This week’s Harrow card, The Sickness, highlights an unpleasant yet often unavoidable trouble that we all experience. When The Sickness appears in a spread, it can sometimes represent a tangible sickness of the body. In fact, the card is from the suit of Shields, which is associated with Constitution, the measure of physical health and endurance. Just as often, however, The Sickness can indicate a disease of the mind, heart, or spirit, especially one that has a secondary, physical manifestation. The Sickness is aligned Neutral Evil; it is less concerned with the rules of the world than it is the effect it has on the world. This is exemplified through the items the woman has in her hands. The vegetables appear to be a clump of onions or garlic, a plant long associated with protection from against negative influences. The dice symbolize a reliance on luck, one which has apparently failed the woman. She has neglected to attack the source of her own sickness, instead relying on good luck charms and chance. Not surprisingly, they have failed to cure her, and in neglecting her true illness, she may have given The Sickness enough of an opening to take hold of her completely. Similarly, we can see that her clothes and jewelry, symbols of status and wealth, remain largely unaffected by whatever malady is plaguing her. The Sickness does not recognize social standing or tax brackets; it can infect anyone. The Sickness serves as a reminder to us that we are not invulnerable, that we are subject to the same obstacles and setbacks that all of humanity experiences at some point. When we are overtaken by The Sickness, we must remember then to confront our issues head-on and not wait for outside forces to rescue us. Refusing to acknowledge our own Sickness is a surefire way to make a bad situation worse, and since everything is connected, it’s entirely possible to spread our Sickness to others. If the card is misaligned, it can indicate that we have shaken off our Sickness and are on the road to recovery. #oraclecards #pathfinder #pathfinderrpg #harrowoftheweek #dnd #dungeonsanddragons