The Devil
The Devil — Upright
The Devil card represents mistakes made under the influence of fears. It symbolizes the desire for external glamour, materialism, vanity, and a superficial approach to life.
The querent may be too focused on financial interests and seeks to impress others, sometimes through artificial means.
The Devil also represents a card of fear, indicating how fears can limit a person, turning them into a slave of their own anxieties. These fears can hinder change and growth, forcing one to stick to familiar paths and roles.
In personal relationships, the card may suggest a marriage entered into for selfish reasons, whether it's the pursuit of high status or material wealth.
When it comes to decision-making, the Devil often warns of potential mistakes. The querent may make choices not based on objective facts but rather influenced by their fears and illusions.
The temptation may lie in using manipulation and cunning to achieve material goals.
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The Devil — Reversed
Fears give way to confidence. Vanity, hostile influences, and selfish motives are overcome. No one can compel the querent to play a role that doesn't suit them anymore.
Awareness of the lessons learned from greed and the lust for power.
The querent relinquishes the abuse of power and manipulation over others.
Astrology
The Devil is tied to Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, reflecting structure, materialism, and control. Saturn highlights limitation and responsibility, while Capricorn adds ambition and attachment. Together, they signify bondage, fear, and the shadow of desire.
Numerology
Number 15 symbolizes attachment, temptation, and shadow. It reflects the essence of the card’s role in the journey, guiding insight through the lens of 6. The reduced number 6 brings focus to universal lessons and recurring themes.
Symbolism & Archetypes
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The Kabbalistic attribute of the Devil is the Hebrew letter Ayin, corresponding to the sign of Capricorn. Waite demonstrates this correspondence as follows:
The central figure of the Devil represents a goat with horns, which is traditionally associated with Capricorn. In the secret Tarot order of the Golden Dawn, many key figures of the Major Arcana are easily recognizable by their zodiacal counterparts.
For example, Leo corresponds to the Lion in Arcanum VIII, Libra corresponds to the Scales in Arcanum XI, and the Goat corresponds to Capricorn in Arcanum XV.
Saturn is the planetary ruler of Capricorn, and its symbol is a cross connected to a crescent. Waite depicted this sign in the right hand of the Devil.
Eve's tail is crowned with a grapevine, symbolizing the intoxicating effect of wine. In Kabbalah, the numerical value of the word wine (Hebrew: IIN) and the letter Ayin is both 70.
The shape of the Devil's shoulders, arms, and knees, combined with the chains binding Adam and Eve, reminds us of the oval shape of the Akasha-Tattva, which in the magical system of the Golden Dawn symbolizes the element governed by Saturn, the planetary ruler of Capricorn.
The Devil on this card is an embodiment of Pan, the mythical deity of nature with goat-like hooves, horns, and head. Pan symbolizes fertility and is the protector of livestock.
He also reminds us of Lucifer, an angel cast down to Earth for aspiring to excessive power. This figure harkens to Saturn, the Roman deity of agriculture and abundance, the first vintner and farmer who bestowed bountiful harvests upon people.
The card also reflects the dark, demonic side within each person, constantly tempting them to deviate from moral laws and pursue success while ignoring the consequences and the interests of others.
The image depicts a fusion of various symbols. In the center stands Baphomet, with the wings of a bat, standing on an altar. The symbol of Mercury is noticeable on its abdomen. The raised right hand of Baphomet is an inversion of the blessing gesture associated with the High Priest in the fifth Tarot card.
In Baphomet's left hand, there is a burning torch directed towards the earth. At the front of the altar, there is a ring to which male and female figures are chained on chains, resembling Adam and Eve after the Fall. This symbolizes the bonds and the inevitability of material life.
The figures have tails, emphasizing their animalistic nature, but their gazes reflect human intelligence. Despite being under the authority of a higher being, it is also a slave, dependent on the evil within itself and blinded in the face of the freedom to serve.
Eliphas Levi interprets the figure of Baphomet as an embodiment of occult science and magic, while another commentator sees it as a symbol of predestination. In reality, it represents the Guardian of the Threshold, guarding the entrance to the Mystical Garden, from which those who have tasted the forbidden fruit are banished.
The Devil on this card is a fantastical creature with the wings of a nocturnal bat, eagle's claws, and goat's horns. Its imposing figure on a cubic base reflects the illusions that arise from a superficial perception of the world based solely on sensory experience.
This shallow perception is evident in the expressions of the man and woman, who are unaware that they are bound by chains – a symbol of limited perception. The dense darkness around them symbolizes fear of the unknown and the lack of understanding that occasionally overwhelms us.
These illusions can be overcome through the application of humor and discernment.
Capricorn, the astrological sign of the Devil card, is known for its materialistic and authoritarian tendencies. The Devil inclines us to maintain the appearance of success in any situation, especially when we seek to impress others with superficial prosperity.
This distortion of human consciousness is emphasized by the inverted star above the Devil's forehead, indicating our preoccupation with worldly, rather than spiritual, matters. The Capricorn sign can also symbolize hidden fears and anxieties that influence our thoughts and actions.
The number 1, symbolizing conscious reason, combined with the number 5, denoting instability and the disruption of plans, forms the number XV (15).
The Devil card symbolizes a departure from spirituality and the divine principles represented by the Temperance card, and a shift toward worshiping materialism and participating in egocentric power games.
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