GOOD GRIEF

3 OF SWORDS - RWS TAROT DECK (ORIGINAL IMAGE)

On August 8th, 2026, when I officially launched The Shadow Supporter’s website, I was ecstatic! The site went live on The Lion’s Gate Portal, and though that was not planned, I took it as a good omen. So, you can imagine my surprise when I sat down to pull a card for this first official Shadow Journal entry and newsletter, and I pulled the 3 of Swords – a card traditionally associated with grief and suffering.

Grief was so far removed from any of the emotions I’d been feeling that day, that I had to fight the temptation to return the card to the pile and pull another one – something I advise against in practice. Then I remembered the universe works in mysterious ways, and if I pulled that card, it must be for a reason.

Granted, it’s been a few weeks since this took place, and I am finally getting the Shadow Journal page and newsletter up and running; but I am trusting the cards and the energies surrounding them, and I will continue with the message of grief. Perhaps you, dear reader, are the one this message is for.

Let’s be honest. Grief sucks. It’s uncomfortable; it doesn’t feel good. It hurts to experience.

But grief by itself is not inherently bad. In fact, it’s necessary for growth and healing. The fear we attach to it is what keeps us from processing the emotion effectively. Grief can often be accompanied by a loss of expectation; a shift in perception from the way we wish things were or could be. Those expectations are our own creation, and we can sometimes attach them to other people or situations without their awareness, acceptance, or approval. We may have perceived them as truth when they were nothing more than illusion. And it may be the shards of shattered illusion that cut the deepest.

So much we grieve is out of our control. This is important to remember so that we don’t add additional heartache and judgment to situations in which we have no say over the outcome. If you find yourself currently in a state of grief, allow yourself space and time to move through the emotions and feelings that accompany it. Remember, you have made it through 100% of your worst days, and you are only getting stronger. Let go of expectations you’ve developed over time and let the grief come as it is. Because only by inviting it in will it eventually find its way out.

(If you are experiencing significant grief or loss, please seek professional assistance from a licensed mental health practitioner.)