A card of significance - pay attention/beware!

Come along with me this week as I explore a Tarot Card Reading and how my inner psyche relates to it! Yes very personal, but also political, environmental and even somewhat humorous.

My questions to the universe, to ask my unconscious self (a shadow of the dark or light parts of myself) brings a card that unsettles me.

The Devil.
This is the significator of the spread. I'm reminded of a state of greed/selfishness. Remember that the Inquisition was the most public demonstration of the use by the Church of Rome to kill people by calling them instruments of the devil. The devil is an invention of Christianity. There have always been dark forces in Pagan theory, but not as personified as this devil.

The government and established religion can represents the devil in a way...something to be feared, and something that subjugates it's followers. The use of Power Over, rather than gathering of power with others...there is misuse of this power everywhere these days.

The True Power of the earth, mother nature, is the source that most Pagans look to for guidance, and we are feeling a lot of fear and anger towards the people who are harming the earth with unimaginable laws and intrusions into the earth's well being.

I look at the image of the card. I consider what part of myself might be one of the depicted individuals there.  I think probably a potter, who is offering the jug of life-giving water to those of higher level than I am.  I hope I'm related to the individual who is breaking his chains of slavery. I will need to keep this card of ultimate hierarchy in mind for a while.