This is a dangerous and powerful spell which had appeared among ronin shugenja from time to time for almost a thousand years of Rokugani history. The spell is often regarded as wicked by clan shugenja, so those ronin who learn it guard its secrets carefully and only pass it on to their most trusted students. Typically no more than one or two shugenja in a generation will learn it. In the time of the Clan Wars, the spell's most famous user was the ronin Heichi Chokei, who claimed to be a descendent of the long-lost Boar Clan. When he was asked about the purpose of the spell, Chokei replied with a smile: "It is for whoever is brave enough to use it." In later years it also gained fame as a favored spell of Naka Kuro, the so-called Grandmaster of the Elements, and his student and successor Naka Tokei.
Facing Your Devils appears to call on the Air kami to test the kharmic and elemental balance of a soul by deliberately misaligning the target's Elements. The spell switches the highest and lowers Traits of the target for the duration. This may result in changes to the target's Ring Ranks, with potentially severe consequences (e.g. a dropping Earth Ring reducing available Wounds, for example). The caster may choose the affected Traits in case of a tie.
Those who use Facing Your Devils see it as a means to teach others the importance of balance in all things, but much more nefarious and cruel uses are certainly possible and have been employed more than once, lending the spell to a sinister reputation. The Air spirits seem to find the spell amusing, since they do not always recognize the harm it can cause.