It’s interesting that I drew this after pulling The Lovers and Death yesterday; somehow it seems appropriate. The image on the Bohemian Gothic Devil sends shivers down my spine. I’ve always had a fear of needles and being drugged against my will so this image pulls up those fears. There is also a sense of passively giving up control over your life to the demon offering sedation and altered consciousness. The woman on this card is embracing the demon with the needle – she is seeking this forgetfulness; courting oblivion. That trait is fairly absent from my personality. I may occasionally wish for forgetfulness, and in my youth I actively courted the seeming bliss offered by a bottle of booze, but at the end of the day I couldn’t completely give up control of myself.

The red demon on the Vampire Tarot Devil card is a reminder that even if vampires seems to immortal and invincible, they also dance to the tune of a greater power. Despite their seductive allure, The Devil reminds us that vampires are bound by their own nature. They might live forever but they are essentially soulless. They have traded that valuable commodity to The Devil in exchange for physical immortality. A vampire’s powers may be mighty and amazing, but essentially they are carrion; the vultures of the metaphysical world. They can only exist as long as humans live to provide their sustenance.

So what does this have to do with me and my question? Not sure. My initial response, after a snort of disbelief, is that maybe my wisdom lies in knowing my own addictive tendencies and behaviors. From a hypothetical standpoint, I can appreciate that. From a realistic perspective, I’m not so sure. I have a pronounced proclivity towards impatience and abruptness when dealing with other people’s addictive behaviors. Sometimes it depends on what the addiction is – for example I sympathize with anyone who is a biblioholic. However junkies, drunks and other assorted drug users and abusers – not so much.

Then again maybe that’s not what this card is trying to tell me. Maybe the reality is that I can’t access and tap into my wisdom until I address my own addictions and behaviors (sweets being high on the list). Perhaps the key to wisdom for me lies in needing to walk the walk before I can talk the talk (Sheesh! I hate that expression). The bottom line is that I’m not going to figure out this puzzle sitting here today but it will require some additional readings and insights to fully appreciate. I think I’ve just tapped the tip of the iceberg on this topic.

Of course there is also the option that my addiction is that I keep believing I have some wisdom. Of course that’s snarky even for me.