The Devil You Don't Know
For those of you that visit this site from time to time you may have heard me talk about Wisdom Readings. I was
introduced to this type of reading by Rachel Pollack, who I am very privileged to take classes with. It is a wonderful
tool that allows you to ask questions about the tarot cards themselves. I did such a reading in preparation for one
of Rachel's classes. The subject was the Major Arcana card The Devil.
I asked the tarot the following four questions:
1. Who does the Devil think he is, or how does he see himself?
2. How does the Devil serve us?
3. When is the Devil not the Devil?
4. If the Devil could be other than he is what would he like to be?
These are the answers I received which I think you will find interesting. I used the Rider-Waite deck for the reading.
1. Page of Wands
He sees himself as a youthful, enthusiastic soul learning about the physical world, his place in it and how to man-
ipulate it.
2. The Wheel of Fortune
He helps the Wheel to turn. If we are on guard and don't get trapped in Devilish ways it will turn in our favor, if
not it will turn against us. Or perhaps more to the point, by learning the lessons of the Devil it is no longer of any
concern which way the Wheel turns, it's all good.
3. The 3 of Swords
When he gets trapped in his own pain and sadness. When he turns away from his role and he gets trapped in
his pain he is paradoxically more truly himself. His pain and sadness are about what he has become and that he
some times feels trapped in his own image of Devilness.
4. Death reversed
He would like to upset the illusion of life and death and show people the way to life everlasting.