The Devil is a complex card to read and accept its meaning. By itself it does not represent evil, magic works, or witchcraft, much less the devil in any sense. Its entire meaning and meaning has to do with free will, and its message will change depending on the position in which it appears in the spread.
Letter correspondences:
Kabbalistics associates it with the planet Saturn but also with Mars, with the letter Samech, and with the number 60.
Esoterically it is associated with the astrological sign of Capricorn, the element of Fire, and the season of summer.
In numerology, it represents the numbers 15 and 6 (15=1+5= 6 ) the number 6 corresponds to lovers, and here the lovers are shown chained, slaves of matter, tied to the sensual side of their nature.
Graphic description of the letter:
The Devil is represented in his card by a satyr, a creature that is half man and half goat, dancing to the sound of a strange artifact that he holds in his left hand.
In many myths, the goat was considered an impure and lustful animal. However, the goat also symbolizes the scapegoat, the person or thing upon which people project the lower side of themselves to feel better about themselves.
Thus, the Devil is the scapegoat we blame for our problems in life.
The dark, doorless cave implies that the devil dwells in the most inaccessible realm of the unconscious and can only break through the mental walls, the strata that make up our psyche.
With his right hand, the devil grasps two chains, each attached to a necklace hung around the necks of the naked human figures of a man and a woman, who carry small horns similar to those of the satyr.
The chains around their necks are loose and their hands are not tied. They can free themselves at will if they wish. This symbolizes that the devil’s apparent slavery to us is ultimately a voluntary matter.
We are slaves to our perceptions and decisions and we also have a dark part, both conscious and unconscious, that we must release to stop being tied to things that harm our lives.
The Devil in the Right Position:
General meaning:
This card represents suffering, masochism, addiction, sensual passion, materialism, having before being, the lowest instincts, the passions.
Indicates confrontations, fights or conflicts, the feeling of misery, and addictions of all kinds.
The Devil is a card that mainly shows that you are in a situation of submission in which you believe it is due to factors external to you, blaming things that are beyond your control to remove your responsibility.
The Devil shows that you can free yourself from these bonds whenever you wish, as seen in the figure, where the chains that bind the necks are loose, the hands are not tied, and can be freed if you wish.
There is an issue of scapegoating associated with this card, this is the main trait, you seek to blame anything outside of yourself.
The devil represents our darkest interior, the lowest passions, instincts, fears, your destructive and harmful behaviors toward yourself.
To do this you must overcome your fears, assume your part, your guilt, make a deep self-criticism, and ask yourself what area of your existence is so subjugated or dominated.
Although there is hopelessness associated with this card, its meaning is not so negative, it tells you that there is always a way out even if you don’t see it, that it is in yourself, only there. It can indicate true addictions, such as substance or alcohol use, but also addiction to certain behaviors, people, situations, and environments.
Finally, the Devil card indicates a strong attachment to material things and that you are obsessed in some way with a certain idea or issue in your life and it seems that you cannot move from there, or advance from one square to another.
Material desire is not bad in itself, but obsession, completely leaving BEING aside for HAVING, is.
If The Devil appears to define a person, he will tell us that he has a very strong personality, attempts domination and control, is passionate, manifests sensuality, and has no scruples in general to obtain his satisfaction. Money is his goal and his guide, his material attachment is great, as is his ambition.
If this card appears as the final result of something, it indicates that you will achieve the result you want, it will be good, although you must analyze whether how you obtain it is correct.
As for defining a particular situation, The Devil will tell us that there is a lot of emotional charge, there are confrontations, fights, and conflicts where one or more seek to impose their will. There is passion, interests at stake, and manipulation. There may be a high charge of sensual desire depending on the situation. The end justifies the means.
Love:
Regarding love, The Devil tells us that although the couple or the love situation is marked by passion, lust, and bodily sensuality, its romantic content is poor, and the emotions are superficial and bodily, but not internal.
It is good if you want to know how much passion there is in the couple or relationship if the love passion is strong, but in the general reading for a love relationship, it is a card with many negative nuances.
Job:
As for work, it is favorable since it marks intensity, commitment, and passion in what is done. It can indicate cunning to define something or do business.
Regarding a partner, for example, he will mark that he is good for his cunning and methods to achieve things, but negative in terms of his reliability or instinct for domination, it will depend on other cards in the reading to define the profile. Surprises and good job opportunities may appear.
It indicates that mixing work and love or having sensual relationships, for example, will not have good results. It may indicate dissatisfaction in the current job, but it makes you evaluate the positive things and that it depends in part on you to improve the situation, your attitude, struggle, and commitment are vital.
Money:
Regarding money and finances, The Devil is a positive card. It indicates a good time for investments of all kinds, negotiating contracts, agreements, pacts, laws, and working conditions, BUT, not everything is rosy.
The cunning with which you handle money matters can go well or very badly, especially if there are deceptions or hidden things, hidden agendas behind them. It is necessary to save a little during this time, not to dedicate 24 hours a day to money, and not to spend superfluously.
Health:
Regarding health, this card is also favorable, it shows regeneration, attitude, healing, recovery from illnesses, ailments, and post-surgery.
The genitals must be attended to, the health of the reproductive system must be taken care of, and promiscuity and relationships that are not safe should be avoided. You should also pay attention to stress and work fatigue.
Spirituality:
In the field of spirituality, it tells you that you must maintain a positive mentality, as it is of utmost importance at this time. Positive affirmations are important and will benefit you. Take a look at who you surround yourself with.
Are there positive, optimistic people in your midst, or are you surrounded by overly critical people? Do you feel like they dominate you? Take stock and take action. Life is short, you should not allow yourself to be forced to live it any other way than what you want.
