There are few tarot cards that we want to see less in a reading than the Devil. It’s a sinister looking card that challenges us to view our own flaws and frailties with an honest eye, no matter how uncomfortable or painful that might be. It dares us to be curious about our inner demons and what fuels them, what inspires our baser instincts and behaviours, so that we might finally slip loose from their chains or at least recognize the ways in which we are bound.
I talk a lot about vices and trauma in this episode with the privilege of someone who, so far, has never really had anything uniquely terrible happen to them (like, yes people I love have died, but that’s something all of you have or will experience too). I acknowledge that my personal experience with abusing substances is positioned here as a choice and I know that is not the case for everyone. Addiction is very much a disease that often can’t be overcome through sheer force of will alone. Forgive any ignorance I spout, I am but a humble idiot who is forever learning.
I’ll be sending out the first inspiration playlist for paid readers this week as well, so if you’re interested in receiving that (as well as weekly Sunday Reflection cards), please upgrade to a monthly or annual subscription to Black Magic!
Here are the tarot images for The Devil. And if you’re unfamiliar with the subtitle for this post, I beg you to watch Batman (1989).
