At Solstice Eve, a time for final reflections on my visit to the Sword Realm this year:
Once again, I fell behind in the lessons. Unwilling to repeat some and still stuck on others, I decided to avoid beating myself up about this and instead use some more imaginative and original ideas to get better acquainted with the Realm guarded by The Lady of The Lake. This included using the Swords´ Higher Powers in a
shadow reading, keeping the Swords on my altar, calling on the Sword Royals more, especially using them as guides in a more personal way, by meditating with them. I had several encounters with them while out and about and they were very helpful.
Here is the summary for each card I came up with as an "end of term" test:
Ace - A challenge; a new way of seeing things; being open to change; a chance to see things as they really are.
Two - A choice; going within to make a decision; unable to decide; being blinkered; unwilling to change.
Three - A loss; letting go of something valued in order to progress; grieving and recovery after loss; understanding that all things must pass.
Four - A recovery; a time of quiet meditation in order to refresh the mind, body and spirit; withdrawal to clear the mind.
Five - A defeat; the aftermath of a conflict and coming to terms with it.
Six - A journey; safe passage as you move into changing circumstances.
Seven - A deceit; being the vicim or purpetrator of a deceit; deceiving oneself; something is not what it seems.
Eight - A mental trap; becoming, or feeling stuck or bogged down; unhelpful thinking; feeling a victim of circumstances.
Nine - A troubled mind; long, dark night of the soul; problems stacked up unresolved.
Ten - A closure; an issue completely and finally at an end; karmic issues to be faced up to; not accepting responsibility for a situation we created; finally seeing and accepting the truth for what it is.
Maiden - The part of me ready to accept change must happen; a guide through the process of change.
Knight - The part of me that learns; a guide to help me stay alert and focus on the current lesson.
Queen - The part of me that has intuitive knowing of my role in this incarnation; a guide to understanding the natural order of things and my place in it.
King - The part of me that is committed to understanding; a fatherly guide to keep me steered on course.
Lady of the Lake - Teacher of the divine mysteries; holds the sacred book wherein our life-plans are written; the divine feminine in her otherworldly guise.
The White Hart - Teaches us about our relationships, both with our lovers, family and friends, and also with our spiritual aspects.
The Round Table - The cycles of time and space that we are limited by and the teachings to help us transcend them; understanding the cyclical nature of all things.
The Cauldron - Teaches us to blend different aspects of ourselves to produce something new, greater than the sum of the parts.
The Moon - The dreamtime teacher who shows us the shadow side of our nature and puts us in touch with occult and esoteric. Has the ability to deceive us and create illusions.
...work with the following 4 cards from the Spear realm; these are the ones I have the most urgent need to address, he says. Then tomorrow, I may side-step the Spear realm (leaving developing my healing to the Hare, Geàrr) and work instead this quarter with the Stone realm. For, as a wise Cornishwoman once told me 'En hav per ko guav' (In Summer, think of Winter), and that´s what I intend to do. For I have discovered, that conventionality doesn´t always work for me - I have to do things my own way. 
