The Devil

In the simplest sense, The Devil indicates that a person does not have much control over the situation in question and can bring a lot of trouble upon themselves.

The Devil points out that somewhere, in some way, a person has stepped onto a path of self-destruction and degradation (or that such a prospect exists). He warns that in indulging their weaknesses, the querent is crossing acceptable boundaries. Or that there is an abuse of power (any kind, including erotic), and this is also essentially indulging one's weakness. Or there is an extreme submission to someone or dependence on something, and this will lead to nothing good. The Devil points to an overwhelming situation, to the fact that some personality or some weakness is gaining too much power over us, depriving us of freedom and normal self-expression. It can also simply be a bad external influence. As a result, we begin to do exactly what we shouldn't. This is The Devil's main trick—to make a person behave in a way that is the exact opposite of what is good for them.

Of all the Tarot Arcana, The Devil seems the most difficult to understand, because everyone has their own. Waite believed that the main manifestation of The Devil is fear; other authors emphasized the arousal of base instincts, while others believe that this is a dark past upon which a person is somehow dependent. Perhaps the only common ground for everyone is a situation of dependence on someone or something, a weak will, a shameful failure of good intentions, as well as actions committed contrary to one's own convictions. The dark side of all things, and exactly which ones—other cards will show.

In order not to lose your way in interpretation (and The Devil has a direct relation to leading one astray), you must remember what generally happens when a spread is performed. The Tarot is a wise and insightful Friend. Revealing The Devil in a spread, this friend who sees right through you warns: the way your mind is working now leads to the destruction of order, to directing your life into the wrong channel. There is a huge temptation to ignore the rules, to stray from the true path under the influence of temptation, fear, or other pressure. Mainly—to cut corners on old, straight roads, to not practice patience and hard work, to indulge your whims. The Devil deflects from Temperance and the matter ends with The Tower. One way or another, this card shows that we are playing with fire. On a deeper level, it means that our question touches, first of all, upon the shadow sides of our personality, or that there is clearly some bad influence present in the situation.

Most often, The Devil signifies a feverish obsession with something (a strong infatuation that causes clear harm to business duties, a loss of conscience due to passion, the temptation of dishonest acquisitions, and similar things).

In general, the appearance of The Devil in itself can be seen as advice to urgently return to the true path and a warning that by persisting in what this card symbolizes, a person will pay a cruel price. Sometimes it is no longer possible to reverse course (like in the case of heroin addiction). As long as there is still a choice—you need to run away as fast as you can without looking back.

"Obsession with a petty demon."

And sometimes an average or a major one—the caliber can be suggested by other Arcana. A person is in the grip of some obsession, fear, or other strong emotion that has a destructive effect on them. A stage in spiritual development that symbolizes an encounter with one's own shadow, with the dark aspects of one's own personality that covertly control us. This is a test during which you can see the most involutionary part of your nature, which you do not want to accept or, even if you accept it with open arms, you still do not know how to control.

Under The Devil, a person might harbor some evil intentions—to take revenge, abduct, seduce, or even kill the hell out of someone. A VERY characteristic feature of The Devil is that a person doesn't think about the future consequences at all. It's as if the world, thinking, and life end for them at the point where this will be realized: here I will seduce, take possession, take revenge, kill... and then come what may. Beyond that, thinking stops, because the subtle demon currently thinking for the person will fully "self-actualize" in this goal and fall away; it will need nothing more from the person, but they themselves will have to live on and deal with the mess. There is always a strong element of inner weakness of will in The Devil (specifically inner; externally, a person can behave in an extremely purposeful way, and the goal is usually that very "devilish" one). There is self-indulgence, a huge dependence on one's desires, drives, addictions. In a horoscope, these are usually indicated by the position of Lilith—what is called the "weak spot" through which a person is prone to degrade, the way their corruption, weak will, or lack of principles manifests. Lilith can be of varying strength and manifest very differently depending on the sign, house, and aspects. The same can be said about the Fifteenth Arcana. For someone, it's a shameful fear and trembling knees, while for another, it's the temptation to sweep away everything in their path, leaving no stone unturned, let everyone else be afraid... For some, it is more associated with cruelty and destruction, and for others, with the unbridled nature of sexual impulses. The Devil is equally good at instilling pathological attraction and pathological avoidance. The Devil rather delights some and rather torments others, but in any case, everything comes with a price. In some cases, a person very clearly sees that this is "horror in the dark." But as a tempter, The Devil most often appears under an attractive guise. That is exactly the difficulty in fighting and resisting.

In the worst case, The Devil indicates falling into a self-destructive slavery to one's pernicious addictions, temptations, habits, and dependence on them. Hence the element of lack of principles—promises to get rid of these passions are usually just words. In general, the morality of a person described by The Devil is extremely questionable, and you should not trust them for your own good. The Fifteenth Arcana may indicate guilt in illegal acts (and under which article they fall, other cards can suggest).

The Devil often speaks of slavish sensuality, a dependence on one's own comfort, which can manifest both as an exorbitant greed for luxurious things, and as drug addiction, and as a sex obsession, and simply as an invincible laziness. Another very common meaning of The Devil is dependence on another person.

And sometimes The Devil just spurs you to pull some sort of stunt, to show off, to experience something "breathtaking"... or simply to "be like everyone else," to keep up with the ways of this world.

Just as Lilith highlights the dark or weak side of every Zodiac sign she enters, so The Devil personifies the dark side of other cards (and especially those in the spread nearby): for The Magician it is black magic, for The Hierophant it is bigotry, money-grubbing under the guise of a saint, for The Lovers it is a struggle for power or the degeneration of a partnership into lust without the slightest sign of love, for Justice it is corruption or the inability to admit one's own wrongdoing. He personifies the reverse, dark side of Strength, intemperance as opposed to Temperance, and rules the various domains of The Moon. But most of all it is a dark parody of the Fifth Arcana (The Hierophant)—what exactly are you worshipping and serving?

This is a struggle between the Highest Good and the Highest Evil (and they may look completely non-trivial at this highest level!). Evil is an integral part of both the essence of human beings and life in general, and here the choice is made not toward order, but toward chaos. Individualism, unwillingness to submit to the world order, the thirst to go one's own way—this is a road that leads nowhere. The figure of The Devil is a symbol of the magical powers of the astral light or a universal mirror in which divine powers are reflected into a reverse, or lower state. This card is also associated with the concept of astral light as a universal creative principle, astrologically corresponding to Mars (the planet exalted in the sign of Capricorn). The reversed pentagram (five-pointed star) symbolizes the principle of the active descent of spirit into matter, as well as the degradation and death of the spiritual principle in man. The bat wings emphasize his belonging to the nocturnal or shadow sphere, and the animal nature of man is expressed in the form of male and female principles chained to the cube on which The Devil sits. His torch is a false light leading unenlightened souls to their own destruction. They are bound by loose chains—they could throw them off, but they do not. These "black lovers" are held by illusions, not real shackles. This, by the way, is a source of hope—the chains can be thrown off. One just needs to find the desire within oneself to do it. People don't do it because they don't want to. Capricorn is associated with the goat-horned Pan—the ancient god of excess and frenzy; he was not evil, but the sounds of his pipes aroused people and drove them into unbridled frenzy. In theory, a person should be able to see The Devil and not be afraid to interact with him (in the language of psychology, one should get to know their shadow). The main trick of The Devil is to pretend he doesn't exist. In the inner world, this looks like a feeling of one's own sinlessness, righteousness, and freedom from everything base, from weaknesses and addictions. Spiritual mentors of all faiths, including Christianity, have warned against this throughout the ages: do not consider yourself sinless, do not consider yourself strong.

The Fifteenth Arcana often exposes the "superman complex", the Luciferian theme of primacy and pride, arrogance and haughtiness. He tempts with "self-realization" in the most diverse areas, with self-aggrandizement—no matter where or how, as long as it's noticed; he instills the need to get ahead of someone, to achieve victory over someone, to prove one's superiority. Sometimes the meaning of excessive socialization, dependence on one's ego also comes into play, and the ego, in turn, depends on the opinions of other people. The Devil is the "prince of this world." And the world in many ways binds a person in chains. People become what this very "world" accepts, forcing them to fight for their existence in the image and likeness of a jungle.

The ancients taught that there is an order for the world in which all living beings are capable of finding their highest purpose. Divine law establishes and maintains this order. The Devil seeks to overthrow it. The true path in the Tarot is to draw closer to the divine power. At this stage of development, the traveler is already strong and initiated enough to become a valuable servant to the forces of evil. It is exactly at this point that one has to choose whether to continue the path to the ultimate goal or to take another path (which begins here... and ends right here as well). At this moment, the temptation is very great—Temperance offers to wait patiently and modestly for the completion of tasks, while The Devil points to a way of achieving the same goal without waiting and without labor. What is offered is enormous, but the price is even steeper. In truth, a person CAN achieve all this without the help of The Devil. He is simply interested in a servant and their potential. Looking at the Fifteenth Arcana in a spread, one should remember that the Tarot is a living guide to the world of transformation and growth, and by showing a person The Devil, it tries to help them realize the danger or prevent a disastrous mistake. Now, a quick solution to problems and satisfaction is being offered—without labor, waiting, morality, and so on. It reminds us: impatience will lead to the ruin of all plans and hopes, which plays right into the hands of the dark forces of involution. They do not need a successfully developing free person at all; they are interested in stopping the hero and entangling them in their nets. For the power or delight offered by The Devil, one will have to pay a steep price, and personal freedom will be the first. Everything is heading towards the fact that in this way, chaos will reign in life, along with a doom to unhappiness, suffering, loneliness, and the most ill-fated circumstances. The one seeking detours awaits devastation and falling, disasters and self-destruction, even if mountains of gold are currently being offered to them.

Regarding astrological associations, we have found the following material: the number 15 itself (the Fifteenth Arcana) is associated with the full moon, the 15th lunar day. The Moon is the planet of the immortal soul. Dying and being reborn again in the firmament, it awakens the idea of immortality in the human soul and is associated with the image of the heavenly Eye, surveying the Earth at night. But at night, everything earthly is plunged into sleep, and the unsleeping Eye has no one to share what it has seen with, so it only sees, but does not speak. But its vision is sharp and penetrates into the darkest corners of matter, cognizing its entire essence and foundation. To preserve the old at the birth of the new is the traditional function of the Moon. And the sign of Capricorn is responsible for the dense matter where the recording of this memory takes place. It can be said that if Sagittarius affirms a new vision of the world, then Capricorn, as its compensation, is tied to the old, to its most rigid and conservative foundations, therefore the card of The Devil (whose astrological equivalent is the sign of Capricorn) is associated with serving matter, which brings internal (spiritual) devastation.

Some authors believe that The Devil in a spread is a symbol of a test, a "challenge", a kind of exam that a person must pass in order to test their strength and rise to a new level of awareness of themselves and the world. Anything can become such an exam or test—a risky venture, a decision to escalate a conflict, or indeed, alcohol, drugs, adultery. The trick is that the exam must be passed, you need to go through it consciously—and if the card is Upright, this will only contribute to growth and liberation from temptations for the future. If it is Reversed, then the person will either fail the exam (chicken out or flunk), or will not be able to break free from the addiction they have fallen into, at least in the near future.

In its most positive interpretation, the Fifteenth Arcana is Herne, the green deity of nature and the forest, the personification of the instinctive and sexual nature of man. Ever since man forgot how to handle unconscious forces, their manifestations have been considered demonic and dangerous (the church played a significant role here). Herne, on the other hand, humbles, subdues to instinctive nature, brings one back to earth, and teaches reverence for it. Herne is primarily a male deity; male sexuality and the ability to produce offspring are in his power. This is a very interesting, although rarely highlighted, side of the Arcana. Herne is a father and the god of fatherhood. He embodies the thirst for life and the instincts that allowed the human race to survive. This includes the sexual instinct, the egoistic belief that we are at the center of the universe, and the desire to control everything in our own interests. Attempts to prove the contrary and suppress the forces of Herne are self-destructive. Of course, this morality contradicts Christian morality, and Herne's horns became the horns of The Devil. It was noted earlier that The Devil is a dark parody of The Hierophant. However, one cannot help but notice here that the attempts of priests to completely ignore all the imperatives of Herne often turn them into a dark parody of The Devil, and the problem of obsession with temptations and seductions is given such a place in their lives that the average European, stealthily pricing Viagra, can only marvel. Herne carries a huge reserve of vital energy, which should be enough for everyone's survival. He stands guard over life, not relying on our shaky ideas about its value. The temporary clouding of the minds of human children by instinctive impulses was provided for by daddy-Herne very carefully and with foresight. It is not for the children to decide whether the human race will survive from millennium to millennium. This is a serious matter, not one for prudishness. Therefore, instincts, despite any resistance and suppression, declare their existence at a certain time in life and demand to be heard and directed. And according to the idea, daddy-Herne, standing at every cradle, should not be cursed for this, but revered and thanked (the eternal disagreement between Christianity and paganism).

Occasionally, The Devil reports that a person must pass a test of endurance and quick-wittedness in order to reach the heights in their business. But much more often it is simply a situation where a person has "sold their soul" to something and fallen into subordination from which they are not free to get out. This can look very different, and the scope of action here can be almost anything. It can equally well be show business, finance, science, or politics. There is a great dependence on another person, or a lot of pressure. The situation forces one to commit acts that sooner or later one will have to seriously regret, and perhaps this moment has already come.

The Devil speaks of the risk of betraying one's convictions, falling into dependence, being compromised, to subjectThe Devil speaks of the risk of betraying one's convictions, falling into dependence, being compromised, to be subjected to deft manipulation. The inability to act at one's own discretion. The Devil rarely describes a situation of open persecution—he usually appears under an attractive guise, outwardly everything may look quite decent (the movie "The Firm" can serve as a good illustration). Involvement in dubious enterprises that can end badly. A tangle of dark machinations, a web of lies and intrigue, problems with violations of professional ethics. This can be the falsification of some data, a cover-up, theft, shadow deals, bypassing the chain of command, disclosure of confidential information, corruption—in a word, having dirt on one's hands. Often, falling into such a "web" of dubious affairs is followed by merciless exploitation or an obsession with further elevation. Therefore, The Devil can be an indicator of a workaholic who forgets about everything else in life.

Engaging in something unseemly—the range of meanings is very wide, this can be black magic, prostitution, and fraud of any kind, from cure-all courses to the production of political advertising. Professionally, The Devil is closely connected with politics and usury. Bad advice. Struggle for power.

The Devil can also portend an unexpected failure in business due to someone's intrigues or a fatal confluence of circumstances. be subjected to deft manipulation. The inability to act at one's own

When the main question of the spread is material well-being, the Fifteenth Arcana manifests itself relatively positively, promising its achievement, although most likely not by the cleanest of means. The Devil is a symbol of profit and venality, commercialism and charging interest. He speaks of concentrating efforts exclusively on achieving material goods, a great thirst for material, purely physical well-being, an obsession with the "good life". However, as they say in Odessa, seeing the cake, having the cake, and eating the cake are three very different things. And the risk of degradation in the pursuit of these things is obvious. Under The Devil, profit at the expense of others and self-enrichment at another's expense are manifested.

Falling into a situation of dependence and submission (the typical situation of a kept person). Furthermore, it is an uncontrollable thirst to chase after ever new acquisitions.

Financial machinations. Speculation.

Undoubtedly, attachment, a strong attraction, an outburst of passion. Oh, The Devil is a card of relationships! But what kind, that is the question. Usually from the series of "the devil made me do it".

The Devil often reveals itself to those who are tempted to engage in a love affair on the side or who have completely lost their head over someone. The urge and desires are so strong that they completely overshadow the voice of reason, preventing a realistic assessment of the person and the situation. The partner is a fatal passion, the true shadow, an indicator of the dark side of a person. They tempt (not necessarily consciously) and bring with them a primitive energy that makes one forget everything, lose oneself. Banzhaf and Akron note: "symbolizing the art of seduction, passion and fascination, The Devil always points out that all these are traps and deceit. He warns of the destructive consequences of relationships built on emotional dependence, tyranny, sadomasochism, which are based on the forces of darkness and a huge fear of oneself." Under The Devil, there are not only burning temptations, but also simple suppression by some person, a negative influence—they control, intimidate, destroy the "I" of the partner, and impose their way of thinking. In general, an indication of unhealthy, destructive relationships is perhaps the most frequent role of the Fifteenth Arcana in spreads! There may be manifestations such as financial dependence, sexual obsession, blackmail, betrayal, physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The issue of jealousy, control and manipulation often surfaces. The theme of "dishonor" and disgrace is also typical. Sexual anomalies and any "ambiguous charm" also fall under the jurisdiction of the fifteenth Arcana. A simply stormy but extremely short-lived passion is possible, accompanied by the feeling that it would have been better not to enter into this relationship after all. Even having provided a couple of thrills, The Devil ultimately brings misfortune and suffering. Yes, we can say: it was an experience, it taught me a lot, and yet, casting a glance over our biography at the end of our days, at best we will wince—this stain on it could well have not been there. And at worst—we will have a reason for remorse, outstanding in its belatedness and hopelessness. The Devil is an indicator of a connection in which a person has strayed very far from their principles, concepts of honor and honesty. In the temporary intoxication they may seem conventional and unnecessary, but later the conscience will tangibly remind of itself.

Sometimes The Devil indicates a karmically inevitable evil, something secret and predetermined. In addition to the meaning of temptation and violence against bright nature, The Devil (as well as Lilith astrologically) has a karmic meaning—fate, destiny, doom. This is often forgotten, although it is emphasized in old interpretations. The presence of The Devil in a spread makes the circumstances fateful, fatal, even if not inherently vicious. Its appearance is a sign of fate looming over the situation. Sometimes The Devil indicates that a deep and passionate connection that exists between people was formed in the past, and now a union of karmic prerequisites has occurred. But the foundation of this connection is dark, and in the past there were immense difficulties between them, perhaps hatred, violence, unfulfilled promises, fatal oaths, the use of some magic love spells, or something similar. And now these two are constantly reopening each other's old wounds.

The Devil noticeably energizes the sphere of instincts. One of the reasons why it is difficult to get out of the relationship described by the Fifteenth Arcana is the set of intense sexual experiences. Floundering in the abyss of passion, a person can be perfectly aware that they are seriously bogged down and it would be good to get out, but has no idea how to do it. Sometimes the card indicates that the matter was not without magical love spells, and this state of "obsession" arose as a result of some manipulations aimed at binding someone to oneself. One partner plays with the other like a cat with a mouse, consciously or not, going for cunning tricks to bind, get, return, possess, take revenge—the list of "dreams" can go on. Also, The Devil can indicate a relationship in which love and hatred are present simultaneously and in high concentration. There is an uncontrollable attraction, and great hostility (both a desire to get rid of, and a fear of losing, zero freedom... in general, the typical manifestations of Lilith). Hence the eternal battle, we only dream of peace, if there is time for sleep. It is absolutely necessary to bring light into this relationship and at least free each other a little, because at the moment it is very viscous, painful, forceful in its essence, with a great emphasis on the themes of power, submission, the inability to resist and the inability to stop in time. The danger that emanates from them should not be underestimated.

The reaction to The Devil's gifts strongly depends on the person's relationship with the "mirror" Arcana—The Hierophant, that is, on the presence of moral concepts. If they are undeveloped, a person finds their teacher precisely in the Fifteenth Arcana, sees interest and "happiness" in what is happening and drowns headlong, sometimes successfully summing up a philosophical-psychological base under all this (which once again confirms the old rule: The Devil is a parody of The Hierophant). If the conscience is developed, then what happens under The Devil is unequivocally evaluated as a dark streak and a deprivation of one's own will. A person distinctly feels that all this—passion, mania, obsession, instincts—forces them to act against their own will. Identification with the shadow does not occur, nor does its joyful acceptance. The Devil remains a rapist and an enslaver.

The Devil can also cover complex feelings associated with the dissolution of a painful bond—for example, a divorce, during which the relationship is clarified to the limit, exposing all the unseemly feelings. One can easily cross all the boundaries of decency, no matter how good an opinion a person had of their own good breeding.

Sometimes the card indicates a bad astral influence, black magic actions (although this usually requires confirmation from other Arcana, for example, the presence of The Hanged Man).

Destruction (or at least undermining) of health due to addictions, bad habits, wrong lifestyle, self-indulgence. Drug addiction, alcoholism. Venereal diseases.

With confirmation by other Arcana—death.

The Reversed card usually carries positive meanings: freedom from addiction and fears, casting off shackles, overcoming obstacles, the beginning of spiritual understanding, the termination of a vicious relationship. A person begins to get rid of illusions or perfectly conscientiously resists an overwhelming personality, situation, or their own weaknesses. In the realm of spiritual knowledge, the reversed card signals that a person has realized the limitation of material forms in comparison with the boundlessness of their own soul.

For a person who usually behaves exactly in the key of the Fifteenth Arcana (a seducer, a deceiver, etc.), the reversed card can mean sheer disaster, exposure, retribution, a loss of power.

It is believed that if The Devil appears surrounded by good cards, then one can assume an unseemly situation in which it will be possible to safely "dodge" retribution.

With The Fool - some authors believe that The Fool weakens the influence of The Devil, bringing freedom from addictions and commercialism.

With The High Priestess - a bad sign.

With The Chariot - new opportunities open up to achieve what is desired, troubles do not threaten directly, but still, when making a choice, one must calculate the consequences well

With Justice - it is not the time to engage in the search for the "whole truth", some time must pass in order to restore justice, now it will not work out anyway

The Star - is considered to unconditionally weaken the influence of The Devil. Overcoming fears, temptations and hesitations, but not by willpower, but due to the genuine purity of nature and the patronage of higher powers

With The Sun - an indicator of a devilishly charming personality, capable of fascinating to the point of stupor, causing instantaneous and practically uncontrollable favor and readiness to serve their interests. Blinding by passion and delight, a readiness to follow a very dangerous person essentially to the ends of the earth. The person is genuinely charming and not devoid of bright sides. And they are truly dangerous, in every sense.

With Judgement - ruinous legal costs.

With Four of Wands - it is believed that the card also brings freedom and weakens the negative influence of The Devil.

With Seven of Cups - a bad combination, indicates an over-dependence on something (sex, alcohol, games or the like), squandering money, unbridled self-indulgence.

With Ten of Cups - the card weakens, "denies" the influence of The Devil, bringing joy and peace.

With Eight of Swords - ignorance, fear of the unknown, limitation, the person has no idea that they are bound hand and foot.

With Nine of Swords - complete despair

With Two of Pentacles - depression

Pan the Pangenerator (the universal progenitor)

Herne (Cerne, Cernunnos)

Walpurgis Night (witches' sabbath), Beltane, the time of Herne

Seth

Fallen angels: Azazel, Lucifer, Beelzebub

The expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise

The temptation of Christ in the wilderness

The betrayal of Judas

The famous phrase of Francis Bacon, to whom an accusation of bribery cost him his career at the English court: "Those who are sure that anyone can be bought for money have already sold themselves to someone."

The character of Milady from Dumas's novel "The Three Musketeers".

The turning of a Jedi to the dark side of the Force in "Star Wars"