Ah, the Devil! This card presents a challenge. Little warning bells go off when I see the Devil card in a tarot reading, as the Devil often represents people or situations that are not very good for us, but are oh so exciting! People with a bit of the Devil frequently have addictive behavior patterns and problems with alcohol, drugs, food and sex addiction. The Devil card can represent someone you know, or even  aspects of yourself. He or she is likely to be the life of the party and someone with a lot of charm and plenty to say.

There is something very appealing about a person with a lot of devilish characteristics, as these people often have a highly sensuous nature, but they can be energetic vampires prepared to suck the life energy out of you, so watch out! People who have the Devil in their lives sometimes intentionally make the wrong choices because it results in some devilish good times! Problems arise when you give away your  personal power and individuality. The Devil would like nothing better than to make choices for you. It is important to take care that you  do not become enslaved in a situation or lifestyle you didn’t bargain on.

Frequently, the lesson to be learned about the Devil card is a lesson about fear. Sometimes the fear of being alone might lead you to spend time with the Devil. After a while, you know when a situation or particular person is no longer good for you, but by that time it seems too late. It can take a really long time to break free from the Devil because it takes courage, strength, commitment, faith, trust and a lot of other characteristics that the Devil simply does not possess.

Learning from mistakes is a hard lesson for most people. It is important for you to put your faith and trust back where it belongs, in yourself. The advice is to stop listening to and engaging with people who are not good for you. Ditch the negative, energy-sucking people in your life, and ease up on the excessive drinking, eating, and partying. If someone new has entered your life be cautious at this time. Do not be gullible. There are plenty of good-looking charmers out there that are also liars, deceivers, cheaters, and con-artists. Sometimes seeing is believing, and sometimes it is necessary for people to prove their worth to you.

© Tarot for the Times by Traci A. Goodrich 2011-2012