Difficult Cards to See - Or So You Think
There are some cards in a Tarot deck that some people find hard to see, at least they were for me when I first got interested in Tarot. Cards like "Death" and "The Devil" and the "10 of Swords" all depict in their imagery and meanings emotions and events that can seem negative. Who wants to think that Death or the Devil has anything to do with their life? But the cards aren't simplistic like that, they have a core meaning, but that's just the beginning of what they can tell you.
The tarot deck is made up of 78 cards that represent every aspect of human life. They represent feelings, emotions, events, people, options and goals. Individual cards represent everything from "Arguments" to "Fairness" to "Powerful people in your life" and the list goes on, remember, 78 cards. Every card means something different and when the cards are put together in a spread, they tell tell a story that will give a person ideas, options and answers.
Take for example "The Devil" card. In my favorite deck, The Tarot Illuminati, the image depicted is one of a pretty scary looking dude holding two people in chains. When I see this card come up in a spread it used to give me a jolt of fear. I would ask myself questions like, How do I explain this card so it doesn't scare the person I'm reading for? As time went on and my study of Tarot continued I came to find that The Devil card isn't about Hell or the Devil precisely. This card is about temptation, materialism, feeling chained to something, addiction, co-dependency and at times abuse.
Those words that describe the meaning of The Devil card might seem unsettling, but if you look at these things honestly, as humans we experience things like temptation, addiction and co-dependency. Life isn't about flowers and trips to the Caribbean all the time. Life can be hard and you will often find yourself in situations like the ones The Devil speaks of.
When this card comes up in a spread I know that my client is struggling with something that is making them feel trapped or unhealthy. It's ok to admit these things to yourself, sometimes all you need is an opening to do so, which the Tarot cards can give you.
A Tarot spread is much more than just one card. When difficult cards come up, I'm also looking at its placement in the spread and the cards that surround it. I'm looking at things like the past, advice and future outcomes. Negative emotions and situations are a reality for everyone and the cards can't ignore this. But always remember that the future is not written in stone, everything is changeable.
There are two sides to every coin. If you're struggling with something and the cards say this. They will also tell you how to free yourself and get on a path to healing.
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