In the Tarot the suit of Swords represents mental energy and the element of Air. This energy is not easily available and must be transmuted from spiritual energy by the male and from sexual energy or earth energy by the female. In this the male has the initial advantage because the energy only needs to be transmuted once. The female must transmute this energy first into emotional energy and then into mental energy. This is more difficult at first.
Another way of saying this is that males tend to be more mental in daily life and females tend to be more emotional. This is a stereotype that is not always true but persists with good reason.
The bottom line is that if you don’t use your mind enough it will go flat. Learn something new every day and solve some type of challenge. It will keep your mind young and healthy.
On the flip side of the coin, after you are very clear in your thoughts and in what you believe it is time to move on and realize them through personal experience. Don’t think about it. Do it!
There are two types of mental energy. The highest type of mental energy is philosophical reasoning and abstract thought. This energy is developed through philosophical debate. Politics and Religion remain the most popular areas for the development of this type of energy. Problem solving and mathematical skills are also related to this type of energy.
The lower type of mental energy concerns simple awareness of our environment. Look more, hear more, taste more, feel more, smell more! This is tied in with ego development and conscious interaction with our physical environment.
We become aware of sensory details by paying conscious attention to them. Paying attention to anything requires mental energy and effort.
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