XV-The Devil (♑︎)
The Devil by G A Rosenberg
Rampant Creation
I Embrace in ecstasy
all that I perceive
Glory glimpsed then returned
Descend to mortal flesh
Can I escape and see again
what lies beyond?
If not, can I learn to love this world
the sensation of sensation
each breath, each sight, each sound delighting me
and you, beauty and heat
besides me in the dark
also chained yet not caring,
Food we have, drink, sustenance
that we give and take from each other
along with our energy building
the circle closes but not of our chains
but our freedom
and it all feels so good
Come with me and we shall escape…
in mounting joy.
Stay with me
and let us indulge
and transcend…
— G A Rosenberg
It makes sense that for many the Devil is a frightening card. It speaks of vice and temptation and excess and being chained by your own desires. While the card can mean that for some in reality it is the representation of Pan and the pure enjoyment fulfilment and use of the sensory world in all of its aspects. Many of us fear the desires and kinks that we carry around and bury them deep. We can all too easily become so terrified by our shadow selves that we repress ourselves and hide them away. Repression is the true trap for something that is too contained cannot expand and pressure builds up until it explodes uncontrollably. By enjoying ourselves and the world around us to its fullest and by deciding when and how we explore our temptations we give ourselves room to grow. The Devil tells us that we are material beings with a sensual nature and that we should delight in this. Our physicality is not something we need to transcend but a valuable tool in our arsenal. It is when we are incarnate that we can best grow and evolve. Learning to channel the carnal material energy that we have can lead us farther than denial ever can. It is only through the physical that we can bring the forces of our subconscious and superconscious into full awareness and manifestation. It is a force of responsibility because if we go to excess, it is up to us to recover and go forward.
Astrological Correspondences-Capricorn(♑︎)-Much like the goat that is its symbol, the Capricorn energy leaps to the top of whatever field it is involved in. In material matters it is hard-working, ambitious and practical and has no problem making it over any obstacles in its way to get to where its going. It may be considered a ruthless energy in some ways tho Capricorn is always willing to take responsibility for its actions. Spiritually (for Capricorn while grounded has an extreme spiritual aspect and has the ability to manifest its spiritual goals) Capricorn will do the work necessary to reach the heights and the depths with a keen appreciation for every stop along the way. Capricorn has a competitive side and likes to win. It can tend towards the conservative side but uses whatever it needs to get to where it wishes to go. The Capricorn energy is very sexual side and again there it knows how to get what it wants. It’s planetary ruler is Saturn which in its slow moving way gives Capricorn both patience and an awareness of limitations it must overcome
Runic Correspondences-Nauthiz(“Need”)–
The Nauthiz rune talks of need and specifically in context man’s need for and love/hate relationship with fire. Fire is a useful tool but used badly it can burn destructively much like our own sexual and spiritual nature. If we are open to our needs then we can satisfy them in a practical and productive way and use them to better understand our natures. If we repress them or let them go out of control then they can end up burning us badly. Other runes associated with the Devil card are Fehu and Eolh
Path on the Tree of Life-Path 26-Ayin-Ayin translates as eye. It is the path of renewal and brings an influx of energy into conscious awareness. We see with both eyes what we have and what we are and what we are not. By going beyond the dualities of good and evil, black and white, god and devil, angel and demon, self and non-self we can evolve. Ayin connects the sephiroth of Tiphareth (“Beauty”) and Hod (“Majesty”, Intellect”) and takes us beyond our ordered intellectual beings to our solar (soul) selves that is beyond the separations our minds employ for rational understanding Ayin is known as the renewing consciousness.
When the Devil turns up in a reading, it can often indicate that one is facing the shadow side of themselves. Perhaps they are feeling tempted by desires they are uncomfortable with. It is only by understanding the need and how to satisfy it that the querent can move past it. The Devil may also indicate that a relationship that the querent finds themselves in may be damaging in some way tho it is very enticing. Perhaps it is with someone with an air of danger or ‘the forbidden’ to the querent. At the very least it may mean dangerous to them tho danger is not always a bad thing and can often be an amazing learning experience. The card may also refer to a feeling of being trapped or constrained by either circumstances or desires. This feeling is somewhat delusional and may be a way of the querent avoiding taking responsibility for their own actions when they can release themselves at any time by making the decision to do so and following through with it. Another meaning of the Devil is obsession or focusing on one area at the expense of others. Excess may lead to wisdom or loss, it is up to the querent.
When the Devil turns out reversed, it often is asking the querent if what they currently have in their lives is what they want. They may be coming to an understanding of how they are trapped by their addictions and desires and are preparing to throw off their chains. The reversed card can also mean that the querent is ready to end a relationship that feels destructive. They may be understanding more and more how illusory that feeling of being trapped or constrained by another person in their lives is. It may also be a realization that they have been over-indulging in some area of their lives and it is time to put it aside for awhile. The Inversed Devil may also mean that it is time for the querent to detach.
