XV The Devil - 'Fallen Angels'
After learning about the essential need for both a universal and an individual sense of balance from the Temperance archetype, The Fool is now headed into uncomfortable, tumultuous times where that very balance and his own character will be tested in often brutal ways. At number 'XV' in the Major Arcana, 'The Devil' enters stage left, ready to lead The Fool down a destructive, yet highly seductive path.
 |
| 'The Devil' from the Minchiate Etruria by Lo Scarabeo |
THE DEVIL - Fallen Angels
KEYWORDS
Temptation. Addiction. Obsession. Pleasure and pain. Debauchery. Poor impulse control. Sexual dysfunction. Co-dependency. Over-indulgence. Excess. Primal instinct. Selfishness. Cruelty. Self-destruction. Amorality. Gaslighting. Sexual attraction. Charisma. Animal magnetism. Seduction.
Freedom. Liberation. Breaking the chains. Recovery from addiction. Resisting temptation. Spiritual breakthrough. Facing inner demons. Detachment. Asceticism. Seeing through the BS.
THE LIGHT
The Devil is a card that tends to frighten people who aren't intimately familiar with the Tarot. A sentiment that is actually justified as this archetype does possess a uniquely loathsome side. A quick look at the keywords above will make it quite clear that, given the choice, one would rather steer clear of the Devil's influence.
Sometimes referred to as The Fool's shadow side, The Devil is indeed a dark and potentially destructive force. I've often compared The Fool's journey through the Major Arcana as an allegory for the soul's evolution. In that context, The Devil is a particularly formidable obstacle in the soul's path to enlightenment.
This card represents the deeply flawed, imperfect, fallible aspects of humanity. We all hold deep within ourselves the capacity to be both the very best and the very worst version of ourselves. The Devil rules over those worst inclinations. He unleashes our baser, primal instincts and most ill-advised impulses. He keeps our bodies chained to the material world; he imprisons our minds in a fog of Earthly temptations and he forces our souls to walk through that proverbial Hell.
 |
| 'The Devil' contemporary variations. From left to right: The Ostara Tarot, the Anima Mundi Tarot and the Light Seer's Tarot |
The Devil may show up as a warning of a variety of addictive behaviors and dysfunctions in our lives. Drug addiction, alcoholism and substance abuse; sexual addiction, romantic obsession and codependent relationships are but a few examples. It encompasses any kind of behavior or activity that, when taken to extremes, can interfere with our daily life and damage our relationships. It could be addiction to food, drink, gaming, shopping, sex, even another person. Anything and anyone can become a debilitating obsession.
The Devil turns his victims into amoral, self-centered, self-destructive, spiritually lost individuals, blinded and controlled by their own immediate, all-consuming desires. They often become skilled liars and cunning manipulators. They can be selfish, insensitive and borderline cruel, yet still manage to gaslight everyone around them with diabolical ease, charm and charisma.
The option to break free of these unhealthy patterns is there, however. When we look closer at the symbology in this card, we realize that the chains are lose, the ties that bind are easy to untangle, the door to the cage is intentionally left open. This is why this card should not be feared. It tells us that no matter how far into despair, temptation or addiction we've fallen, we have the ability to escape. We can learn to control our impulses and make better choices. The Devil only holds as much power as we allow him to hold. We have the ability to say no. Failing to do so can lead to the cataclysmic, irreversible events we'll cover in the next archetype: The Tower.
 |
| Two very similar 'Devils' Left: Antique Anatomy Tarot. Right: Wooden Tarot |
On a much lighter note, The Devil provides an endless supply of the many temptations we face on a daily basis. Should we have that second donut? Shouldn't we be working out instead? Should we really be flirting with the cute, married guy at the office? Is it a good idea to spend so much on unnecessary indulgences when we know we should be saving our money right now? All the little things we know we should be saying no to, but that are so very hard to resist. It represents enticement, sexual attraction, seduction and animal magnetism. The Devil is charismatic and beguiling. Temptation is his middle name and he will never let us forget it. He'll urge us to party hard until the morning light and to Hell with the massive headache and hangover, not to mention the guilt and regret that will surely follow. In other words, 'Sex, drugs and Rock and Roll, baby!'
It's okay, even necessary to give in to temptation every now and then. Life is short enough as it is, we might as well have some fun while we're here. The trick is to not overdo it and to not cross the line that may lead to full-blown addiction.
THE SHADOW
When The Devil appears in a negative position it's actually a good sign. It means that we've resisted his attempts to lead us down the wrong path. It can indicate that we're on the road to recovery from addiction. We've finally removed those chains and are reclaiming our freedom. The shadow Devil signals a breakthrough. We're finally seeing clearly what was previously obfuscated by lies and manipulation. We feel liberated and back in full control of our own thoughts and feelings.
This card can signify the need to face our darker side, to embrace it as a natural part of us, but also to learn how to prevent it from taking over. As mentioned above, The Devil's strength is solely dependent on how much of our own power we relinquish to him. Accepting that this archetype represents the darkest aspect of the human condition is paramount if we are to learn how to, if not defeat it, then at least minimize its hold on us.
 |
| Two dangerously seductive 'She-Devils' Left: 78 Tarot Mythical. Right: The Heroine Tarot |
The shadow Devil can also help us diminish the importance of material possessions and the pull of carnal desires. Think of it as applying the concept of minimalism to all areas of existence. We must remember the lessons learned from the Temperance archetype, identify what is truly indispensable and remove all unnecessary excesses that might upset our delicate inner balance. Only then will our soul be light enough to keep going on its path to enlightenment.
LITERALLY
Well, this one could not be any more obvious. It literally represents the Devil himself, as well as demon possession. Time to call the exorcist!
TAROT ACADEMIA
The demonic, horned figure most often used to illustrate this card recalls hellish visions of fire and brimstone to the collective Judeo-Christian unconscious. The demon is usually depicted alongside two human figures, one male and one female often chained or caged, who appear to be at the mercy of the looming entity above them. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that they are voluntarily holding on to those chains; they're not trapped inside the cage after all, because the door has been left unlocked or ajar. They have the ability to break free at any time and yet they seem to have chosen to remain captive.
The likeness of Baphomet, an old deity with unclear historical origins, is usually the preferred imagery used in Tarot decks. Baphomet whose appearance is neither human, nor animal and neither male, nor female, is actually an unsettling mix of all four.
 |
| 'The Sabbatic Goat' or Baphomet by Eliphas Levi |
Baphomet is often conflated in the collective unconscious with other entities such as the old Philistine god Beelzebub, the Judeo-Christian Satan and the Biblical fallen angel Lucifer. They are all variations on the 'Devil' theme. One could argue that they really are one and the same, as they all represent in one way or another the darker, fallible side of humanity. Satan is used as a scapegoat, accused of tricking humanity into sin when we are by our very nature capable of sin all on our own. Beelzebub, one of the Princes of Hell, is believed to be responsible for most cases of demon possession. Baphomet, the very symbol of the modern Satanic Church and often represented in traditional Tarot decks, is widely feared, reviled and considered heresy outside occult and metaphysical circles. As for Lucifer, long before successfully tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden, his arrogant defiance of God and subsequent fall from grace are legendary.
When thinking about The Devil archetype, the Lucifer mythos is first and foremost on my mind. Also known as the Morning Star, Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in Heaven and one of God's favorites. Legend has it that he became so enamored with his own persona, his beauty, intelligence and position of power, that he decided his rightful place was to be above his own Creator. Lucifer is believed to be the first sinner and that first sin was 'pride'. He was the first to use his free will to rebel against God. As punishment God cast Lucifer out of Heaven and sent him down to Earth.
 |
| 'The Demon' from the Spirit Keeper's Tarot-Vitruvian Edition by Benebell Wen |
Lucifer's sheer arrogance and pride, whether justified or not, were his downfall. He became so convinced that his own power surpassed even God's that he destroyed his best chance at attaining full Divinity. He literally self-destructed. And aren't we all exactly like him? Our constant struggle between our darkest, selfish impulses and the call of our better angels echoes Lucifer's original sin. We all fall into temptation; we all have self-important delusions; we all fail at one time or another in our fight against our baser instincts. Our souls become chained to the material world and are no longer able to evolve.
We are Lucifer and Lucifer is us. We are all fallen angels.
AN EXERCISE
Here is a simple exercise if you need to identify what areas of your life are affected by unhealthy, addictive patterns of behavior. Shuffle your deck if you feel the need to, then look for The Devil card. The two cards right before it will tell you what those areas are and the two cards after it will tell you how to break free from The Devil's chains.