May 1st, 2013 – Wednesday – The Devil

May 1^st, 2013 – Wednesday – The Devil

Welcome to the Aleister Crowley Tarot card – The Devil.  This card means you are going to be tempted today… but what does that mean?  Come on… you are probably tempted every day.  I know I am.  Even if it’s just something as small as a cookie.  But if these cards are to be useful in seeing patterns and helping us do what we are supposed to do in the world as functioning human beings… how can this help us?  Is it a warning? 

You know I sell Disaster Survival Emergency Supplies, so I’m all into warnings.  We have these nifty Mainstay Food Calorie Energy Bars which you can eat to keep you alive in an emergency.   Is this what we are being warned of with the temptation card? Global problems? Probably not…

It’s more of an internal warning. 

Physically… it usually means sexuality.  A temptation into sexual shadow.  Only you know what this could mean… as each person’s temptation could be something different.  And it might not be sexuality at all, it could emotional temptation.  Do you desire to be seen?  Sometimes when we want to be noticed we act in a way that… well… let’s say attracts attention in the WRONG way.  Attention is attention, but we might be tempted to do something a bit foolish today in order to get that attention. You want to be wanted, right?   Or it could be entering into a contest of power… who here has used sex or sexuality to manipulate someone?  

Oh….  No one want to volunteer?

But what does all that mean? I’m the psychic right? I’m the one who is supposed to tell YOU what is going on and how to handle it.  I’m the one who sees the future crystal clear and can predict the winner of next year’s Super Bowl! 

Ah… but it doesn’t work that way.  All the Aleister Crowley Tarot cards really do is show patterns, and they show patterns you’ve already witnessed.  Dollars to donuts (who says that anymore?) this pattern of ‘sexual power temptation’ is something you’ve already seen in your life and know exactly what it means to you today.  It’s just a marker on the road to where you’re going.   Headed toward the City of Sexual Temptation: The Devil… 194 miles to go… yep… you are on the right track…

So any advice on what to do with this card?  Sure.  The card indicates distractions are here or are coming.  Probably sexual.  That’s what the card is saying.  You probably already know what these distractions are… you’ve seen them coming.  And so what is the advice?  It’s obvious:  Stick to your original artistic plan and don’t get distracted.

Easier said than done!  When dealing with the flows and tides and ebbs of human weather, you are dealing with a complex mix mash of fear and emotion.  That’s what’s going to be at the bottom of this temptation away from purpose. 

Acknowledge the distractions, say high, say bye, and get back to purpose.

Of course… there is a deeper interest in all this shadow talk.  Why?  Well the distraction isn’t just coming up to be fun and get you off course.  That would be too simple, right?  Here’s what I can offer you:  The temptation is coming up because you are hiding a shadow aspect of yourself.  And that shadow aspect is a BIG ONE.  It’s sexual in nature.  Those tend to be the most screwed up, particularly in our weird culture where sex is so consistently seen as bad. 

So we hide shadow sex in deep recesses of our unconscious mind.  Bad shit happens when we do that.  And that is bubbling today… bubbling.  And if want to dive in, and why not dive in, then look into that shadow of sexuality.  Take a deep look.  Yes you will distract yourself from your purpose, but the test will be to see the shadow, deal with it, accept it, AND… stay on purpose.  Wow… think about the freedom that could result if you do it that way?

Or you could just ignore the shadow and stay on purpose.  That works too.  You probably will have to face that shadow again… no doubt about it.  It will return.  That’s what unseen shadows do.  They come back until you shine light on them, and then, as any shadow must, when put in the light… they disappear as the apparitions they always were.  Illusions.  Fake. 

But from our perspective today… this day of the Devil… this day of temptation and shadow…they are very real…. And will stay real… until we shine some light on them.