The Devil

caridwen

Anyone fancy getting into the nitty gritty of this fallen angel?
 

caridwen

Okay, I'll throw something in.

The Devil marks the point where the trumps start taking off their clothes. (except of course the Lovers which is the opposite of the Devil)

In the Devil card, our ego is dissolved and laid bare. From this point on, we have completely left the mundane world and are working on transforming ourselves to our higher selves. Once we pass through the Tower, there is no longer a place for false modesty, hiding anything from ourselves or other people, or any protection from the forces and processes we encounter – we must face each step honestly and openly, in order to complete the process of integration and transformation. Even the Fool, who is the closest to being spiritually pure, has taken on some clothing – a reference to incarnation in the physical body and a willingness to live on earth.
 

psychic sue

I've never really considered that view of the devil fully, but it makes sense.

Just to throw in another view point, have a look at the Heirophant next to the Devil. The priest's 2 fingers held down signify that there is more to life that what we see, but at the same time, the fingers imply that the path to that deeper knowledge is closed. The Devil's open fingers may symbolise the narrow illusion that what you see is all that exists. Or it can symbolise seeing everything.
 

Parzival

I like the interpretation about the open hand psychic sue, that what we directly see is the whole picture, or so we think. I also notice that his four fingers are split apart in the middle, two to one side, two to the other side -- unity broken. But what is the scribble on his palm? The "Original" Rider-Waite shows a three-pronged fork joined to a Saturn glyph, or so it appears.
It's interesting that he holds the torch of fiery passion in his right hand, while his left hand is intellectual in its symbolic split of fingers and written message. Hot versus cold. Passion versus intellect. No warmth of heart to bring together the hand of burning desire and the hand of cold division. The devil is devoid of Temperance, the preceding arcanum, angel of the interweave of opposites.The down-tip of the pentagram is over the brow chakra, lower psychism. And he's down in the mouth, too.
 

caridwen

psychic sue said:
I've never really considered that view of the devil fully, but it makes sense.

Just to throw in another view point, have a look at the Heirophant next to the Devil. The priest's 2 fingers held down signify that there is more to life that what we see, but at the same time, the fingers imply that the path to that deeper knowledge is closed. The Devil's open fingers may symbolise the narrow illusion that what you see is all that exists. Or it can symbolise seeing everything.

Yes, the open fingers suggest: "What sensation reports is all there is to know."

"On the palm of this upliftd hand is outlined an astrological symbol of the planet Saturn, ruling in Capricorn. Saturn is the planet of limitation, inertia, and therefore of ignorance. In his left hand is a torch, burning wastefully, and giving little light. The torch is a phallic symbol, representing the transmission of life from generation to generation. Its fiery quality refers also to the exaltation of the Mars vibration in Capricorn. In one sense, this is the fiery torch of revolution, based on materialistic interpretations of experience, the torch of terrorism and anarchy" Paul Case, The Tarot, 1949

Accordingly the Devil shows our deep fear of realised freedom....just as The Tower shows our deep fear of instablity and change.
 

psychic sue

The atrological glyph for Saturn on the devil's palm refers directly to that planet - which represents weakness, limitations and restriction.

The reversed pentacle above the Devil's forehead? If you stand with your feet apart and your arms outstretched, the human body forms a pentacle. If the body is turned upside down, the sex organs are higher than the head - desire overcoming Judgment.

Interestingly, the gesture made by the Devil of the gap between the two double figures is the gesture that was made by the High Priest in Jerusalem to bring down the spirit force. This gesture still survives today in the Jewish new year, as a priestly blessing.
 

Parzival

psychic sue said:
The astrological glyph for Saturn on the devil's palm refers directly to that planet...

Interestingly, the gesture made by the Devil of the gap between the two double figures is the gesture that was made by the High Priest in Jerusalem to bring down the spirit force. This gesture still survives today in the Jewish new year, as a priestly blessing.

If one looks at the "Original" Rider-Waite, the markings on the devil's
left palm are peculiar and warrant direct observation and evaluation.
The hand gesture goes back to ancient blessings and invocations and forward to Star Trek-- Spock's Vulcan blessing. But the devil has no heart force behind his symbolic gesture, and it combines with his hand markings, apparently Saturnian. He does not invoke. He deceives and divides. Matter is his muse.
The details of the "Original" Rider-Waite are infinitely complex and profound, amazingly alive. Re-colored versions do not always keep all the detail. The markings on the Radiant's devil's hand have been simplified to a cross.The Divine Name has vanished from Temperance's robe, over the Triangle. A gain in color, a loss in esotericism.
 

squeakmo9

Originally posted by Caridwen
"In the Devil card, our ego is dissolved and laid bare. From this point on, we have completely left the mundane world and are working on transforming ourselves to our higher selves."

I see the Devil card as only dealing with the mundane world and a purely materialistic approach to life. There seems to be a spiritual void of sorts but it appears to be self imposed since the chains around the figures are loose and can easily be taken off. The Devil also appears to be above a point of escape for the man and woman to go through. Like an escape latch. With Saturn's influence on this card it can indicate a karmic situation, a lesson to be learned since Saturn is known as a teacher of life lessons.
 

EricTheHermit

As you all know, many decks are Rider-Waite-Smith variants that follow the RWS symbolism, but with their own interpretation. The Devil card in my Robin Wood deck doesn't have the traditional Devil picture. Instead, it shows nude figures chained to a huge treasure chest. The scene is set in a dark tunnel, with a doorway of light in the distance. The figures want to go to the light and leave the tunnel, but are trapped, chained by their desire for the treasure. It's a great metaphor for how suffering is caused by want - which is a basic principle of Buddhism.

The Robin Wood deck is a very pagan deck; the artist herself is Wiccan. Wood's art is similar - but not the same - to Smith's, except that all the traditional Christian symbolism of RWS is gone. You don't have to be a pagan to read with this deck. I'm not, and I love it. I find the pagan art refreshing compared to the traditional images.

Ironically, it was the Christian symbolism of RWS and Marseille - especially the Devil card - that played a big part in causing religious people and institutions to hate and fear the tarot for no good reason.

- Eric
 

Antenna

caridwen said:
Yes, the open fingers suggest: "What sensation reports is all there is to know."

"On the palm of this upliftd hand is outlined an astrological symbol of the planet Saturn, ruling in Capricorn. Saturn is the planet of limitation, inertia, and therefore of ignorance. In his left hand is a torch, burning wastefully, and giving little light. The torch is a phallic symbol, representing the transmission of life from generation to generation. Its fiery quality refers also to the exaltation of the Mars vibration in Capricorn. In one sense, this is the fiery torch of revolution, based on materialistic interpretations of experience, the torch of terrorism and anarchy" Paul Case, The Tarot, 1949

Accordingly the Devil shows our deep fear of realised freedom....just as The Tower shows our deep fear of instablity and change.

hi caridwen u mention about the torch in the devil's left hand. do u think there was any particular meaning as to why the torch is held facing down instead of upright as is the norm. would it mean that the devil likes to do things the opp way as opposed to what is right?