THE DEVIL

XV THE DEVIL

Creeping slowly down the street in his police cruiser, the devil wears blue. In his sights is a young man of color, for whom every walk home holds the threat of harassment, of oppression by the violent hand of the racist state, of the loss of his life at the hand of one committed to “serve”. Upright, this card speaks of the destructive forces in our lives. This can be the external, real oppressive forces in the world that pose a threat to our health and safety, and make it seem like there is no hope. This is exemplified by the American police state. Here, the very real danger of incarceration or death meted out by police to so many innocent people of color, and the trauma and anxiety associated with that oppression, contribute to maintaining white supremacy. The police are not there to help you, and neither is the Devil.  It can also be associated with the negative forces we bring on ourselves. Our addictions, our biases, our bad relationships, our intrusive negative thoughts. This card should make you reexamine the facets of your own life that are holding you back.

Reversed: Reversed, the devil once again walks free, once again not held accountable for the death and destruction he has inflicted. In this position, this card reflects that you may be feeling trapped by a situation, and want to get out of it. This may be a financial difficulty, a codependency, or a bad shopping habit, for example. The journey out of this imprisonment will not be easy, but it is important to remember you are not alone in your fight.

Black Lives Matter.