The Jabberwocky “Beware the Jabberwock, my son!”

Alice finds a strange book in the Looking Glass House, and picks it up to read. All the words are backwards, and she soon realizes that she must hold it up to the mirror to see the words properly.

What she finds is the infamous tale of the Jabberwocky: “’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, And the mome raths outgrabe . . .” We are all very familiar with the words, even if we aren’t certain what they mean, but, as Alice notes: “. . . somebody killed something; that’s clear, at any rate—.”

To be certain, the great Jabberwocky is slain by a boy, and one can easily assume it must have been something like the biblical tale of David and Goliath. A small boy against a large beast that’s making all sorts of ruckus. But despite the disparity in size, the boy, with not much fuss at all, leaves the creature dead and goes home to loving arms.

The Jabberwocky is apparently whiffling it’s way towards you, and it is time for you to take a moment to rest by the Tumtum tree, and stay awhile in thought. The Jabberwocky may seem like the face of death coming to rip you to shreds, but we know, thanks to this garbled mess of words, that this challenge, too, can be met and mastered.


While you are taking your time by the Tumtum tree to fathom facing your foe, you might be wise to bypass the instinct to see this as some sort of terrible fate, and go directly to an opportunity to test your strength, abilities, and your growing edges.

The heroic boy who defeated the Jabberwocky would never have become a hero without the impressive challenge of slaying the monstrous beast. There are certain accomplishments for you to manifest and you need whatever’s meeting you on your path as a challenge to get you where you need to be.

This card is about finding your courage and the impetus (and maybe the adrenaline) needed to step up and take care of business like you never have before. A wise woman once told me that “negative” energy is simply energy we haven’t figured out how to use to get us through our current challenge. Now is the time to let it all out to get you through to a victorious ending.

And if you find yourself getting scared at what you have to face, have faith! None of these circumstances would be on your path if you weren’t ready to face them. This is an epic battle you’re about to face, but if you get that vorpal sword ready, and stay steady, or maybe uffish, in thought, you will be victorious.

Take a moment, by this Tumtum tree to contemplate your strengths and your battle plan:

Meditation: If you can sit under a tree, that would be ideal, but in a pinch, make yourself comfortable in a place you won’t be disturbed, and close your eyes, and imagine that you are under a tree. Imagine you have roots that sink deep into the earth and intermingle with the roots of the tree beneath which you sit. Imagine the strength of those roots and their ability to hold up such massive bodies as the trees in the forest, and feel how your roots can help you to stay upright, Feel those roots in the earth, and notice how they connect with your legs and torso, and give you a sense of great strength. Feel how tall you can grow and not be knocked down because of those roots. Once you feel how powerful your roots are, ask yourself where, in your body, do you hold fear. Once you’ve identified this place, breathe into it and give it your breath and attention until this place feels relaxed and open. Now, ask yourself where, in your body, you hold courage. Give this your breath, and as you do, imagine that you are creating a golden beam of light that is a passageway between your place of courage and your place of fear. Breathe into your place of courage, and as you do, see the courage flowing into your place of fear and offering it a sense of protection. Notice what this looks and feels like. Once you feel you have created a safe place where your fear once resided, you can reconnect with those roots, and gently open your eyes. Come back to this meditation any time you hear the whiffling of the Jabberwocky (or the Jubjub bird, or the dreaded Bandersnatch!).