The Devil

In the traditional Rider Waite imagery, we see an androgynous being holding the leash of people who are not actually captive and could walk away if they muster enough willpower.  I love the image of jj Jordan because I’m pretty sure I have seen this threesome in Vegas.  He holds the Tarot card in his hand but somehow I feel like a game of chance is invoked and he knows all the card tricks required to win.

The Devil card for me is the card of Addiction.

It is the card of hedonism gone too far.  When the pleasure outweighs everything else in the world and you feel captive to the craving.  But If you would just look down and see the chains can be broken easily.  You just have to want to walk away.

It is kind of a Rider Waite joke that this card follows the temperance card.  Once again we have the counterbalance of dualities.

This card can add a lot of spice to reading and I would be very careful of a new love interest is this is what does the future hold for us reading.

However, forewarned is forearmed and if the Devil card comes up in a business partner possibilities reading or if you are pulling to understand a negotiation better a little research into your adversaries addictions may be in order.  They can be avoided if necessary or exploited for leverage.

Just make sure you are the one holding the leash not the one wearing the collar.

Everyone wants to be the hero of the story but sometimes villains are the most interesting roles to play.   Don’t take it too far and don’t do anything illegal but do play with the idea that not being the good guy in certain scenarios can also be part of growing up.  

The devil card pops up when we have handed our power over to someone or something else.

No matter how large the problem looms just remember you can snap the chains with the force of will.  Just decide to be free and keep deciding that until you have marched out of the mud.

Free at last!  Free at last!  It means the time of darkness and doubt has ended for you and you have made the necessary realizations that will help you change course.  

You will soon see improvement in the situation that was making you feel powerless and while will is like a muscle that has to be retrained it will get easier as you get stronger.

It may mean you have to learn to be vulnerable and let go of trying to be in control of all situations.

It may mean you have learned to rise above the underworld you were living in and see things from the perspective of a soaring bird.  

Practice long-term solutions, not short-term fixes.