{ Mugwort Monday: The Devil }

I've been toying around with different alliterations with which to title this post, my favorite suggestions by far were, "Muffled Screams Monday' and 'Murder Monday', but those don't really pertain to the subject at hand, so for now I'm going with Mugwort. I don't know.

I thought it would be interesting to break away from my usual three card pull and focus on a single card. This way, we are able to go a little further in depth in investigating the meaning and symbolism of the card and I feel like it makes room for some discussion as well. One of my all time favorite things about Tarot is that everyone has a unique interpretation of the cards and it gives us a fresh perspective when new cards turn up. Feel free to discuss your take on this card on our FB page in the comments, I'd love to know what you think!

Anyways, without further ado, permit me to introduce one of my +life cards: The Devil.

 

- The Devil - As I've mentioned here before, The Devil is one of those cards that puts fear in some people. I totally get why, I was raised Catholic and have seen The Exorcist a bunch of times - but I feel like this card gets an unfairly bad rap. While The Devil is a trickster and can represent our inner demons (like addictions, bad behavioral patterns, unhealthy relationships, etc), he is also a reflection of our shadow selves and true nature. The Devil calls us to get in touch with our creativity without being afraid of seeing ourselves. When we see this card in a reading, the message is that we need to free ourselves from our material concerns and focus inwardly on more spiritual endeavors. We are asked to remove self-imposed limitations on ourselves and become the people we really are, free of hypocrisy, not hiding behind a mask.

This card brings light with the dark, when we are challenged to face obstacles, we are called to do so without fear. I believe by recognizing and acknowledging the issues at hand, we are able to address them head-on. This is a type of Shadow Work - it's not fun Y'all, but we come out on top when we commit to doing it. The Devil is always a welcome sign for questions concerning creativity as he is evocative of talent, inspiration and intense energy. Try also to remember that The Devil is sticking his tongue out at us TWICE - reminding us that he is a childish, comical creation and we need to laugh at the things which try to smite us. 

+I recently had an EXCELLENT reading with Rita of Skeleton Key Tarot, during which I learned that The Devil was one of my Life Cards. Pretty cool - and also, of course, Tarot, of ~fucking~ course! Rita is an incredibly gifted reader (honestly, this was both the best and least expensive therapy I've ever had) and I highly recommend that you visit her if you are interested in getting a reading. She offers small and large readings, depending on your needs. You can follow her on Instagram, here! 10/10 would recommend!

 *These three card readings are intended for us all as a community and are therefore broad. If you are interested in a more specific, in-depth reading - we offer individual readings at Oracle as well! If you would like to schedule an appointment for an individual reading, you can do that here or give us a ring at 816.982.9550. You can also join us for one of our monthly Tarot Workshop & Happy Hour events and learn more about cartomancy!