Devil in a Dress: What Tarot Has Taught Me (So Far)

The Devil card from The Black Cats Tarot Deck

A little over a month ago, in a more determined effort to learn Tarot, I registered for the Alternative Tarot Course designed/taught by the delightful and very knowledgeable, Beth Maiden (@littleredtarot). And I don't know if it's because of Beth's very clear and encouraging teaching style or the fact that we share some kinship by way of her Aquarius Sun and my Aquarius Moon (probably a little of each) but I have never been more eager and confident about learning a new subject since when I first got into astrology.

At the beginning of her course, Beth invites students to do a Reader’s Reading which helps students to explore their strengths and challenges with working with the Tarot. In doing one for myself, I pulled the Devil card as the card representing the strengths that I bring to Tarot. Admittedly, I was surprised at this. I freaked out a bit and immediately thought I may have done something wrong as Googling the Devil card did not return many positive hits. What could this mean? I thought frantically. But then as I sat with the card (as Beth advises), I found myself more intrigued than anxious.  Not only was I attracted to the artwork of the Black Cats Tarot card but I started to think about how the Devil has always been considered to be the influence of what does not go with the norm, the counterculture of what’s expected. Then I thought about what it means to be good, normal, etc,. and how I have never really fit into that conventional paradigm. Ever. And it also made me think about how I do bring an element of this unconventionality to my coaching work/readings (Aquarius Moon in the 7th House/Uranus square Mars/Midheaven).

Words and images that also came to me when viewing the card: seductress, Kali Ma (the Hindu Goddess), bad bitch, witch, being in touch/comfortable with the taboo/dark side, divine femininity, pleasure.

Having been a fan of Tarot since I received my first reading back in 2012, I always had an interest in learning to read the cards on my own but only up until recently did I find the courage to do so. This reluctance has been largely in part of me not wanting to, quite bluntly, fuck shit up. I mean, I had already had a handle on astrology but the idea of memorizing and interpreting 78 cards as a form of divination intimidated me. Blame it on the influence of Saturn in my birth chart but I just couldn't bear the thought of making a fool of myself in the face of more experienced Tarot readers, or better yet, I didn't want to risk giving someone bad information. But when it dawned on me that these were the exact thoughts I had before I became a professional astrologer I realized I needed to get over myself and just put in the work. And then I had another realization, that maybe I was experiencing yet another facet of this Devil energy; of how we can be born with this innate power that we're taught to fear/second guess. But that's a dis-empowered form of this energy. And ain't nobody got time for that.

So, in a move to empower myself (and others) further, I will be offering mini Tarot readings alongside my astrology services very soon. Be(a)ware. Be ready.