A Personal Journey Through the Tarot: The Tower

Good Luck, Bad Luck, who’s to say?

There is a common expression: Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. It is an expression that, I believe, gives us an excuse not to change a situation in our lives that is just not healthy. It gives us permission to concede to the idea that a devil is inevitable and resistance is futile. So we adapt to what we believe is inevitable and we become comfortable with and even possessive of our devils. It means that the day the devil is torn away, we feel it is a terrifying event. 

In the Tarot, The Devil is the symbol of an illusion you have lived with that you believe is an absolute truth. So much so that you have fully invested in building constructs of your life around the illusion assuming it is a strong foundation. You have built your Tower.  Then, when the illusion reveals itself for what it truly is, your Tower comes crumbling down. In the long run you will be better off not living and building your life around an illusion, but in the short run this feels like an absolute catastrophe that you will never recover from. Good luck, Bad luck, who’s to say? 

Today I draw the Tower and reflect upon my illusions. A lot of them come from the culture in which I was raised. Beliefs that limit my potential and ask me to concede to the mundane. Internal programming that suggests I’m not worthy or deserving to strive for what is right for me and my society. In fact; I can make a difference and I can embrace a change. I just need to see the truth of the matter.