All right everybody, listen up! This is a follow up to my Speed Read on the night of the full moon in which we talked about being careful with our own power. You know, just because we are right about something, or have an upper hand in a situation; it doesn’t mean we have to engage in behavior or utter words that are unskillful, aimed to hurt, or mean. The 7 of Wands plus the reversed 5 of Wands show us contrasting ways in which we can approach a situation that requires us to defend ourselves or go on the offensive.

The 7 of Wands shows a horned beetle armed with a beautiful wand. He doesn’t use that wand to attack wily-nilly, he doesn’t swing it around until it finds a target. Yes, the beetle is in a situation where he needs to speak up and say the truth, to defend himself and to hold his ground. But he does so with wisdom, knowing which words to employ and which ones to withhold. He is well aware that dealing with disagreement and attack using an enlightened strategy involves deploying words that are true but stripped of unnecessary and mean-spirited connotations or personal attacks.

The reversed 5 of Wands urges us, at least right now, to be extra careful with our words and with conflict in our relationships. Again, using our words skillfully means that we get our message across with mindfulness—keeping in mind the ways in which we tend to act and speaking our truth with openness yet with love and care. There is a certain explosiveness in the air that we just need to be careful about.

Finally the 5 of Pentacles carries a twofold result: one of hardship and regret if we don’t follow the advice; and another of togetherness and future harmony through the difficulties of life if we do mind our speech and actions right now. Which path will you take?