Not too long ago we found ourselves in the car by a block of apartment houses, waiting for friends. If you are familiar with New England, you know that in these areas people live practically piled on top of each other. A few houses down, our calm was interrupted by the screams of several people: “Get outta my house!!” “You are the Devil!!” “We were just drinking!!!” “Calm down, Dude!!!” Finally, the police arrived.
The residents in the troubled apartment came down to street level: a woman, a teenage boy, and a man. Apparently, the woman and her boyfriend were constantly having issues, and her teenage son was trying, in vain, to defend his mother. The friends we were visiting on that block also arrived at the car, and began telling us how these neighbors were always fighting — and how bad they felt for the kid. “That boyfriend is evil,” our female companion commented.
“No,” her husband replied, “she is an idiot.” All I could do was think about the other kids who lived in that same apartment building… and sigh.
The Devil Card is the 15th card in the Major Arcana. On this card you have a devil-like part-man, part-goat (or part-beast). Dionysis, Pan, and Baphomet are examples of figures used in random decks to illustrate the chaos invoked by what this card represents. You’ll find random male and female body parts in unusual spots on this creature as well.
There are also people held in bondage on these image, and humans doing all kinds of earthly acts to represent the temptations of the flesh. However, if you look closely at the card you’ll notice that the bonds holding these people to the creature are loose enough for them to free themselves — showing that they actually choose to stay in bondage.
Remember that these matters vary, based upon the querent and the issues, but in my spreads I try not to lend too much weight to the Devil Card. To me, it represents “noise and racket,” or issues that are important when we allow them to be. This card is an abbreviation for drama and commotion. If it’s inverted, I find this card in someone’s layers to be a warning about a troublemaker — or someone who may bring out the querent’s own naughtiness.
On a more serious note, this can be a cautionary sign about overriding issues, but we must look at the spread as a whole. A simple example would be the King of Cups inverted, and related to the Devil Card. This stands for someone who may have issues with over-indulging and selfishness, and brings too much drama to the table. You should probably steer clear, unless you love being traumatized. A more frightening example is The King of Swords inverted, The Devil, and The Magician inverted: this combination means you should probably hide — because the grouping represents Michael Myers, and you have just found yourself in the movie Halloween!
I seem to be reminding people a lot, of late, that I can’t tell anyone what to do; I just tell them what I see. The troubled couple I mentioned before are people I couldn’t prevent from seeing each other — but when we let our devils in we run the risk of ruining more than our own lives. We have all made mistakes, and we will make them again, but we are put here on Earth to help one another. If you find yourself in a relationship that is toxic not only to you, but to your kids and your neighbors (and their kids), try getting a reading from one of the planet’s finest — at California Psychics. This may help you get a glimpse into a future that you may not be able to see, in your scope of reasoning, until it’s slammed right on top of you — by which time, of course, it could be too late.
Tell us your interpretation of the Major Arcana’s Devil Card.
