dcpaganism-blog

[dcpaganism-blog]

Starbolt - a spell to help make friends easily

*inspired by Starfire’s ability to make friends*

Needed:  - Basil - Vanilla extract or Essential Oil - Cinnamon - Cocoa Powder or Essential Oil - Paper - Pen - Friendship Sigil —> Here - Envelope - Rose Quartz - Pink and green candles

Steps: - Light your candles - Put Basil, Cinnamon and any other powder you have (like Cocoa) into the envelope. - take you paper and write out what you are looking for in a friend and your most positive traits - Also write the given sigil on it. - drip a couple drops of any oils you have on a secondary sheet of paper.  - put the papers into the envelope and seal it.  - you can make a wax seal if you want to/ know how to.  - Set the envelope aside with the Rose Quartz on top for as long as you feel nessicary - blow out the candles/dust off your hands to close the spell.  - Carry the Rose Quartz with you to carry the spell with you. 

- Aesa <3 (special thanks to @galaxianwitchery for the help) This is my original spell. please do not repost on any platform without my explicit permission. Reblogging is okay, Reposting is not. 

[dcpaganism-blog]

Starting Up Again

Due to the sad fact that nobody else seems to have filled the niche of ‘blog talking about paganism and magic based on DC comics characters’ I will be starting to post here again.

The new schedule is simple.

On the first of every month I will post some form of original content in the form of an article or spell.

On the fifteenth of every month I will offer tarot card readings.

On the last day of every month I will reblog some kind of related content. Hopefully a spell or article, but it might just be fanart if I cannot find anything relevant.

If you have any suggestions for original content, such as spell ideas or inspiration for blog posts, ideas for what I should reblog, or any suggestions for how to make the blog better, I am happily willing to hear them.

Here is looking to this going better than the last time I tried this!

[dcpaganism-blog]

Check In

After some time of not having the energy to continue this blog I am beginning to feel motivated again.

Would anyone be interested if I started this blog up again? 

[dcpaganism-blog]

The Animal Within - a spell to embody the characteristics of an animal

*inspired by Beast Boy’s Super power*

Needed: - Something that represents the animal you’re trying to embody - A green and purple candle (green for nature and animals, purple for the spirit) 

Steps: -Light the candles - clear your mind of any troubles or worrying - Focus on the animal you have chosen - list aloud or in your head the characteristics of the animal that you admire and are trying to embody.  -Speak or think this: “(Animal Name) is the Animal within me. I need its (list of characteristics). I call it from deep within me to show its true colors this day.“ -Imagine the animal emerging from within you, and you taking on the characteristics for which you called.  -Blow out your candles or dust off your hands to close the spell - go about and flaunt your awesome inner animal!

- Aesa <3  this is my original spell please do not repost it on any platform without my explicit permission. Reblogging is okay, Reposting is not.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Ring Capacity by Kirby Krackle

[dcpaganism-blog]

Generic Offering Ideas

One thing to consider when making offerings to a DC Comics character is whether or not they would want an ‘offering.’ Some characters, such as Superman, have shown themselves to be uncomfortable with worship. So if you work with them you may want to not worship them as much as try to work with them. You can use any method of divination you prefer to get answers to whether or not they would be comfortable with gifts. 

However, for those that are, there are some simple ideas for what you could do as offerings, gifts or just to show thanks.

One idea is volunteer work. This even works for some villains, like the Pied Piper, who have more altruistic motivations. Many characters have had significant hardship or simply have passions that you can further in this world by doing volunteer work. For example you could volunteer at an animal shelter as an act of worship for Catwoman, volunteer at a library for Oracle or help with cleaning up litter for any number of environmental themed characters. You could also consider participating in charity runs or walks for the Flash. 

Beyond volunteer work there are plenty of other options. For instance many characters could appreciate homemade food. Some of the more workaholic characters may appreciate coffee more. Leaving books on topics they are interested in on whatever spot has been selected for offerings for a set period of time may also work.

Along with volunteer work and physical objects you can also consider things that will primarily impact yourself. For instance learning about things related to the character; reading a book or watching a documentary about electricity for characters like Static, meteorology for the Weather Wizard. Learning how to do tricks with a top for the Top, how to speak Esperanto for Booster Gold. Even learning martial arts or working out could be considered an act of devotion for the characters who lack powers and fight anyway.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Hello if you are still doing readings can you do one for what life has in store for me in the near future?

The card I drew for your near future is the King of Swords.

The image is of Darkseid standing victorious over the justice league. He holds the cape of Superman in one hand and the arm of a limp Wonder Woman in the other. Beneath him a defeated Green Lantern is visible.

Darkseid is known as one of the biggest opponents of Superman, Orion, The New Gods, and the DC Universe as a whole. He rules over Apokolips with cruelty.

The card, however, is associated with a just and ethical leader, being well-spoken and seeking the council of others. Aside from the ‘just and ethical’ part it could be argued that Darkseid has these traits. However they are all overshadowed by his cruel nature.

From what I can tell a combination of these things may come into play. I am getting the feeling that you may encounter someone who is not what they appear. Someone who may appear to be able to be reasoned with. But upon further insight will reveal themself to be too cruel to be swayed.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Tarot Readings Are Open

Due to illness causing me to be unable to perform any readings on the scheduled date they will instead be open until midnight tonight.

Please; feel free to ask any question that you wish.

There are a few simple guidelines for the readings;

Do not be lewd with your questions.

Do not ask for a medical diagnosis.

If you have any followup questions you may feel free to ask.

Unless you request otherwise your question and the reading will be posted publicly.

If you do not specify otherwise you will receive a one card reading.

If you do not wish for a one card reading specify as such and either specify a spread you would prefer or say that you would like your question answered with more than one card.

You may request multiple readings in a single week.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Pop Culture Paganism: An Introduction

Though the intense ridicule PC Paganism faced a few months ago has died out on tumblr, there are many within the Pagan community that stick their nose up at what they consider to be a “fake” form of Paganism. More importantly, though, are the many people interested in the path who shy away from asking questions for fear of the backlash they might receive from the community. This post will offer the basics of PC Paganism, but it is in no way inclusive to all forms of the practice.

It’s important to first make a distinction between Pop Culture Paganism and Pop Culture Magic, as they are two different things often confused for each other. Just as not all Wiccans are witches and not all witches are Wiccans, not every Pop Culture Pagan practices PC Magic, and not all PC Magicians practice PC Paganism. One is a spiritual and/or religious practice while the other is a type of magical practice and they don’t always go hand in hand.

Pop Culture Magic can take on many forms: using lines from the movie Chicago in a curse, creating tarot cards about your favorite show or book (for those who consider tarot cards to be a part of their magic practices), using sigils from Supernatural, naming your spells after Pokemon, referring to a spirit guide as a Patronus…the list goes on and on. Pop Culture Magic is surprisingly common because pop culture is, for most of us, a part of our daily lives. It’s what we see when we turn on the television, listen to the radio, open a magazine, gaze through a library. It permeates our lives and, as a result, sometimes seeps into our magical practice.

Pop Culture Paganism is less common but gaining more and more followers each day. There is no one way to be a PC Pagan, so I’ll offer just a few methods that I’m aware of, from both personal practice and learning of the practices of others.

1. Worshiping a character as a deity: Some PC Pagans feel most comfortable worshiping their favorite character as a deity. There is no one way of achieving this, however, but the most common ways include:

The belief that thoughts manifest themselves and one merely needs to think a character is a deity for that character to become one.

Worshiping the traits of the character as a representation of divinity rather than the character itself.

Belief that there is an infinite number of universes and possibilities, so it stands that there are universes where the character is, in fact, a deity.

Believing that the character is a deity in disguise attempting to reach out in a way the receiver will more easily understand and relate to.

2. Worshiping characters as spirits: This varies depending on who you ask. Some believe the characters are angels trying to reach out. Others believe they are ghosts, ancestors, or creatures of a different dimension trapped between the veil of our world and theirs. As I said, the different paths of PC Paganism are vast and vary greatly from person to person.

3. Using aspects of pop culture in prayer, rituals, etc: Pretty straight forward. An example would include calling on the three Hylian Goddesses to assist you in finding courage. This particular practice sometimes includes PC Magic as well, which is why the two are often confused for being the same thing.

4. Allowing pop culture to shape ones perspective about existing entities: This is probably the aspect of PC Paganism that annoys outsiders the most. Our heads are filled with versions of deities, angels, demons, fairies, and so many other creatures every day. Sometimes we can’t help but allow those versions to become our versions. It doesn’t matter how much canon we read or how inaccurate certain traits or actions of the alternate version are; sometimes, the alternate version will always be our headcanon. 

Believe it or not, most of us are very respectful about this particular path and understand that our headcanons may well offend long-time studiers and the canon-compliant. Yes, every once in a while you’ll see a new Avenger!Loki follower rant about how much more important their headcanon is, but you’re much more likely to find Avenger!Loki followers who appreciate Loki for who he is both in the movies, the comics, and traditional Norse history. Next time you see someone who follows a pop culture version, try listening to what they have to say before insulting their practices. By jumping the gun and thinking they’re immature or bandwagoning, all you’re doing is demonstrating your immaturity.

The important thing to remember in this department is that we’re completely capable of respecting you and your beliefs so long as you respect ours.

5. Worshiping a real person as a deity: This also carries a lot of stigma, and is perhaps the hardest to pull off in a public way without drawing negative attention to yourself. Things to consider before choosing to publicly worship a real person: Are they alive or dead? If they are alive they may not appreciate someone worshiping them. They may also be blamed for any actions you may do in your form of worship (think about what a bad representation 1D fans give the group despite them actually being talented, kind boys). Some people may ask why you choose to worship a human being given that they’re flawed. I never understood that logic; traditional deities are not perfect beings based on our common definition of perfection. They too have flaws.

A writer’s perspective:

As a writer I’m used to seeing characters as real beings with real power. As a fanfiction writer, I’m used to thinking of fictional characters as actually existing. When I was a teenager and going through serious stages of depression I turned to write fanfiction to help me cope and I made those characters so damn real to me that years later I still see them that way. They still have power over my life, and I find myself becoming attached in a way I’d only ever associated with deity. It felt natural for me to slowly progress into the practice of PC Paganism. It felt like something I’d been unknowingly doing for years.

Things to consider when considering becoming a PC Pagan:

If you wish to worship a character, how would they feel about being worshiped? Not all characters would enjoy it. Some would find it downright uncomfortable or offensive. You may, in these circumstances, want to consider honoring them instead of worshiping them.

How would they feel about offerings? Praise?

What would you associate with said character? This will have an effect on offerings and spells.

If you work with other deities, how do they feel about you worshiping a PC deity/spirit? How would the PC deity/spirit feel about your other deities?

There are many other points to touch on but this post is already too long, it’s late, and my brain is doing the thing. As I said, this is a very small list of how Pop Culture Paganism is executed, and very basic. We welcome any questions you may have!

~Wanderings

[dcpaganism-blog]

Check In

This blog has been in existence for around a month now and I would like to thank the three people who have decided to follow it. I will not mention your usernames in the event that you find the fact that you are following this blog to be embarrassing.

The current schedule seems to be working out well. However, do to lack of content, I am having trouble finding relevant things to reblog. With luck this situation will be remedied. In the event that it is not I will reblog general information on Pop Culture Paganism.

I will be updating the Index with the dates and names of future articles written by myself tonight. 

Do to lack of interest tarot reading will now occur every other week. Replacing them on alternating weeks this month I will link to a YouTube video or other recording of a song based on characters from DC Comics.

If you have any questions, suggestions or advice it is more than welcome. 

Hopefully over the coming month things will go more smoothly.

[dcpaganism-blog]

DEATH OF THE ENDLESS: Pop Culture Paganism Masterpost for Sandman’s Death

Originally written about within the DC Vertigo comic book universe by Neil Gaiman starting in 1989 in Sandman, volume 2, issue 8, she is Death herself in everything that entails: specifically, an anthropomorphic personification of the concept and force of death. Her personality is in stark contrast to most personifications of death: she’s very loving, friendly, matter-of-fact, laid back, and smiles a lot.

In the comics, Death is the second eldest in a family of entities called the Endless, who represent forces in the universe and oversee each of these domains. Her older sibling is Destiny, and her younger siblings are Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium (formerly Delight).

canon

where in canon works can she be found? 

After her introductory issue mentioned above, she appears (sometimes briefly, sometimes more extensively) in every subsequent Sandman volume. Her Wikipedia page has a more detailed breakdown of her appearances.

some quotes:

[Dream’s] sister Death is much, much nicer than he is, because she’s actually interested in people. She has to get down individually and meet every single person … she has to be the one who turns to you and says, ‘You know, you really should have looked both ways before crossing that street,’ and she’s nice. (Neil Gaiman; source)

On bad days I talk to Death constantly… She says things no one else seems to come up with, like let’s have a hot dog and then it’s like nothing’s impossible… She was the kind of girl all the girls wanted to be, I believe, because of her acceptance of ‘what is.’ She keeps reminding me there is change in the ‘what is’ but change cannot be made till you accept the ‘what is’… Over the last few hours I’ve allowed myself to feel defeated, and just like she said if you allow yourself to feel the way you really feel, maybe you won’t be afraid of that feeling anymore. (Tori Amos, from her 1994 introduction to Death: The High Cost of Living)

When the first living thing existed, I was there waiting. When the last living thing dies, my job will be finished. I’ll put the chairs on the tables, turn out the lights and lock the universe behind me when I leave. (Death, in Sandman: The Dream Country)

ideas for paganism, spirit work, and/or magical practice

note on UPG: 

Friendly reminder that the information in this post is based on my experiences with her over the last year or so, and should be considered UPG. I draw from the source material quite a bit, but I’m not a Sandman expert by any means either. If anyone reading has any experience working with the Endless and/or Death, please feel free to add your own thoughts or link me to your own posts, I’d love to hear from you.

my current concept of her as an entity: 

Death is one facet of a powerful force that has existed long before her source material was created, long before the existence of her author or even comic books. This makes her very different than several of the other fictional characters I work with in my PCP, who usually originated from their source material in a thoughtform kind of sense. (With the exception of my work with Cole/Compassion from Dragon Age, who, like Death, is one specific incarnation of a pre-existing force.) I don’t conceive of her as a god, but in fact more powerful in some ways than gods. As Neil Gaiman says in this interview, “In the Sandman universe, gods lose power when people stop worshipping them and forget about them. But the Endless don’t want to be worshipped. They don’t care, they just — they’re doing a job.” I tend to agree with this, and do not worship her so much as interact with her as a spiritual companion and honor her as a powerful force.

Importantly, especially for other PoC like myself, she doesn’t replace or override culturally-relevant forms and conceptions of death, which I do also have and honor in my culture. For me, she’s simply an additional entity I work with and an additional way of conceiving of death.

how to start working with her:

Reach out to her (mentally, verbally, however you’d like), and she’ll be there. She’s capable of being omnipresent, so she can give you her attention no matter what else she’s up to elsewhere. Don’t worry about being worthy or not, she loves every living thing, including all our messiness, failings, and insecurities.

offerings:

No offerings needed, though if you feel uncomfortable without offering something, she’ll be pleased with pretty much whatever you have to give. She likes things like apples, hot dogs and other inexpensive street vendor food, floppy hats, and makeup. With food, she likes it if you share the meal with her by eating it while keeping her company, and doesn’t require any uneaten portions set aside. She likes listening to music, especially upbeat songs about her. But most of all, she enjoys your company, and loves casually hanging out.

great things to work with her on:

+ unconditional acceptance

+ self confidence

+ shadow work - As she says herself, she’s famous for keeping secrets, and she’ll hold your hand as you dig through the most uncomfortable and hidden parts of yourself.

+ deathwork of any kind - Obviously. But remember that this can relate to mundane work, too. For example, she helped me gain confidence when I worked in hospice, and helped me help patients enjoy their last days as much as possible.

+ channeling/embodiment or glamours - Your mileage may vary, but in my experience Death (and a few of the other Endless), by their very nature as personifications of concepts, can be embodied or channeled very smoothly and easily. Because I don’t lose my sense of self when doing this, this could possibly be better described as a glamour: placed upon oneself for a specific purpose, imbuing you with her energy, aspects of her personality, and some small sense of her power. I’ve used this in the past to prepare myself for a rough night shift with dying patients, helping me in some way become her psychopomp, with confidence, skill, a smile, and non-judgmental acceptance. To me, it feels the same as being in her presence, just closer, with less of a boundary between us. I can enter this state with basic intent, assisted by a physical action like putting on her eye makeup (even if I wash it off immediately after), or even just trying to physically mimic her body language.

+ assistance with overcoming fear of death, or fear of letting go/change - She’s a very accessible, non-frightening facet of death that can help remind people of how death is as natural as living, necessary for life, and not inherently something to be feared. Similarly, for those of us (cough cough myself included cough) who have struggled with attachment and letting go, she’s great for this too.

+ just hanging out when lonely, bored, or in need of a companion - She’s more than happy to hang around your area if you ask for her, even if for no particular purpose.

+ supporting healthy living and self-care - Ironic? Maybe. But nah, because she cares about living things, and genuinely wants us to be happy. Though she doesn’t condemn unhealthy behavior (or anything), she does cheerfully encourage. Canonically, in the 1993 single-issue comic “Death Talks About Life,” she speaks directly to readers about safer sex and condom use. For me, she encourages me to keep my living space tidy when possible. She specifically requests I keep it free of biological hazards: rotten food or moldy dishes, dirty cat litter, dead bugs, etc. Basically, cleanliness that’s very important for physical health.

not so great things/topics to avoid:

- having a special, exclusive relationship, or feeling uniquely chosen by an entity - She’s capable of being omnipresent, is highly accessible for communication, and loves literally every living thing. If you want to be a part of an entity’s very exclusive group and want to be only one of a few that a particular entity cares about? She may not be the best spiritual companion for you. She’s the ultimate Hufflepuff, and accepts anyone and everyone.

- using her powers to intervene on your behalf - It’s not her thing. Yes, she’s powerful and capable of a lot, but she doesn’t like to interfere like this. She will help support you emotionally, and will even give friendly advice, but tangible acts are a no-go. According to canon, she’s made exceptions to this and bargains with mortals approximately twice in thousands of years. If your main draw to working with an entity is what they can materially (versus emotionally) do for you, there are many others you can work with instead. By extension this applies to help with spellwork. She’ll be your cheerleader (which is helpful in its own right), but she won’t directly help you achieve tangible results like getting a job, finding a partner, etc.

- protection - This is, quite simply, is not her job. She loves you, but she’s not going to keep you from harm. She’ll be there for you, she’ll even give you big sisterly advice if she thinks you’re doing something risky, but she won’t stop anything from happening. Turn to other protection methods or the many other characters, entities, and gods who offer protection.

- joining you in condemning shitty people - If someone does something terrible to you or is terrible in general, she’ll acknowledge your feelings, maybe even agree they shouldn’t have done something, but she’s not an entity I expect to share my judgment of these kinds of people. She accepts everyone for who they are, even serial killers and worse. Do I agree and feel the same way? Um, no. But it’s just a part of who and what she is. I approach different entities and peers about this kind of thing instead, and don’t bother trying to involve her. It’s pointless. Death is, well, death. She doesn’t pick and choose who to embrace.

Nobody’s creepy from the inside, Hazel. Some of them are sad, and some of them are hurt, and some of them think they’re the only real thing in the whole world. But they’re not creepy. (Death, in Sandman: The Wake)

- moral ultimatums or pushes - Similar to the above. She definitely has opinions, she’s a total sweetheart, and she may give you some advice or encouragement, but at the end of the day, “amorality” is not so irrelevant of a word. She’s not someone who holds you truly accountable for anything you’ve done. It’s just not her job.

others entities she works well with: 

I’ve yet to find any characters, entities, spirits, etc, I work with that don’t like her or don’t want me to work with her. She’s very easy to get along with. More specifically, she does have a soft spot for her little sis Delirium.

notable non-canon pop culture appearances:

Though I don’t watch the show, I discovered that in Supernatural season 11, episode 10, the character Billie the Reaper (played by Lisa Berry) is actually seen reading one of the comic issues centering Death, and it seems some fans have speculated that Billie may be a form of Death, rather than simply a not-so-grim reaper. 

I haven’t been able to view the full episodes she’s in yet. However, based on what I’ve seen so far of her character’s dynamic with mortals, especially the dying or dead, as well as her personality, mannerisms, and even similarities in her appearance, I view this character as a possible form of Death of the Endless.

conclusion / for more information

Check out some of the canon material if you’re interested, though I caution that Sandman and Gaiman’s writing in general has a lot of problems with racism, transmisogyny, and essentially every other oppression you could possibly conceive of, in addition to some depictions of extreme violence/gore, horror, derealization, sexual violence, and other possible triggers, depending on the volume and story arc. It’s definitely one case where I enjoy specific aspects of the canon works, and adore and work with a select few characters, but cannot outright or uncritically recommend it.

If anyone has any thoughts, or questions about Death or my pop culture paganism practice, please feel free to contact me. I may form a small FAQ post about her if I get a lot of questions. I’m also planning on posting my playlist for her at some point soon. Thank you for reading!

(Finally, tagging a few of the blogs that indicated interest: @popculturepagan, @notyourexrotic, @dcpaganism, and I know there were several more too, thank you for your encouragement!)

[dcpaganism-blog]

Tarot Readings Are Open

Tarot readings are now open until midnight tonight.

Please; feel free to ask any question that you wish.

There are a few simple guidelines for the readings;

Do not be lewd with your questions.

Do not ask for a medical diagnosis.

If you have any followup questions you may feel free to ask.

Unless you request otherwise your question and the reading will be posted publicly.

If you do not specify otherwise you will receive a one card reading.

If you do not wish for a one card reading specify as such and either specify a spread you would prefer or say that you would like your question answered with more than one card.

You may request multiple readings in a single week.

Any requests for readings given on days other than Friday will be answered on the following Friday.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Looking at ‘Families’ as Pantheons

If things are going okay with the first entity you work with the idea of working with a pantheon, or a group of entities, might begin to take hold.

One way to find other characters to work with is to look at their associates. If you are working with Wally West you might look at the other members of the Flash Family for example. Knowing one member of the family might make it easier to work with other members of the group.

Depending on your personal practice you might choose to work with both the member of the family you know and the member you are trying to begin working with at once as a way of starting the connection between you.

Aside from the Flash Family you should keep in mind that there are other groups that can be worked with; The Aqua Family and The Marvel Family among them. 

It should also be considered whether teams could be used this way; such as The Doom Patrol, The Justice League, The Space Canine Patrol Agents, The Teen Titans acting in the same way as families.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Any level of thought can create a link between yourself and the astral version of a character, but it really helps to dig a little deeper.  Before you begin working with a character it’s important to decide which version of the character you want to work with

[dcpaganism-blog]

Jack Kirby Tribute

As you may have already heard, possibly more than once, today marks the 100th birthday of Jack Kirby. 

Known as the King of Comics he, and in many cases Joe Simon, created many of the best loved characters including:

Etrigan

OMAC

Guardian

The Newsboy Legion

The Challengers of the Unknown

Kamandi

The New Gods

Along with this he created many better known works at Marvel Comics. Such as;

Captain America

The Fantastic Four

The Silver Surfer

The X-Men

The Avengers. 

All of those along with his own creater-owned series.

On, what would be, his 100th birthday it would be a moment to think about the King of Comics. Hopefully in whatever afterlife there is, should there be one, he is having a good day.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Hello! May I get a reading on what spiritual lesson am I trying to master right now? My initials are ANR and I am a libra sun. Thanks!

The card I drew in answer to your question is the Devil.

The image on the card is of Lex Luthor standing amongst smoke as a fiery chasm opens in front of him. A chain is around his arms but he is not bound by it. He is holding a cane.

Lex Luthor is known for his violent obsession with Superman.

The Devil card is associated with addiction, obsession and being concerned with materialism. 

It looks like the cards might be advising you that the spiritual lesson you are learning is about not being bound by obsessions. Or possibly one about materialism. Obsessions feels more right given the imagery on the card.

[dcpaganism-blog]

Hi may I have a tarot reading please? What may events may happen in the next 2 months (September & October) for me? Whether it's about my dreams, love life, anything

For your reading I drew two cards; one for each month.

For September I drew the Seven of Pentacles.

The image on the Seven of Pentacles is of Terra getting ready for a fight. Above her is an image of Deathstroke with his hard outstretched. Strings dangle from his hand as if he is controlling her like a marionette.

The image of the card is presumably of when Terra was manipulated by Deathstroke into betraying her friends in the Teen Titans after working with them for a long while.

The Seven of Pentacles represents investments paying off, a reward from a long term project and evaluating how something is doing.

It looks like something you have worked hard at is going to start showing rewards.

Or, a possibility given the event depicted, someone might betray you.

For October I drew the Five of Swords reversed.

The image on the Five of Swords is of Zod. He is injured, on his knees, and cradling an arm. A city behind him is destroyed. His expression indicates that the fight is still not over.

The reversed Five of Swords represents the desire for an end to fighting, becoming open to the idea of reconciliation and moving on.

None of which are generally associated with Zod.

It looks like you might make amends with someone or move past the issue that put you at odds in the first place.