I’ve met guys with the attitude and swagger of Chuck Norris and General Choi Hong-hi tell me they’re martial artists. Then I find out they’ve only trained for a few months. You either have the skills or you don’t. People who practice the art of self-deception fool themselves and then try to fool you. Most deceivers are just insecure, some are wannabe flim-flam artists, and a few are hard-core criminals. So be aware. They'll devise a scheme to rip you off and take a piece of your soul too if you're not careful. Be even more careful to not become one of them. It is easy to do if you are incapable of self-reflection, too scared to face yourself in the mirror.
Masters of the art of self-deception are criminals. Mind you there are degrees of lawbreakers. Some people find themselves in unfortunate circumstances and resort to unlawful means to escape their predicament. These people believe there is no other way out and intend no real harm to anyone. Than there are the malicious, hard-core, gangster types. They often commit wrongdoing in numbers, and go down for armed robberies, corruption, or conspiracies, and murders. The leaders can be extremely charismatic and their followers blinded by greed and the promise of power.
A current master of this dark art is a lying, two-timing womanizer, fake charity and fake university scam artist, twice impeached, twice indicted, coup plotting, loser. This former so-called “President” is leading the pack to occupy the Oval Office in the formerly grand GOP primary. So how can this emperor who wears no clothes be the kingpin of a major political party? One can assume it's members are advanced practitioners of the art of self-deception. Many are either swindlers or weaklings who have a high tolerance for corruption. Even if in their hearts they know what is true and false or right from wrong, they willingly ride on the coattails of an amoral trickster while he takes America down a dim alley towards tyranny.
I get it if sometimes you can be a bit oblivious. One of my favorite things to do is walk along city streets; wearing the right shoes or boots, feeling good as I go, and grounded. Still, I’ve walked right past friends of mine, only to become aware of them when my name is called and I spin around to locate the source. Consumed with stuff in my head, I didn't see them. Perhaps, you’ve experienced the same thing. It mostly occurs when occupied with thoughts and worries about the future, or rehashing arguments and old hurts. Whatever. Meanwhile, you’ve missed almost everything going on around you.
In this vein of oblivion, if you can’t see Trump is a con man then you’re his mark. Watch out for those campaign emails which label you unpatriotic if you do not empty your pockets and donate money to his legal defense fund. He reminds me of the Devil card in the Tarot deck. Basically, it addresses seductive and captivating behavior that brings short term gains, or creativity which goes nowhere except eventually to pull people down or put them in bondage ie bankruptcy, prison, or unemployment. In most instances, this pleasure and power seeking is done "for thy self alone". In Kabbalah, the phrase implies a sense of selfishness and can be synonymous with the evil inclination or yetzer ha'ra.
A good remedy against this vile tendency is to admit you're wrong, which is something masters of this dark art cannot do. Develop a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at yourself when you've made mistakes. A friend told me it's healthy to make a fool out of yourself twice a year. You may be embarrassed but it keeps you humble and can open your heart. Whereas, the masters of the art of self-deception are arrogant, narcissistic, and shameless. Hatred and resentment fester inside when what they've attempted to build with shady tactics and shoddy materials starts to crumble. Inevitably they blame others, and cast them as demons who deserve violence and retribution, albeit on baseless accusations.
To study Kabbalah you have to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. I cannot stress this enough. The same goes for Street Tarot. To gain an understanding of the trajectory of your life and your propensities is not easy or straight forward, and you're bound to not always get it right when resolving issues. Facing your faults and learning from them is critical. You must get sensitive to your feelings and not delude yourself. This is having integrity. To maintain a sense of self respect there is no time for Big Lies. To travel the road of self-discovery is about process and ethics. The destination is your authentic lifestyle, coupled with an expanded awareness and a joyous, giving heart. Spiritual growth is not a Machiavellian endeavor where any means justify the ends. There are no cunning detours or short cuts here.
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