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Discussion
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I never truly understood The Devil, because most interpretations I’ve read are all over the place and vague.
When I did my new year spread (I drew 1 card for each month), I got The Devil for January. This card very very rarely shows up for me.
When I began diving into its meaning, the interpretations mentioned liberation, your authentic self, freedom, etc. I was using the Thoth deck so the interpretations are a bit more positive than some others that describe the Devil as meaning being chained or trapped by negativity.
So..as January is almost over, I can confirm that the first interpretation was true for me! I felt the first half of the month I felt trapped and obsessed in my depressing thoughts regarding a recent breakup. I honestly didn’t think those feelings would go away.
However, one day in the middle of the month I just woke up and felt..different. Liberated. Like I have MY POWER back. I have no idea why or how it happened but a switch flipped in my brain and I have this amazing sense of self reliance and self assuredness. I feel like I finally understand what The Devil means in the Thoth deck..at least for me.
What are your experiences with the Devil? Have you seen this card as more of an indication of breaking free from constraint or being controlled by it?
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The Devil – Liberation
updated 3 years, 2 months ago 1 Member · 6 Replies
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The Devil is our physicality. Our drive to be mortal and live, eat, play, express our sexuality, be angry, be joyful, to fight and to love.
Acknowledging our physicality instead of repressing it is part of being human. It’s easy to go overboard in either direction; to deny our appetites to the point of asceticism or to indulge to the point of addiction.
I have always seen the Devil card as finding that balance between want and need.
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For me, the Devil is a reminder that I am my own ultimate authority on my life and spirit, and that if I am being chained or withheld in the situation, then I must own up to my own responsibility in the matter in order to free myself from it.
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For me, the devil card has meant a need to free one’s self from self inflicted addictions. This could be scrolling through social media, needing outside validation, etc. the devil asks us to question whether our wants and desires are inhibiting us. Does our goal become impeded by what we claim to need? Or are we wasting our time with a fruitless pursuit?
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I think that is a wonderful insight, and actually really helpful. I’ve often struggled with how to interpret The Devil card, because yeah… most general interpretations are very vague or wholly negative.
But in my own readings it tends to show up as an indicator of something that is holding me back – whether that is a mindset, a circumstance, etc… and it usually indicates that I’m right of the verge of being free from whatever is restraining me. So I see it as being capable of being a positive card, it all depends on the feeling you get when you draw it I think. I feel that way about the Death card too, I don’t see it as negative but rather an indication of beginnings as well as endings.
Where as a card like the 3 of swords, that one is a bit harder to find a positive spin on 🙂
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The Devil card is just like that. It’s about regaining your power over what once held you hostage. The Devil showed to me at the beginning of a relationship. It took a while until manifested in me getting out of that abusive relationship and learning to defend myself again mistreatment. It’s when I put my foot down and learned to bite back. The Devil’s passion, sex, and sin is always fun at first. But then it starts to oppress.
The Devil can be seen in two parts, being chained to the devil not seeing an escape. Then in it’s better interpretation; rising up to escape looming power or urges and going back to the above lands (Demeter out of Hades’ underworld.) Also a man and a women are often pictured under the devil. This can be compared to Adam and Eve under the serpent’s influence.
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Just had the devil last month in my Celtic Cross spread as the “advice/how to proceed” card. While the imagery does speak of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll”… I think sometimes, we need a little bit of the devil in our lives. 2020 was a rough year for me in many ways (as for most people). I’ve been away from the things that make my life fun– haven’t had sex, haven’t done any drugs and even quit drinking due to a health issue, and well… there’s not any live rock and roll or festivals during COVID (at least in my neck of the woods). The devil reminded me to get back to those things, live a little… all work and no play makes jack a dull boy after all!
I also see your perspective on the devil– are YOU the devil, holding the chains, in control? Or are you one of the chained humans? Perhaps, the devil could be about taking back our locus of control.
