Challenging The Devil: Captor or Catalyst?
Some cards in tarot are more palatable than others. We’ve already explored Judgment and The Hierophant through this lens, and today we’re tackling another unsettling, off putting and sometimes difficult to make sense of Major Arcana - The Devil.
When we opened a poll asking for feedback and commentary on the challenging nature of The Devil, the responses we received sounded a lot like the points below.
It elicits a sense of fear
It asks one to consider their attachments and this can be an uncomfortable thing to do
It just looks scary
It’s generally difficult to interpret
It looks a lot like The Lovers which makes it even more confusing
We agree. The Devil is one of the few cards that goes out of it’s way to look menacing. While most of the divine figures in tarot are angelic in nature, here we are confronted with a more demonic looking form. The background of this card is a stark black, and the two figures, while assumed to be human, take on the devilish horns implying there is some other part of their nature being highlighted. So what is The Devil here to tell us then?
It’s easy when we are greeted by this card to jump to conclusions and in fact, that’s exactly what the force behind it would probably love for us to do. So before we get carried away, let’s break down some of the symbolism and keywords associated with The Devil to get really clear on what’s happening in this key.
To do this we’re going to play with polarities, which is a concept emphasized by this card, especially in contrast to the way the two figures here also show up in The Lovers. Polarities are opposite ends of the same pole i.e. hot and cold, good and evil, happy and sad. In The Lovers we have the couple standing in an idyllic scene whereas in The Devil, we see them bound in the dark. Of course, whether we ourselves are in the Garden of Eden or The Devil's lair, and how we may feel about either of those states, often comes down to a matter of perspective - such as our relationship with polarities are essentially subjective in nature.
Through the eyes of The Devil, we observe opposites playing out in various ways, and in approaching it in this manner, we hope to shed light on how this key can also be regarded as a positive omen in many circumstances.
Deception vs Clarity
The Devil is a card of deception, but, it doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is out there purposely trying to deceive if this card is pulled. Just as likely this is a card of self-deception, and often the depth of that deception runs so deep that even if someone were to point it out, it may still remain obscured. There are a couple of elements related to The Devil that suggest this. For starters, the background of The Devil card is black so there is only so much we can see - the rest remains hidden. Secondly, the Hebrew-letter word associated with The Devil is Aiyn which means “eye”. This is an interesting connection because we know that sight and seeing have something to do with this key, and illusory is a way we may describe someone’s “sight” when not “seeing clearly”.
When you pull The Devil, reality may not be as it seems, but rather the filter that’s been placed over it. That filer may be caused by one’s own perceptions, the media, cultural influences, entertainment, friends/family etc.
Through the lens of this polarity, The Devil may be asking you: “Are you seeing things clearly or is illusion/disillusion playing a role?”
Materiality vs Spirituality
The Devil is in many ways a depiction of the material. We see this in the double cubed altar, a symbol of Malkouth and the world of form. The colour black, depicted in the background, also represents materiality. The Devil is crowned with a 5 pointed inverted pentagram - 5 being the number of man and the 5 physical senses. We also see the woman’s tail adorned with grapes, and grapes are representative of enjoyment, luxury and pleasure - especially of the bodily kind. In addition, The Devil is ruled by Capricorn which is an Earth based sign, another nod to this key’s connection to the physical plane. With all that being said, it’s important to note that while the depiction of this key suggests a darkness, we should not jump to condemn the material or our place within it. The Devil may not be the reality of the situation, but rather our perception of it. Of course, if we are living our lives in such a way that we assume the world of form is all there is, we may be severely restricting our vision. In the same regard, it is just as unhelpful to live entirely on the side of the spiritual, turning away from physical reality or judging others for delighting in material joys. Balance is key, and so indulging in the 3D isn’t inherently harmful so long as we aren’t moving into the realm of extremes, pushing the boundaries of this polarity too far in one direction or the other.
Through the lens of this polarity, The Devil may be asking you: “Is your relationship to the material one of balance or are you airing on the side of extremes (overly spiritual or overly material)?”
Restriction vs Freedom
The relationship between restriction and attachment are interesting to observe. Attachment, which can be experienced in positive or pleasurable ways, may also at the same time contribute to restriction or a loss of freedom. I think, where attachment is concerned, there is often a honeymoon period and it isn’t until we get deep into it that we begin to notice those more detrimental side effects. And by then, it’s often too late. At this point we either have to take the brave step of acknowledging the issue or, like the first polarity discussed, turn a blind eye and cater our environments in support of the attachment to avoid disruption. People don’t often just find themselves stuck in a situation. A situation often becomes struck overtime and with the aid of a number of enabling factors. Here we see this so cleverly depicted with the loose chains around our captives necks. They’re bound, but it may be more metaphorical than literal. If they wanted to, they could lift those chains, but maybe they’re too well behaved, or perhaps too comfortable, or maybe they’re just unaware there is even anything to escape from.
Paul Foster Case describes The Devil as the first of seven steps to enlightenment and attributes it to “bondage”. The Devil is also ruled by the planet Saturn which represents restriction, challenges, limitation and tests. Saturn moves slowly and as such, often the work of peeling back the layers of attachment, turned to bondage, arrived at through illusion and deception, takes time to unravel.
Through the lens of this polarity, The Devil may be asking you: “In what ways does restriction show up in my life and in what ways am I enabling this state?”
Pain vs Pleasure
We know all sorts of wires get crossed when we consider the relationship between pain and pleasure. While The Devil’s lair looks ominous, dark and foreboding, the people “chained” within it look rather unbothered. Might they even be willing slaves, enjoying their time in the depths? The female’s tail is decorated with grapes which we discussed above are associated with earthly delights and pleasure (grapes produce wine after all!). On the other hand, we see the male’s tail lit with flames, however even this could be an illuminating or inspiring force if looked at in a particular way. However you approach it, neither figure is actively pursuing a way out, and so we have to appreciate that sometimes we actually enjoy the things that, in other manners of expression, bring us suffering.
The Sepher Yetzirah attributes various states/faculties to the 12 signs of the zodiac which we then apply back to their corresponding tarot cards. In a previous post, we explored the 5 cards which have sense attributions (sight, hearing etc.). The Devil is linked to mirth which the dictionary defines as “amusement, especially as expressed in laughter”. Where The Devil is concerned, it might be possible that behind the disturbing veneer is a figure full of allure who has the ability to promote things such as fun, play and humour; and perhaps sometimes we just take it too far. I’m sure we can all resonate with the image of a harmless party getting just a bit too out of hand. Another way of approaching mirth is in a kind of spell-breaking sense. Humour has a lightning effect. It can take a dire and serious situation and force us to find the absurdity in it which can help us approach it from a fresh perspective.
In alchemy, lead is considered the basest of materials with which we work. It is heavy and dark (like The Devil) and is often referred to as the Prima Materia. If we approach this psychologically, lead may be symbolic of various states most notably depression. In a depressed state, we feel heavy and often describe our mental environment as being in darkness. Rather than deny these conditions, alchemy suggests we go straight into the belly of it because it is there that we can learn about ourselves and thus grow. Part of this procedure involves burning, dissolving, sifting through and refining the material with which we are working with until we have achieved gold. You can find a metaphor between this and the human process of “letting off steam” when one has a bad day, for instance. It is a period where one takes the tension that has built up and rids themselves of it through various activities. The Devil, in this sense, may be a wonderful ally for beginning the process of turning one’s alchemical lead into gold. We just need to make sure not to take this sentiment to extremes or like my mom used to say “have fun, but not too much fun”.
Through the lens of this polarity, The Devil may be asking you: “Are there pains in my life that are also pleasures and are there pleasures that are also pains?” (example: You identify with the idea that your job brings you pain - but might you be getting something out of it that could also be considered pleasure? Or, you identify with the idea that shopping brings you pleasure - but might it also on some level be causing pain?”
So yes, The Devil may be about illusion, but that illusion may also serve as a catalyst to prompt one to seek clarity. And yes, The Devil may point to gross materiality, but that doesn’t mean materiality is devoid of spirituality - they both have their place and rely on one another to navigate all the planes. And ok, the two figures may appear restricted and with that may come suffering, but perhaps through that bondage and pain is a chance to find freedom.
The Devil paired with verse 2 of the Tao Te Ching highlighting the importance and power of polarities.
So we don’t necessarily see The Devil as an autonomous overseeing entity with the ability to damn, curse, possess or control - we see this card as a sign that these activities may be taking place in our lives either with or without our consent. We also see it as an invitation to identify our own extremes (whether in thinking or behaviour) and consider ways to create a more balanced and harmonious approach. And we also think it’s important to recognize that at times, extremes may be a necessary part of the journey and not something to be condemned lest we find ourselves digging deeper into the hole. Extremes are okay, all is okay - we just don’t want to get too comfortable in this place, mistaking it for the final destination rather than seeing it for what it truly is which is a natural step on the road toward self mastery.
Julia & Tim