Thursday, September 21, 2017

The Devil – Babysteps towards freedom

Today’s card is The Devil from The Wild Unknown Tarot.  He is the personification of temptation and indulgence.  He is all about satisfying the primal needs of our ego. Numbing us and tempting us to distract our mind from whatever needs our attention is his number one goal. Of course, he is not some evil mythical creature. No, he is an undeniable part of who we are. 
It often feels like he wants to keep me from exploring my inner shadows; from dealing with my issues so I won’t grow and change. The Devil is not keen on change; he wants to keep everything the way it is now. Safety and comfort are his favorite disguises to keep us in bondage.
So what to do if we do want to change and move forward in life and I pulled the Ace of Pentacles. Immediately my eyes were drawn to the fiery parts in each card: The devils burning feet and the glowing center of the trunk. It feels as if we can redirect the energy we give to our inner Devil towards a new beginning, an opportunity to change however small it might be.
My main numbing strategy is screen time.  Not the time I am blogging or reading other people’s blogs, posting pictures on IG and enjoying other people’s posts. No, it is the mindless clicking, the checking en rechecking for updates or new emails. It is watching too many YouTube videos and last but definitely, not least it is binge-watching crime series. This habit consumes so much of my precious time and energy.

So starting from today I am going to finish the two knitting projects I have been neglecting lately. Hopefully, this will help me to find some inner peace and keep me more present and aware of what’s going on in the here and now.

10 comments:

  1. My inner Devil always finds ways to distract me so I don't have to deal with anything uncomfortable. It can be hard to tell this side of me, "No." :)
    Reminds me of a quote from Pema:
    "Life in our cocoon is cozy and secure. It's safe, its' predictable, it's convenient, and it's trustworthy. The mind is always seeking zones of safety, and these zones of safety are continually falling apart. Then we scramble to get another zone of safety back together again. That's the essence of samsara - the cycle of suffering."

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    1. Thank you for another beautiful quote of Pema.
      When our inner Devil behaves like this it is hard to stand up to her...Safety and comfort are both so tempting to wallow in

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  2. good luck with that, habits are the garroting wire around our life.

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  3. At first I did not see the red in both cards. My eyes focused on the Ace of Pentacles appearing to me (this time) as a target. Death and whatever changes it brings keeps us on target through our walk about in life.

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    1. A beautiful interpretation. Tarot can be so versatile and fluid. Thank you.,💕

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  4. Crime Series, Yeh! Nothing better for numbing the brain, and eventually the body if you stay long enough. Good luck in pulling out of the rut. I'm in the process, once again, of attempting to get myself out too. Got me a schedule worked out for next week with all the necessaries. Now I just have to put in the Big Blocks, the items that will eventually get me where I want to go, writing, blogging, and such. My the spirit be with us both during the trying times of change. :)

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    1. It seems we both need that helping hand from Spirit...or perhaps a kick in the but?

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  5. Brilliant. Yeah, I certainly understand the world of "mindless clicking"!!! I often end up there when I need to sleep but really don't want to. I was just talking to my daughters the other day about how I didn't have internet access or even an email address until I went away to college.. and I didn't have my first cell phone until I was 23. They look at me, minds boggled. But you don't miss what you never had. We filled our time in other ways. I'm so glad you are working on your knitting again! I hope they are satisfying. I admire knitters - the ability to create something that's both artistic and practical. I've never felt drawn toward fiber arts, but I feel the same way about drawing... I am trying to make space to do it more. It's quite meditative and fulfilling, but I have to push myself to actually sit down and try.

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    1. Ah drawing can be such a soothing and relaxing activity. Pity that our Inner Critic knows so many ways to prevent us from enjoying it. For me procrastination is often number one. Perhaps tomorrow I'll find the time...😊🎨

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