27/07/2025
Storytelling for the collective - August 2025.
Temptation.
And from the universal comms team a song by the same name. "Temptation " by Heaven 17.
https://youtu.be/hKi7Wq5CUI4?si=B-jfZk9yR1Lkxyoh
Let's take a look at the lyrics and see what message they may hold:
"I've never been closer,
I've tried to understand.
That certain feeling
Carved by another's hand.
But it's too late to hesitate, we can't keep on living like this.
Leave no track.
Don't look back.
All I desire (temptation)
Keep climbing, higher, and higher (temptation)
Adorable creatures (temptation)
With unacceptable features (temptation)
Trouble is coming (temptation)
It's just the high cost of loving (temptation)
You can take it, or leave it (temptation)
But you'd better believe it.
You've got to make me an offer, that cannot be ignored.
So let's head for home now, everything I have is yours, oh
Step by step, and day by day, every second counts, I can't break away.
Leave no trace.
Hide your face.
All I desire (temptation)
Keep climbing higher, and higher (temptation)
You can take it or leave it (temptation)
But you'd better believe it.
Step by step
And day by day, every second counts,
I can't break away.
Keep us from temptation
Keep us from temptation
Keep us from temptation
Lead us not into temptation, oh
Trying to find it (temptation)
You've got to get up behind it (temptation)
Put your dime in the hot slot (temptation)
But it's a million to one shot (temptation)
You think that you're right now (temptation)
You're gonna face it tonight now (temptation), oh
Give me a breakdown (temptation)
Because it's time for a shakedown.
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation (temptation)
Temptation
Temptation (temptation)
Temptation
Temptation (temptation)
Temptation
It's just temptation (trying to find me)
Temptation (get up behind it)
Temptation (dime in the hot slot)
Temptation (million to one shot)
Temptation (that you're right now)
Temptation (gonna face it tonight now)
Temptation (give me a breakdown)
Temptation (it's time for a shakedown)".
If you follow any social media, especially Tiktok or X , you'll no doubt see We’re close to a tipping point, on so many fronts “I’ve never been closer.”
Temptation (and frustration) is rising; in politics, tech, consumerism, climate debates and power play is rife.
"We can’t keep living like this" the status quo is unsustainable. So many people are shouting to be heard, protests on so many fronts are taking place, not only in the UK but in many other places around the World.
Discernment is non-negotiable now “You can take it or leave it, but you’d better believe it.” It's a soulful echo of a collective test of integrity.
Let's take a look at our cards:
First out from the major arcana, 15. The Devil.
Temptation Exposed.
The Devil card always brings shadow work to the surface, the kind that demands to be seen. For August, this is a call to collectively confront:
The ways we are chained by consumerism, addiction to power, media narratives and false idols.
The illusion of freedom when we're actually bound by invisible contracts, financially, emotionally and ideologically.
The charismatic or seductive figures offering deals that seem irresistible, yet come at a soul cost.
We see The Devil as puppet master: Manipulation, disempowerment, control by consent.
The Devil isn’t forcing... he’s offering. His hand is open, seductive, even beautiful. That’s the trick. The control doesn’t come through violence, it comes through choice, through temptation, through offering what we already desire.
The puppet figure:
Covers their ears, symbolising willful ignorance, overwhelm, or refusal to hear what's really going on.
The puppeted figure hangs limp, as if life force, sovereignty, or power has been outsourced to another authority.
He is held by strings, revealing the subtle ways we are manipulated: by media, systems, addiction, fear, desire for approval or success.
This is the moment the song refers to: “Lead us not into temptation.”
The figures covered ears: The refusal to listen or awaken.
Spiritually, the act of covering the ears is profound:
“I don’t want to know.”
“It’s too much.”
“Let me stay in the illusion.”
This mirrors collective behaviour around uncomfortable truths; be it political, environmental, technological, or personal.
It echoes the line from the song:
“We can’t keep on living like this.”
But many are still trying to, numbing out, avoiding, clinging to comfort.
This moment is a choice point.
In the UK/world context: expect more revelations around corruption, manipulation and seductive distractions, a real-time “shakedown.” The chorus from the song says it all: “Adorable creatures with unacceptable features.” It’s the archetype of the smiling devil in a suit or the tempting quick fix.
We must challenge ourselves to ask where are we still seduced by the easy path, the comfortable lie, or the shiny distraction?
Next out is the King of Swords ( Swords being of the air element and of thought, mind and intellect)
Discernment is Power.
This King is cool, strategic and fiercely honest. Amid chaos or seduction, he sees through illusion. His presence reminds us:
Clarity is your sword. Detachment and logic are needed more than ever, turn off the MSM news, question everything.
Wise, ethical leadership is being demanded.
Truth needs to be spoken, but not shouted. There is precision in peaceful stillness.
In the card we see several animal messengers:
Owl: The seer of the dark.
Symbolism: Wisdom, truth-seeking, intuition and seeing what others miss, especially in the dark.
The Owl reminds us that real wisdom is often earned in the shadows. In the presence of The Devil card, the Owl says:
“I see what’s hidden, even when cloaked in charm.”
It invites us to trust our inner knowing when logic alone can’t reveal the whole picture.
It also warns of deception, both external and self-created.
Trust your gut. Something may be dressed as truth but rooted in control or seduction. Ask what is being hidden behind the image.
Bat: Death, rebirth and radical transformation.
Symbolism: The liminal, the unseen, shadow work, endings and rebirth, facing fear.
The Bat appears as a totem of transformation; not just personal, but systemic. Its echolocation speaks of navigating through vibration, not sight, sensing what’s true even when blinded by illusion.
Paired with The Devil and the lyrics from Temptation, the Bat says:
“You must go into the dark to rebirth something new.”
August is a threshold, a collective initiation that cannot be skipped.
Let what needs to die, die; be it belief, leader, system, or false self. Only then can truth soar.
Dragonfly: Light, Illusion, and multidimensional vision.
Symbolism: Illusion vs. reality, lightness of being, emotional insight, rapid change.
Dragonflies live both in water (emotions) and air (intellect), making them sacred messengers of emotional truth and spiritual agility.
Their iridescence speaks to the many sides of truth, reminding us not to cling to black-and-white thinking.
Everything may not be as it seems. Stay light, stay fluid and let your perspective shift with grace. Clarity will come through a combination of heart and intellect.
Raven: Prophecy, magic and the void.
Symbolism: Messenger between worlds, mystery, prophecy, divine timing, truth-telling.
The Raven perched near the King of Swords anchors the whole spread. It is the bridge between shadow and sovereignty, a watcher of the cosmic dance.
It brings omens and whispers from the unseen.
It represents truth spoken at the right moment, often in ways that disrupt comfort.
A deeper prophecy is unfolding, trust the signs. Stay alert. Use your voice with discernment and power. What you speak now has ripple effects.
Collectively: we are being asked to cut through propaganda, misinformation and confusion.
The world stage may feature more voices of reason....or calls for accountability from those previously silenced. Watch for truth-bringers, whistleblowers, or even AI/tech being used to expose or clarify.
We must ask ourselves, where can we speak the truth, hold steady when all around us may feel chaotic and lead with clarity.....even when it's unpopular.
Our final card for August is the Six of Wands (wands representative of the fire element and action).
Public victory, or performative parade?
Again we have a need to be discerning.
This is a card of recognition, success and public validation. It brings:
A desire to be seen and celebrated after hard-fought battles.
The tension between genuine success vs. performative optics.... (watch out for falsehoods)
Collective yearning for hope, heroes and proof that the truth does in fact triumph.
We see 'Super Trouper' spotlights: Illumination, recognition, revelation.
These dramatic beams of light do more than celebrate, they expose. They create a stage. They bring what was in shadow (The Devil) into full visibility. They highlight who or what is being elevated, for better or worse.
They appear to shine on the victor ....but maybe we should be asking: Who chose them? And why?
Spiritually, this light burns away illusion. You can't hide under Super Trouper beams.
It echoes the line from the song: “You’d better believe it.” There’s no more pretending.
This month, public recognition will come, but it may come with exposure, scrutiny, or truth-telling. What we cheer for must be deeply true, not just dazzling.
The laurel wreath on the Wand: Victory, triumph, achievement.
The laurel wreath is the classic symbol of heroic success, once worn by warriors, poets and emperors. But paired with The Devil and Temptation, the question arises:
Is this earned success or a performative win?
Is it a genuine triumph or a distraction from deeper truths?
August will celebrate leaders or victories, but we must ask: is this soul-led success, or seductive optics? Are we applauding real change or charismatic manipulation?
The woman is wearing a sheer blouse: Vulnerability, exposure, Illusion of transparency.
This is such a symbolic detail. The blouse is delicate, transparent, revealing, but also styled and intentional. It’s not nakedness, it’s curated exposure.
On one hand, she appears vulnerable, open, “see-through.”
On the other, it’s controlled exposure, designed to appear authentic, yet filtered.
It's the spiritual tension of performative authenticity, a massive theme in both politics and leadership right now.
The sheer blouse mirrors:
Politicians, influencers, or leaders showing just enough transparency to gain trust, while hiding deeper motives.
The temptation of being seen, not for who we are, but who we perform to be.
The risk of vulnerability in the public eye, real truth-tellers must be willing to be seen without the veil.
This is a month where ‘visibility’ is both a power and a risk. Be cautious of appearances. True leadership will not hide behind the illusion of openness. It will be embodied.
What would it mean to be victorious on our own terms? Who are we when no one is clapping?
In a global sense, this could reflect protests being seen, voices being uplifted, or a movement gaining momentum. But paired with The Devil, there's also a warning: Be careful who you crown. Some victories are hollow.
August brings a showdown between illusion and truth, between manipulation and discernment, between hollow victory and soul-earned success.
“It’s time for a shakedown.”
The curtain is lifting. Choose wisely who you follow. And remember, temptation always comes wrapped in something you want.
