil erosion occurs rapidly in the absence of stabilizing vegetation. Without plants to anchor the soil, wind and water can strip away fertile topsoil, creating a feedback loop of declining vegetation and worsening erosion. Early monitoring reports suggest that reintroduced native plants are helping to stabilize sandy soils and reduce the spread of desertification. In some areas of the Middle East, for instance, wind erosion rates have decreased by up to 30% in regions where shrubs and grasses were replanted. This stabilization not only benefits the environment but also local communities that rely on the land for grazing, agriculture, and other livelihoods. Rebooting arid ecosystems Beyond slowing soil loss, these plant reintroductions are rebooting entire desert ecosystems. Deserts are home to a diverse array of wildlife, including insects, birds, and mammals that rely on native plants for food and shelter. By re-establishing vegetation cover, these efforts have triggered a cascade of ecological benefits. In parts of the Sonoran Desert in North America, researchers observed a noticeable increase in pollinator populations, such as bees and butterflies, following the reintroduction of native flowering plants. Similarly, small mammals and reptiles that had disappeared from degraded areas are gradually returning, attracted by improved habitat structure and food availability. Climate resilience Another key advantage of reintroducing native plants is enhancing climate resilience. Many desert plants are adapted to survive extreme heat, drought, and poor soils. By re-establishing these species, ecosystems can better withstand climate-related stresses, such as prolonged droughts or extreme heatwaves. Additionally, some species improve soil moisture retention and reduce surface temperatures, creating microclimates that further support biodiversity. Community engagement and knowledge transfer What makes these rewilding efforts particularly successful is the integration of local communities. Indigenous knowledge about native species, planting techniques, and seasonal cycles has been invaluable. In some regions, schools and community groups participate in planting days, turning conservation into a source of pride and education. This engagement ensures that restored areas are maintained, monitored, and valued over the long term. Looking ahead While the reintroduction of five million native plants is a significant achievement, experts caution that long-term success requires continued investment, monitoring, and protection from overgrazing, development, and climate pressures. However, the initiative provides a compelling example of how targeted, science-backed restoration can reverse environmental damage. For arid ecosystems, these efforts are more than just planting trees and shrubs—they represent hope. They demonstrate that even the most fragile landscapes can recover when humans actively collaborate with nature, restoring not only plants but the entire web of life that depends on them. As the world grapples with climate change and land degradation, the lessons from these desert rewilding projects offer a blueprint for action: by investing in native biodiversity, we can slow degradation, rebuild ecosystems, and create landscapes that are resilient, productive, and teeming with life once again.
By Fiaz Ahmed Brohi7 days ago in Longevity
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.