“The meanest dog you’ll ever meet. He ain’t the hound dog in the street.
He bares some teeth and tears some skin.
But brother, that’s the worst of him.
The dog you really got to dread.
Is the one that howls inside your head.
It’s him whose howling drives men mad. And a mind to its undoing“

-André De Shields from the Broadway Musical “Hadestown”

Sometimes we are our own wardens in our personal hell. It is actually the reason why I personally resonated and loved the Netflix television shows “Lucifer” explanation of hell. Hell belongs to those whose guilts and believing they deserve to be punished and their personal hell is a loop of their own making. Our minds sometimes creates the punishment that we believe we deserve. It is our doubts. The negative thoughts in our head. 

“You are lazy”

“You don’t deserve to be happy” 

“You are just lying to everyone” 

“Why even bother”

“You are too broken to be fixed.”

This is the Eight of Swords. The punishment loop into our head. Making us question how the world could be but instead plays into an illusion of what the world is. We blind and bind ourselves. And we convince ourselves that we are fully imprisoned. But within most of the 8 of Swords, there is an opportunity. An opportunity to leave. 

Mental Health governs this card. Where you feel stuck spiritually and mentally and there is no way to go. We become our own Warden and our mind a prisoner. 

As we leave May, (National Mental Health Awareness Month) to June  (National PTSD month) I just wanted to give the message of this card; 

You are not beyond help. 

You are worth it. 

You deserve to be happy. 

You can get help. 

And you are not alone. 

If you are having a mental health crisis: Call 1-877-870-4673 is a good number to call! 24/7 hotline with people trained to work with you in a mental crisis event.  

~Rev. Lane J Renovato

Editor. Birch Tree Minister.
Assistant Spiritual Director.
Psychic Tarot Reader.
Reiki Master and Energy Healer.