Perhaps one of the most misunderstood cards in the Tarot Deck is the Devil Card. The classic illustration of the card depicting a horned goat-legged figure with a pitchfork, even those who are not Christian may mistakingly assume this card represents evil or at least is meant to signify something negative. And quite frankly, many Tarot practitioners who have studied the cards for years would be inclined to agree. However, like I’ve said numerous times before in previous writings on Tarot. There are multiple layers of meanings embedded within these cards, and the Devil card is no exception. Viewed at the exoteric surface level, those uninitiated in the greater exoteric meaning of Tarot will see this card as meaning a general theme of misguided qualities such as:
- Misguided devotion
- Infidel nature
- Bondage
- Addiction
- Defeat
- Corruption
- Misused Power
The truth is quite different. To sum up the true esoteric meaning of this card in the simplest of terms, I would say it stands for “A major revelation, proceeding a personal triumph.”
Unfortunately, anyone who is still under the misguided notion of considering The Devil as an embodiment of evil will forever struggle to piece together this hidden meaning.
As a Luciferian, you should already know by now that the true identity of The Devil is none other than Lucifer the Light Bearer. This card stands for Illumination and seeing things as they truly are. With that said, recognizing the true nature or state of things is only the first step towards any personal triumph.
To recap, the first level of hidden meaning behind The Devil is that of Lucifer the Lightbearer, which provides Illumination, allowing us to see the truth behind all things.
The second level of meaning here is the universal human experience of struggle and suffering in the face of overwhelming odds. If you have read Introduction to Demonic Magick, you will understand why this relates to The Devil. For those who have the book and want to understand this further, I recommend rereading the story of creation to familiarize yourself better with Lucifer’s empathy towards human incarnation.
At this point, you should have a better understanding of why The Devil card is a precursor to positive life change. This applies even if drawn during divination to indicate an Exoteric level meaning such as bondage or corruption.
In this situation, the divination subject is most likely feeling lost or lacks clarity in life, and it is none other than Lucifer trying to provide a wake-up call. After all, we must first recognize and identify a negative situation before we can fix it. The Devil card empowers us to change our situation by taking a step back, surveying our surroundings, and weeding out what no longer serves us. It is about overcoming the chains of personal bondage, not remaining entrapped by them.
The Devil card should also serve as a lifelong reminder that overcoming the various forms of chains holding us down is a lifelong process and that things are not always as they seem.