AUTHOR’S NOTE: An acquaintance of mine has a long-standing medical issue related to several previous surgeries that looks like it may need another surgical intervention. In February I did a French Cross (tirage en croix) spread to ask that question. (Note that I performed this reading two hours before I learned the surgeon’s recommendation.)

With three Swords and three Mars cards in the population, this reading practically shouts “surgery.” Mars (along with Uranus, although that influence isn’t present in the Golden Dawn’s traditional seven-planet astrology) is the planet of surgery, and the suit of Swords is self-explanatory in that regard. Interestingly, these are three of the four Mars “pip” cards that I used intentionally in my recent “Mars Purge” essay, even though I performed a thorough shuffle.

The “Best Case” scenario is that the operation will be comprehensive and thoroughly address the problem (although residual pain is a concern). The 9 of Swords could also convey the surgeon’s expertise. The number Nine represents the “perfection” of the elemental energy of its suit, while the Ten is something of a degraded “postscript.” In this instance the Thoth title Cruelty could signify the mental anguish involved in the decision.

The “Worst Case” suggests that it will be demanding and require considerable stamina to withstand.

The “Advice” is to stay calm and “roll with the punches.”

The “Outcome” implies that it will be a routine procedure that requires no special considerations.

The Universe as “Quintessence” card (the numerological “roll-up”) shows successful completion, although its Saturn correspondence also indicates a lengthy evolution, if not in the actual operation at least in the recovery.

Summary: The surgeon’s advice was to proceed with the operation since alternative measures have no guarantee of long-term success and may just be “stop-gap” in nature. The Universe as the “last word” is encouraging in that it indicates conclusive resolution of the issue, although full closure can’t occur for three months (Saturn in action).