XV The Devil/ The Black Magician

After Death, The Devil is one of the most recognizable and feared cards in tarot. That is not surprising with the Devil’s negative connotation and the imagery of the card. A horned goat with an inverted pentagram upon his forehead stands upon a cube with his right hand raised and his left hand lowered holding a burning staff. A man and woman stand captive held to the cube by chains that wrap loosely around their necks.

The man and woman could easily slip the chains from around their necks releasing themselves from the hold of the Devil. It is a matter of choice and perspective. The Devil suggests that you are being held captive by an illusion. It appears that you are bound to the circumstances of the world around you but that is a false reality. You are too tied to the physical material realm. The Black Magician uses tricks and deception to convince you that you cannot escape from your situation. But the chains that bind you aren’t real. In fact, the way out of this situation is quite simple when you change your perspective. It might help to seek the insight from someone who is not involved in the issue as they will be able to see things that you cannot as you are too close to everything that is happening.

This card can also indicate that there are hidden agendas at work. These could hinder your ability to meet your goals. Prepare multiple contingency plans but do not become consumed with your work or projects. Material gains can create a comfortable life but things are not more valuable than developing your mind, heart, and spirit. The desire to obtain things such as the next car, house, romantic partner, vacation, job, purse, shoes, or vacation occurs for everyone. We all value different things in life. Balance is the key. What we give power to can turn into our personal prisons. Working only to obtain things while not increasing our knowledge, improving the world around us, and growing spiritually can lead to greed and vanity.

The Devil figure in this card may represent you. Greed, selfishness, and vanity are all attributes associated with the negative view of the Devil. Are you taking advantage of others in your life? Scamming them out of money, time, or stealing their ideas? When you are attempting to restrict the movement and creative capacity of others you are only serving to limit yourself in the long run. Eventually what you do will catch up with you. There is time though to change your ways. Lucifer was the Light Bringer. Instead of using your knowledge to take advantage of others use it to enlighten them and free them from the illusion that binds them to superficial blocks.

Reverse:

The Devil card in reverse meaning depends on where it falls in the spread. It could mean that hidden agendas are being brought to light. That you are realizing that there are no binds forcing you to stay in your current situation. You have the power to remove your chains and create your own life as you see fit. The Devil in reverse can also indicate that you are breaking others free from their binds to the material world through knowledge. Lastly, a situation that you felt was holding you back or restricting your ability to achieve your goals is being removed. On the other hand, this card could also indicate even more restrictions, illusions, deception, and being too focused on the material world than The Devil.

Numerology and Astrology:

Those who align with the vibration are successful in their careers, have a knack for business, money, and obtaining material wealth. You also will have keen mind for philosophy. This allows for you to see that material wealth alone has little value. You realize that one can become bound by the things that they desire. You know that a complete life includes fun, friends, family, creative, and thoughtful pursuits. With this wisdom, you are able to manifest at will while also not being chained to the world around you. Ruled by Venus and Capricorn, the appreciation and desire for security becomes clear. Venus loves comfort and beautiful items. They desire to live in a space where everything is aesthetically pleasing. Capricorn brings the challenge of obtaining long term material success which can lead to the obsessive greed and selfishness. When Venus and Capricorn work together to improve the world for themselves and others we find them at their best, creating beauty, prosperity, and abundance with ease for all.