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My Tarot Trump: The Devil
By Swan Ruby
The Devil card can be intimidating when beginning the journey of Tarot. It was for me- and anytime it fell out of the deck or came up in a practice spread, I locked up and felt a tinge of that ëUH OHí feeling. I realized quickly that in order to get over this fear I had to figure out what was scaring me and what the true intention of this card was. Ironically, that is what this card is suggesting one do!
I realized that I feared negativity. I feared influences that showed up on my path in which I would have no control and perhaps be doomed! Alas, once I began taking a hold of my fear and researching more, reading more, it became less and less something to fear. The Devil card became more of a reminder to check the balance of my actions, thoughts and intentions. Was I ignoring something important? Was I taking something for granted? Was I scared of something I didnít understand and therefore was I being held back in other aspects of my life? Was I obsessing on something that was keeping me stagnant instead of trying a new avenue to keep options open? I questioned whether or not I was being too confident about something in my life and not appreciating its fragility.
The physical and material are always temporary. When we rely too much on only those things, we stand the chance of falling on our faces or being stuck in the mud. This card represents being challenged with comfort and then becoming too comfortable. Instead of relaxing for a while and then moving forward, this card is telling us that we need to be aware that obsession is lingering and can be harmful to our progress.
As an example: I did a reading for a friend who had recently been laid off. She had an Interior Architectural Degree and was looking for another place of employment. The Devil card was drawn. When asked what she was afraid of, sure enough, she was obsessing about not being able to find a job as a result of her lack of experience. She specifically was not skilled with a particular computer program that she felt was important to prospective employers. This was holding her back from highlighting the years of experience, expertise and skills that she already did have. Negative thinking was snowballing. Her obsession with this was taking over her feelings of ambition. She had temporarily forgotten about the big picture. She had also felt very secure with her former employment. Never did she let it cross her mind that there was a chance she would be out of a job. She had taken it for granted and was not prepared to begin her search.
This card tells us to be aware of situations, options, and opportunities around us. Enjoy the things we work for, but always have in mind the big picture of what is important beyond the physical.
The card of the Capricorn tells us not to let little disappointments hinder us in our journey to the top of the mountain. It tells us to be cautious and smart in our decision making, not to sweat the little stuff and asks us to evaluate our motivations.
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