Dragons and Demons

From the Mary-El Tarot, the Six of Wands; from the OH Cards, 'Hug/Fail:'

          White has painted the Archangel Michael for this Six of Wands, with the admonition to "slay your dragons, conquer your demons." The challenges outside of ourselves are our dragons, while our demons are our conditioned reactions (our propensities). The demons are much trickier and harder to deal with. Look at anyone's bookshelf and they're likely to have numerous self-help, philosophical or religious books to help them deal with life in a more wholesome and skillful way. White includes a quote from the Kybalion that points at why this often doesn't work: "The possession of Knowledge, unless accompanied by a manifestation and expression in Action, is like the hoarding of precious metals - a vain and foolish thing." But what happens when you do try and fail? The OH Cards combination implies finding someone who will encourage us to keep trying. Most people have an inner 'demon' whose name is 'Just Give Up.' If we listen to it instead of trying again, we definitely won't meet any challenge, no matter how much knowledge we have. Skill only comes through practice.