Shame lurks in the shadows of our psyche, whispering that we're not just people who've made mistakes, but that we are mistakes. Unlike guilt, which says "I did something bad" shame insists "I am bad." Through tarot's symbolic language, we can bring this painful emotion into the light, examining it with compassion rather than judgment. This journey isn't about eliminating shame entirely, but transforming our relationship with it—moving from prisoners of our past to students of our own experience.

When grief renders us speechless, tarot offers a symbolic vocabulary for expressing what feels inexpressible. This article explores how tarot's imagery can accompany us through loss—not as magical solutions or shortcuts around pain, but as compassionate witnesses to our journey. From specific cards that capture grief's shifting landscape to practical spreads designed for mourning, discover how tarot can help us navigate grief not as something to "get over," but as an experience to be integrated with gentleness and respect.

Sometimes, the most powerful insights come from the cards we least want to see. The Devil, with its imagery of chains and bondage, often prompts an immediate negative reaction. Yet, like all cards in the tarot, it carries wisdom - if we're willing to sit with its uncomfortable truths. Today, let's look at a particular type of chain: the attachment to victim identity, and how what begins as protection can become its own form of imprisonment.