Welcome to day four of Tarot Week here at White Rose of Avalon my Darlings! Today’s post will be about the Devil card in Tarot. The Devil card is the fifteenth card of the Major Arcana and is an oft-maligned card, dreaded by the querent. However, many readers, myself included see this card with much more nuance than the simplistic interpretation given by the Rider Waite Smith deck.
That is why in Celtic-based decks, the card is most often not given the name of ‘The Devil’ instead swapping it out for other names that show the depth the card possesses. The Arthurian Tarot has the Green Knight as the Devil card. The Llewellyn Tarot names the card the Horned One and is represented by the Wild Herdsman (as each card in this deck is named for the card and has an associated figure from Welsh myth). Tarot of the Hidden Realm names the card Shadowdance. All of these have the card shown in a more balanced light. The Green Knight version of the card from The Arthurian Tarot shows the card as one of testing with temptation. But as we know from the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain is able to overcome these challenges and so too can the querent! The card, in each of these interpretations, still contains the warning of being bound by addiction that the traditional Rider Waite Smith card possesses. The difference comes in the fact that when we look at the ancient Pagan Horned Gods, they can bring madness and addiction, but they truly represent the wildness of nature incarnate. The Horned God version of the card indicates a time of festivity and wild celebration, a time to cut loose, but with the warning to do so in moderation, because all of the energies of the card can lead to addiction, and bondage to that addiction, if left to spin out of control!
In my reading of the Devil card, it always has the nuance in mind, especially since I do not personally use the Rider Waite Smith deck. I think that the Devil card is often one that is hard to like or hard to see the lessons it can teach. When we only look at the side of the card which is negative, speaking of being bound to addictive behaviors, there seems to be no way out. But when we look at the card as one of embracing our most deep and true natures but having the warning to not overdo anything that can become addictive, there is nuance in the energy! I have to admit, when I first began reading Tarot, this was a card I struggled to find the nuance of, as it felt very harsh and unrelenting. However, as time went on, and I got deeper into my spiritual path, it became clear that just as much of the Christian concept of the Devil was inspired by ancient Horned Gods, so was the Devil card. The Horned Gods are not evil, but they are wild and free and uninhibited, but when that is taken to the extreme it can lead to madness and addiction, the true and nuanced meaning of the Devil card, which I am so glad I have realized! Having a more nuanced understanding of this card allows for a more accurate and balanced reading when the Devil card appears.
At the end of the day, the Devil card’s energy is one of temptation, which can be given into with moderation, but if we are not able to enjoy ourselves without becoming excessive that is where problems arise. It is actually a very deep and thought-provoking card, and asks us to go within and confront the Shadow to evaluate how we react to the wildness within ourselves! I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on the Devil card in Tarot. Is the Devil card one you struggle with like I once did? Do you find the nuance in this card? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the Horned One card from The Llewellyn Tarot, which is one of my favorite Devil cards! I found the image on https://www.pinterest.com/pin/236790892884856507/.
Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services! I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon! Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/
Further Reading
- The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need by Skye Alexander
- The Arthurian Tarot by John & Caitlin Matthews
- The Llewellyn Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson
- Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey & Barbara Moore
White Rose of Avalon 