The Three of Swords shows a heart pierced by three swords, representing the pain inflicted by words, actions and intent on the emotional and physical self. The symbolism is pretty opaque, and the emotional effect of viewing this image is immediate. The heart, the seat of warmth, affection and spirit, has been pierced, leaving long lasting scars.
Sometimes life gives us no choice – we are knocked down. But what determines one’s future is the choice of whether to remain down, or rise again.
There are few Australians over the age of 18 who have not heard the name Grace Tame.
From age 15, as a student at St Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart Grace was repeatedly abused. She was groomed and raped by her 58-year-old maths teacher, who was found guilty and jailed for his crimes. However, under Tasmania’s sexual-assault victim gag laws, Grace couldn’t legally speak out about her experience – despite the perpetrator and media being free to do so.
Grace may have been knocked down, traumatized and silenced after the abuse at the hands of her teacher but she has refused to stay down. She has spent over a decade turning her traumatic experience into advocacy for survivors of child sexual assault, becoming a leader of positive change.
Her public calls for systemic change in how society and our government respond to sexual abuse have drawn a lot of media attention.
Grace is also a passionate yoga teacher, visual artist, and champion long-distance runner, having won the 2020 Ross Marathon in a female course record time of 2:59:
Wild Mother Calling 