“Fear is leading the way into places you do not need to go. Most of what you fear at the moment is an illusion stemming from an old belief that isn’t even true. Now is a time for courage. You will not be lost at sea; you will not watch everyone else get what you want while you are left alone and unloved – oh the drama of it all! F.E. A. R: False Evidence Appearing Real is hovering over you. The more you dwell on fear, the more real it will become. Ask yourself, Who in me is afraid? Love that part of you. Ask, is this true and real right now?The answer, most likely, is no. Give yourself a hug. It’s OK to be scared. Courage must be summoned. In spite of your fear, even when you are not feeling confident, Spirit will always catch you.”

~by Colette Baron-Reid

When I see this card, I see shadow work. Things are not always what they seem. Like the animal in this image, looking then looking again and yes once more you see that the shadow shifts its shape each time we connect with it.

Only after stopping and looking closely at the situation can we begin to see that this animal actually has many faces and identities. The camera lightens the image quite a bit. It was either to light or too dark in the adjustments, so I settled for this perspective.

Look again and you see that this changling also has human hands. The lightening bolt in the hand is a representation of the light of knowledge within us that gets brighter the closer you get to resolving the shadows that keep us from enlightenment and transformation.

The animal here seems to have gone through several transformations, but nothing has ever been complete. He still does not know who he is or what his purpose is.

He is the skilled Knight that is sure enough to take the reigns and smart enough to keep a master within reach. Though he clearly senses his higher self, he has a lot further to go to complete his transformation once and for all. Keep digging and working. Your efforts are paying off even if you cannot yet see that the light on this side is already amazing and I’m still transforming too. Use daring and creativity to make your way interesting. You may as well go all out and keep the story interesting to say the least.