Tarot Card of the Week

 

15 - The Devil​
Capricorn

 

“…what you put in darkness, inclusive of memory, calls you to that darkness.” - Paul Selig

 

I was taking photos at a bank’s headquarters one day when I found myself drawn to the people crossing the skywalk.  Something about their energy made me wonder if they were walking into a prison of their own making.  

Months later, I spotted the shadowy presence of the foosball handles cast upon my studio floor.  I knew immediately they belonged to the Devil card, so I placed the skywalk right inside the game table.  The mask that portrays the Devil came from an image I took in Ecuador.  The blue and green shadows surrounding the mask are from a photograph of some odd shadows on my shower wall.  I made an arm from those shadows which extends from the mask.  Lastly, I attached a shadow image of my hand to the arm of the Devil.

 

There is a door at the end of the skywalk that is open.  The people being “played” are able to walk out at any time.  The red borders on either side of the image act as stage curtains and the door at the end of the skywalk is the stage exit.  When the curtains pull back, it is show time.  We are simply watching someone’s reality play out on a stage that most people never notice.  The world bustles along, oblivious to these two people.  Cars pass beneath the skywalk as a photographer takes a photo that piques her interest.  Meanwhile, the Devil releases a ball into a foosball game and reaches to twist the handles.  

 

If you look closely, the people have allowed themselves to be played by willingly attaching themselves to the rods.  

 

Remember, we create our own reality.  While this is the ultimate truth, the daily battle remains entirely real right now.  Addictions are sold to us in normalized packages: processed foods, energy drinks, pharmaceuticals, drugs, smartphones, and the lure of money from soul-sucking jobs.  Even our air and water are compromised.  High-intensity chaos is pumped into our lives from all directions.  Walk too far into it, and finding your way out becomes an uphill battle.  

 

This fast-paced world floods your brain with dopamine, leaving a deficit that makes normal life feel slow.  To make it even more challenging, it is hard to hear your higher aspects when there is so much noise.  This begs the question: What are you running away from?  What do you not want to feel, think or experience?  

 

Truth be told, you are running away from yourself—and the natural human experience of emotions, thoughts, and sensations.  But you came here to be human, and these experiences are not inherently bad or good.  As the creator of your own world, you are the one who gets to assign meaning to them.  The more you treat your inner world as a highly intelligent guide, instead of trying to numb it, the more you grow.  While pushing things down works in the short term, it is impossible to maintain.  Eventually, you end up escaping your life instead of living it.

 

I recently experienced intense grief while listening to a podcast directly related to my pain.  For three days, I cried, absorbing the heartache of what it means to be human.  That process was cathartic and profoundly life-giving.  I’ve also learned to channel my anger into much more productive outlets.  For instance, I love pulling weeds when I am frustrated.  The Earth integrates my heightened energy, leaving me calm, rational and grounded.

 

Lastly, please don’t assign blame to yourself.  Blame is the very reason we wish to escape, because it feels terrible to live in shame or guilt.  Even if you need to apologize or make amends, remember that being a human is extremely complicated.  We are here to learn, and no one is perfect.  Understand that you simply did not know what you didn’t know—and see your experience as a teacher.