The Devil & the Knight of Earth: Tarot Reading for Black Liberation | Pts 1 - 3
Feature Photo Credit: @waladshami
A few folks have asked “As a diviner & healing artist, what information is coming up? How can we prepare?” Weeks ago, I consulted the ancestors and pulled these cards - but I did not feel released to share publicly then. It likely would’ve done more harm than good. But times have swiftly changed & now is the time to share. The mission of my work as a whole is to "contribute resources, art, narratives, and experiential learning opportunities that aid in the holistic healing processes of Blackfolk." I’m very clear that my role in a social change movement is as a healing artist, caregiver, and storyteller. It is in that spirit that I offer this reading.
Part One | “The Devil is busy.” - Blackchurchfolk
Traditionally, the Devil card in the tarot can represent cycles of suppression, oppression, and the absolute necessity of breaking free. When this card is on the table, we understand that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV #churchymystic). This doesn’t mean that people are exempt & won’t be held accountable. It doesn’t mean that we focus solely on the spiritual realm because we live HERE. We struggle here. We resist here. It DOES mean that just as we need folks on the ground, we also need folks who are using their spiritual tools & technology TOWARD the liberation of the people.
As Blackfolx, we can rejoice because this is in our DNA. Our Conjure, hoodoo, prayer services, digital hush harbors, are - at their core - for the healing & the fortification of the people. Non-Blackfolx, you gone have to get clear on what spiritual and material actions you gonna take. Spiritual language without action won’t save you or anyone else: it is only spiritual bypassing. As a Major Arcana card, the Devil symbolizes a larger theme in our collective story. As a mirror card to the Lovers, the Devil card brings up the theme of Choice. Some folks will not pass the test: they will choose silence & complicity. Be clear about where YOU gone stand.
PART TWO: “The Devil is a liar. Tell the truth and shame the Devil.” - Blackchurchfolk
We cannot expect truth from a system that is - at its core - based in anti-Blackness, profit > people, & the militarization of the police. So, we have to use our discernment! We have to use our common sense too. Follow organizers, activists, & fighters for liberation so that you are CLEAR on what’s happening. (And stop attaching the #blacklivesmatter tag to your blackout posts! It stops the flow of necessary information around organizing 😩!)
Be wary of anyone who attempts to revise this history-in-the-making. Be careful in your communicating - giving NO space for deception, even in subtle ways.
For example:
“The protests I can understand but why are they looting their own communities?!”
Nope. We must disrupt misinformation and mistruth at the core level. Mistruths that seem “subtle” won’t be able to stand. They must be corrected by folks who are not being actively targeted in this moment.
Due to redlining, gentrification, increased police surveillance, limited resources, food deserts, and an overabundance of predatory loan & cashing places, “our communities” were NEVER set up for our success. Looting is a response to a systemic reality that where wealth is hoarded, access to resources for all are cut off. Profit reigns in the U.S. economy. Looting disrupts the U.S. economy and forces us to reckon with the truth of what we actually value. Be CLEAR. Tell the truth and shame the Devil.
Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle
PART THREE: “The Devil don’t need no advocate.”- Blackchurchfolk
The Devil card in tarot often depicts two people, wrapped in loose chains with fire surrounding them. I don’t trust divination tools that don’t give space for the FULL experience of humanity. And while the card imagery may be jarring, it’s very intentional. This portion of the reading is an admonition to those who have SEEN the face of oppression & responded, “They were just doing their jobs... they were just following orders...” It also applies to non-Black folks colluding with stillness and silence as the chains of White supremacy seek to ensnare us all. It applies to anyone caping for or invested in a police state. How long will you sit under the council of the wicked? When will you find your voice? If not now, then when?
Tomorrow, I will offer up Parts 4 & 5 where we will go into the meaning of the Knight of Earth / Pentacles at length. This is where our conversation will get hella pragmatic. Pentacles are concerned with our Earth / material realm & the Knight has a LOT to teach us. Stay tuned.
This series was originally offered via Instagram on June 2, 2020.
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Learn with me | The Cecilia Weston Tarot Academy
OPENS AUGUST 2020 - DECEMBER 2020 | ANANSI COHORT
Cecilia Weston is the name of my great-great-grandmother, who is known in family folklore to have been an astute tarot reader & folk medicine woman. While she openly identified as "Catholic," she practiced a variety of folk magic like palm reading & tea leaf readings. One of the creative ways that Black women in her time could strive to create economic freedom was through hoodoo & conjure, although it was a precarious political position to practice openly. The "Anansi" cohort celebrates Black folk wisdom & the ability to creatively problem-solve through the spiritual arts.
Patrons on this tier (limited to 10) will receive:
+ Monthly 2 hour-long tarot teaching courses
+ Homework & check-ins after each course
+ Readings, tarot resources, & supplemental learning material throughout the term
+ Access to personal assistance with spreads & questions throughout the month via Patreon messaging
+ Closing mini-ceremony & group divination
+ Access to all Wednesday Night Study sessions, live Q&A's, & community gatherings
Enrollment is OPEN NOW
The mission of my work, as a whole, is to contribute resources, art, narratives, and experiential learning opportunities that aid in the holistic healing processes of Blackfolk, queer people of color (QPOC), and disabled / chronically ill POC. While this experience is not exclusive to these identities, I want to be intentional about saving as many spaces for folks who are at these intersections.
Fill out this short interest form to let me know you'd like to join the Anansi cohort. Invitations to join will go out July 2020 along with a digital welcome packet.