This week, I am unveiling my brand new e-course The Art of Tarot: How to Read a Negative Card in a Positive Light.
Today I want to share my favorite part of this course with you – reading the negative cards as secret desires.
When a “negative” Tarot card (like the 3 of Swords or The Tower) appears in a reading, it can often represent a secret wish or unconscious desire. A desire so dark and so shocking, that our conscious selves just can’t handle it!
Let me show you what I mean:
Let’s say I’m giving myself a Tarot reading and I ask “how can I make my life more adventurous?”
And one of the cards that appears is the 8 of Swords.
Ding, ding, ding! Secret desire alert!
Now, there are many different ways I could look at this card, but today I am choosing to see the negative cards as representing my secret desires.
So what dark, undisclosed desire could the 8 of swords represent? And how on earth does it relate to my question?
Here are some possibilities…
1) the desire to be “rescued”
2) the desire to be tied up and blindfolded (very literal!)
3) the desire to remain “in the dark” (blindfold) and powerless (and therefore not responsible for anything)
Out of all these possible “secret desires”, the desire to be rescued feels most likely.
My Interpretation: Perhaps I want my life to be more adventurous, but secretly, deep down, I really want someone to swoop in and rescue me from boredom, whisking me away to be entertained and enchanted. As long as I sit around waiting, my life will never truly be an adventure. I need to acknowledge this desire and then take matters into my own hands.
Now it’s your turn!
Just for fun, let’s pretend your deepest, undercover desire is…..
THE DEVIL!
I think this card can be very different for everyone. For me it is the BDSM card because that is the kind of relationship I want. Others it could be indulgences of many forms.
It could also refer to obsessions or bad habits. It’s important to take a look at your personal story to see where it fits.
The devil as secret desire has so many possibilities. Could it be the desire to be cunning. Or possibly the desire to mix with those that are. I feel the devil card is our deepest desire to be impulsive or step out of our traditional roles. To sweep the angel on our shoulder off, and listen to our hidden self. In this light our hidden desire is to be something or someone we have tried to keep from the light of day. Maybe sensual in nature. Maybe indulge in some hedonism. Knowing that our “bondage” is only for a time and that we can slip off the collar easily when we are through. That a night of naughtiness will help us to relax and breath.
The first thing that comes to my mind is the example of the teenager who acts out and/or is rebellious and accomplishes this by engaging in negative, unhealthy behaviors……..stealing, drinking and drugs, promiscuous sex, mean sarcastic backtalk.
Another thought echoes what some others have already said about just doing what they please whether its healthy or not. The trap of the Devil however is that many of us can’t just dabble once in awhile and we become enslaved to the very things that originally gaves us guilty pleasures and a feeling of freedom.
In short, to find my soul mate/twin flame/etc type relation.
In this card the connection between two people is shown as the chains connecting them. Like real relationships neither party is forced into it – both could easily slip the chains off if they chose to, but they want to be together.
The ‘devil’ above is kind of playing the role you might expect from the Justice card playing sort of divine match-maker yet making sure everything is in balance and ‘as it should be’. Sorta saying “Nope, you two aren’t ready to meet yet!” which is why the chains are connected to his perch and not directly to each other.
His torch is very literally lighting my ass on fire as a sort of indicator I need to get going instead of standing around trying to act/talk all smooth like everything is good as is.
Meanwhile she is clearly pretty good not in a rush to go anywhere. Her tail ends with ripe grapes which are ready for harvest indicating she’s ‘ready’ however the unimpressed/bored look on her face indicates she won’t wait forever. The cosmic then is trying to kick-start me into action (seriously it has been lately in my life) going back to the ‘ass on fire’ which I’m a bit resistant to holding my hand behind to kind of block out the fire acting as if my current method/life style will work out when in reality I need to get my butt in gear.
Hmm… Maybe I went a little overboard there… lol
Nice interpretation, Ben – you pointed out things I really hadn’t noticed in this card before. Thanks for sharing your insights here 🙂
Very interesting interpretation Ben! I like this-
Sorta saying “Nope, you two aren’t ready to meet yet!” which is why the chains are connected to his perch and not directly to each other.
Never thought of it that way before
Hmm…ok so one night while gulping-errrah…-sipping some wine I looked at this card and thought “ohhh the hairy crotch card, tsk tsk.” I’ve heard men complain about their girlfriend and their “brazilian” obsessions. I’d say this card could come up for someone who secretly desires something more “natural.” Maybe not “brazilian rainforest” though. Lol!!
At first I couldn’t figure out why you called this the “hairy crotch card”, so i had to go look at the card again and….WOW! Now I see it.
Fear of being powerful, and stepping up, or not wanting to take responsibility. Being responsible is hard work, and always being good is exhausting. It sometimes is easier to be powerless and blame other things for our failures sometimes. Let’s face, I like to blame my weight on my health, which is a major factor, but I also like chocolate and cheese alot. I love the Devil interpretation in the Housewives Tarot, it has chocolate devil’s food cake. Some of us just like being sinners and chocolate. But as we all know, we have the power to break our bad habits and addictions, break the chains that bind us. My friend nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, but that chocolate cake tastes mighty darn good! I am taking “the Veronica” on this one: more sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, and chocolate cake! Aren’t I the responsible role model?
Yeah, there was nothing positive about my response, just not in that mood.
Teresa, I love your take on this one! For you, The Devil represents the desire to indulge all the way – and then pretend powerlessness and blame something else for any negative consequences. I think we all do this! I love that Devil card in the Housewives Tarot, too – totally sums it up for me 🙂
Maybe a desire of tell all “go to the hell”!LOL… Being more authoritarian… or it could be on the contrary too? Not be, but having someone who do that?
Ha ha – that’s a really cool way of looking at this card, I have never considered that!
Funny, for me the devil have a lot to do with being manipulation and not being in control or things like that. And sometimes, I feel like there is too many choices and opportunities and it filks me with doubts and anxiety when i need to choice….so i guess one of my secret desire could be that someone just take care of me and decide for me what to do…
Yes! I think you really hit the nail on the head Mylene – I think the Devil really mirrors our desire to give our power away to some authority who will just tell us what to do so we don’t have to figure it all out ourselves.
This card gives me a sense ‘to let go’. To unleash the chains and just be who you are. We don’t always do things right all the time but to accept and move on. It is a time where we can forgive ourselves for the not so right choices and to use the experience as a time for learning and growth.
Kate – My friend had forwarded me your webinar and I wanted to tell you that I think you are doing a wonderful job in helping people embrace the tarot cards like I have not seen before. It is wonderful of you to share so much of your knowledge and experience with us all. I must tell you since I have been listening to your videos I have been able to look at the cards differently and actually read the cards so much better and not having to rely on the book meaning like I did in the past (this is a first for me). You have somehow made me look at the cards and see things in a different way. I look at the suits more, I pay attention to the action in the cards, and what the card is trying to say. I just want to say ‘Thank You’ for sharing yourself with the world.
I noticed the Eight of Swords is from the Druidcraft Tarot deck. How do you find this deck?
Nancy, that’s a really wonderful take on The Devil! Thank you for sharing it here 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words – I am truly grateful that you have found my teaching to be helpful. That really means a lot to me 🙂 And I’m so happy you liked the webinar! I hope you continue to enjoy my videos and blog posts for a long time!
Hugs,
Kate
This card actually does come up for me at times. I always think it refers to my negativity. I can be at times. I’m sarcastic by nature. I try to be positive most of the time. I secretly enjoy my pity parties. Maybe I love being negative Nancy! Haha 🙂
I agree -there is a certain joy to be had in being totally miserable! I think if you try being positive most of the time, it can backfire every now and then 😉
My secret desire is to enjoy life more without being bothered what is right and healthy and responsible. I’ve quit smoking a year ago and I do long sometimes for my cigarettes so much. I wish I could smoke one without the repercussion of getting addicted again
Great exercise
Ha! So true, Ellen! I think The Devil personifies addictions – particularly smoking!
This card feels very liberating as it allows me to be who I am without judgement of good or bad or necessity to please others. If it feels right to me (resonating with my essence) it is ok to do it, even if society judges on it, therefore labelling it as ”the devil”. Lets be a witch and do the beautiful light magic!
Interesting take on The Devil, Renee! I have never thought of him as representing others judgements before – thanks for sharing this 🙂