giving the Devil a chance

I came across some old threads here on AT concerning the Devil card and to be honest, they have greatly turned me off of this card...perhaps I even have a slight fear of it now, thought I know I should not feel such a way about a card. I would like to see a different perspective now.

Please share with me...What is the most positive encounter you have had with this card? What was it saying/representing?

In my opinion, the most encouraging perspective on this card comes from Aleister Crowley in the Book of Thoth. To summarize, it represents "abundant creative energy that can be put to constructive use in material ways." In my own terms, I added "as long as you don't put too fine a point on the ethics of your actions," suggesting a bit of "the ends justify the means." He's still a slippery fellow, but harnessing the raw power to a practical objective and staying clear of too much over-analyzing and second-guessing would be one way to get the best of it. Because Capricorn operates in the realm of the senses, there would be a need to bring its inherent tough-mindedness to the forefront in controlling the urge to channel the energy into unproductive pursuits (as in "becoming a slave to your appetites").

It's about materialism and we live in the materialistic world. The whole point of living on earth is to experience materialism.

Every time we discuss the Devil in one of my tarot study groups everyone says, "take the noose off!"

Well if you take the noose off that's find and dandy, but then you build a castle to sky (tower) based on this "astral" concept.

Advice when dealing with the devil: Stay grounded in the material. You don't have to get all "astral" that's not the point of being spiritual or following the spiritual path.

That character in the Devil card doesn't even exist. It's just a self created demon to keep ourselves in false chains. And like everything, you'll need to see it more balanced.

Most people live in the devil created world anyway. Only see half-truths..... But don't get too crazy....then you'll built a castle to the sky trying to find god in the sky, when all along god was walking among you, here, on earth.

When it comes to relationships (which I'll assume to be your focus), it's hard to find a positive angle of this card -- unless those involved are on a mutually willing sex-based wavelength, in which case the Devil can show lusty and addictive physical enjoyment. Even then, what happens between them down the line can all too easily include obsessive behaviour, deception, manipulation, etc.: the Devil's usual fare... Served up when one partner starts to pull away and the other isn't ready to let go, or when more is desired than the other is willing/able to provide.

Most often it seems that trying to find a "good side" of the Devil, particularly in a relationship context, involves disownership, downplaying serious issues and/or grasping at straws. (I've leaned that way myself, at times, as well.)

when I realized if I don't believe in any gods, the devil certainly doesn't exist either.
http://quirkeries.blogspot.com/2012/04/devil-made-me-do-it-not.html

Pretty well neutered the whole concept
Relax, life is short...

IndigoWaves said:

When it comes to relationships (which I assume to be your focus), it's hard to find positive angles to this card -- unless both people involved are on a mutually sex-based wavelength, in which case the Devil can show an addictively lusty physical enjoyment. Even then, what happens between them down the line can all too easily involve obsessive behaviour, deception, manipulation, etc.: the Devil's usual fare... Typically unearthed when one partner starts to pull away but the other isn't ready to let go, or when one person desires more than the other is willing/able to provide. Honestly, when I see folks trying to see a "good side" to this card, particularly in a relationship sense, it most often seems to involve a grasping at straws.

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I agree. When it comes to relationships, then it is hard to find something positive. But in general, it can be seen as positive if you choose to see it that way.

Though...I know couples who are obsessed and possessive towards each other. They do believe this is "true love" and believe that the reason why the obsession and possessiveness is there is because their souls are bound together. Personally, I do not think "possession" is part of love.

Laurelle said:

Personally, I do not think "possession" is part of love.

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Exactly... And considering the restrictive effects of Saturn, the individual growth of those involved in that scenario is likely stunted.

The Devil can be a great sign in business/money/materialistic endeavours, but it's a very different story when personal "love" relationships are involved. Greater psychological awareness and potentially better control of one's own dark side may lead from the Devil, but that's unfortunately not always the case (and much pain/damage can occur in the meantime).

Interesting topic!
Personally I don't really like to see a positive Devil in a deck; it's important to consider things as they are, evil if they are. Evil-smelling aspects exist, I am sure about of this.

Apart from this, and with regard to your question, I think that the Devil Card in pagan decks like the Druidcraft or the Llewellyn by Ferguson (there are likely many other decks) is more positive because he is depicted as the Horned one or Cernunnos.
"Cernunnos was a Celtic god of fertility, life, animals, wealth, and the underworld" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cernunnos)

I accept this view in these decks but he isn't the Devil like I like to see him in a deck. Well...

Leviosa said:

I came across some old threads here on AT concerning the Devil card and to be honest, they have greatly turned me off of this card...perhaps I even have a slight fear of it now, thought I know I should not feel such a way about a card. I would like to see a different perspective now.

Please share with me...What is the most positive encounter you have had with this card? What was it saying/representing?

Click to expand...

Hi Leviosa. I think this is an important issue. Thank you for presenting it here. I had a reading this past week, and asked the client at the beginning, "what's on your mind?" She replied, "escape." Needless to say, The Devil was the first card drawn. When the Devil shows its face, we know something is awry that needs to be dealt with. So, just what is the Devil, and how does one deal with it? First of all, the Devil is an "archetype" that exists in our unconscious in the form of psychic energy, and not just our personal unconscious, but the collective unconscious. The power this archetype holds over us is contingent upon how deeply we repress this psychic energy. The deeper we bury it, because of fear, the stronger the energy becomes. Bringing it into consciousness is what diffuses this energy and strips it of its power over us. The way one deals with the devil is through Temperance.....finding the balance, the proper mix of fear and acceptance. Fear is a reaction. It is also a choice. And, quite frankly, the choice is a moral one. We choose whether to allow this energy to thrive in us or not through our moral choices. So, our fear of the Devil is really just a fear of our own psychic energy. Instead of fearing it, bring it into consciousness and deal with it...that will diffuse its power over you...and give you the will and strength to be a better person at the same time. You deprive the Devil of its power when you claim the power for yourself and manage it the way Temperance does....without spilling a drop.

Positively I've seen it represent a mortgage with pentacles, a marriage commitment with hierophant, lovers etc and reversed a release from the chains of the multi situational devil. Lust too I guess is a positive interp.