The Crucifix Lifestyle Card

Meanings: a person with depression or ill health, duty, conviction, suffering, burden, intolerance, principles

While the Crucifix can be representative of organized religion, this card’s meaning can also be expanded to include the concepts of ideology and responsibility – such as when we come across the phrase “one’s Crucifix to bear”. Ideologies direct our goals, our actions and our values – they create a division between what is “good” and what is “bad”. They tell us what we should do and what we should not do, and can become incredibly harmful when taken to extremes. It is through ideologies that we learn to judge others, and judge ourselves – sometimes going too far and creating a culture of intolerance.

Because ideologies have value judgements, they become closely tied with this card’s other meanings. Sometimes what is considered the “right” thing to do can drive us towards great accomplishments and fulfillment, but it can also, especially in cases where those ideals and principles are far too extreme, become a heavy burden. We cannot be perfect creatures all the time, we are only human.