The Tarot Diagnosis Celebration to Corruption: The Shadow of the Six of Wands
What if the real root of evil isn’t money, but power?
This week on The Tarot Diagnosis, I take a deep, psychologically grounded look at the Six of Wands, a card typically associated with success and recognition, and reframe it through the lens of shadow work, power and control, neuroscience, and social dynamics.
Inspired by a spread I pulled during a recent shadow workshop and influenced by current global events, I found myself asking:
What happens when power becomes addictive?
When does celebration become complicit?
How does unchecked power erode empathy, justice, and even our sense of self?
Throughout this episode, we will explore:
Why the shadow side of the Six of Wands reveals themes of envy, domination, and the intoxication of being celebrated
How power alters the brain, impacts empathy, and mimics addiction, which is supported by neuroscience research
What tarot archetypes like The Devil, Queen of Cups Reversed, The Hierophant Reversed, and The Tower teach us about the darker side of social influence and power
How power dynamics appear in relationships, institutions, spirituality, and social media
Why Lane Smith’s concept of "Move Up, Move Up" (from 78 Acts of Liberation) and Mary K. Greer’s caution about the Six of Wands in The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals both invite us into more collective awareness
If you’ve ever struggled with your relationship to power (either craving it, fearing it, or unconsciously abusing it), this episode offers a powerful mirror and invitation. Through therapeutic insight and tarot symbolism, we reflect not only on how power can corrupt, but also how it can be shared, checked, and transformed for good.
Deck Used: Tarot Vintage
Referenced:
78 Acts of Liberation by Lane Smith
The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary K. Greer
On power and its corrupting effects: the effects of power on human behavior and the limits of accountability systems https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10461512/
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Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound
Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com
Music by Timmoor from Pixabay