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offering the thirteenth: the Devil  The Devil, as traditionally shown, is one of the most direct cards in Tarot. Whereas some cards choose to slide the main points of action to one side, off in the corner, or far in the foreground, the Devil card is bold, confrontational, and in a skewed way, very centered and intent. Many Christian interpreters of Tarot point to this card as the one that most accurately portrays evil in human lives. I, among other Tarot commentators, profoundly disagree. The Learning Tarot site has this to say concerning this card: "From our human perspective, we see the world as a struggle between light and dark. We want to vanquish the bad so the good can prevail. In fact, good and bad cannot be separated, just as you cannot separate a shadow from its source. Darkness is simply the absence of light, and it is caused by errors that hide the truth." The Learning Tarot site lists three major errors of perception that this card can indicate to the querent. Ignorance: Ignorance is the largest error that this card portrays. The type of ignorance that allow people to embrace theories over reality ("The world is flat"; "No one's actually been to the moon"; "Humanity is composed of different races", for example), or pretend that the elephant is not, in fact, in the room with the rest of the family. This type of ignorance can lead to beliefs that are inflexibly set in stone, over ideas that are more flexible, more fluid, and expand to contain new realities. Materialism: This is the next error that this card portrays. What is truly important in life? Is it achieving happiness, finding a measure of peace, or owning that silver Lexus with the burgundy leather seats? At its heart, this card is about choosing the physical over the spiritual, the pleasures of the flesh over the joys of a spiritual life. It does not, as other commentors have stated, indicate sexuality is evil, that acquisition is always a bad thing. But it can point out a willful blindness to the spiritual that can drag the querent down into denial, addiction, dependence, enslavement...and it all starts out with denying what is only felt, not seen, and embracing the material over the spiritual. Hopelessness: Hopelessness is the last error this card portrays. That a joyful, rich, peaceful life should be sought for is not in question; that the spirit can despair and falter along the way is not in question. But this card points up the basic flaws of living in despair--how easy, it says, would it be to give in, accept that things will never improve, compromise to a lesser evil, impair one's principles and beliefs...Hopelessness is key to all these mental states. By accepting that one cannot achieve the heights of dreaming, the soul begins to despair. Draw this card in a reading and it's a very clear message from the universe. Break the cycle of addiction. Pull yourself from your depression. Never give up. Never give in. You can achieve your dreams, but not if you ignore your spiritual self. Just as the physical body has needs, so too does the soul. And neither can exist without the other. Post a comment in response: |
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