DAILY TAROT: THE DEVIL.
The Primal Truth of Nature and The Demiurge
XV. THE DEVIL.
This card represents The Demiurge, and the Primal Truth of Nature.
The number is XV (15) and is the 16th Card in the Major Arcana.
HOW TO CONSIDER THE TAROT
For an introduction to this series and an outline of how to appreciate Tarot, in a very different paradigm to what one may be used to, the reader is encouraged to familiarise themself with the following post: How to Appreciate Tarot—a Hermetic guide to Semiotics & Allegory
NUMEROLOGY & NUMBERS
Numerology is the study of numbers. If mathematics is the language and the grammar, geometry is the syntax and poetry, and numbers are the base letters.
MATHEMATICAL PROPERTIES
Triangular Number:
15 is the fifth triangular number, calculated as the sum of the first five integers (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15). Triangular numbers often represent a structured progression, growth, or cumulative balance in mathematics and esoteric thought.
Divisors and Perfection:
The divisors of 15 are 1, 3, 5, and 15. These factors highlight 15 as the product of two prime numbers (3 × 5). In esotericism, prime numbers are often regarded as pure, indivisible, and foundational. The combination of 3 and 5 brings together two symbolically potent figures (see Numerological Properties below).
Dual Composition (10 + 5):
Fifteen can also be expressed as 10 + 5:
10 represents completion and wholeness (e.g., the base-10 system and symbolic fullness in many traditions).
5 represents freedom, change, and dynamic movement.
Together, this composition reflects a balance between structure (10) and dynamism (5), though potentially in tension.
NUMEROLOGY
Reduction to 6 (1 + 5 = 6):
In numerology, 15 reduces to 6, which is associated with harmony, love, and balance. The energy of 6 is nurturing and communal, representing integration and the resolution of conflict. However, 15 adds complexity by incorporating the individualistic energy of 1 and the dynamic, change-oriented energy of 5.
Symbolism of 3 × 5:
3: Creative energy, growth, and synthesis. In esoteric traditions, 3 represents Trinity (e.g., body, mind, and spirit; birth, life, and death) and the creative principle.
5: Sovereignty, quintessence, exploration, and the human experience (associated with the five senses). In numerology, 5 often signals instability, change, or exploration.
Their combination in 15 can represent creative exploration or transformative processes that arise when harmony (3) engages with freedom or disruption (5).
15 IN OTHER CULTURES
In Chaldean numerology, 15 is associated with Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and attraction. This suggests a pull toward connection and aesthetic appreciation but also the shadow side of indulgence or dependency.
In Pythagorean numerology, 15 is viewed as a harmonious number, uniting opposites through synthesis (1 and 5; 3 and 5).
NUMBERS OF THE MAJOR ARCANA
We deepen our analysis by exploring the numeric correspondence of 3, 5 & 6 to the Major Arcana.
3 corresponds to THE EMPRESS (III), “The Mirror of Life” and the Divine Feminine bridging the wild, unordered essence of nature with the cultivated patterns of life shaped by the cadence of the seasons. THE DEVIL represents a distortion of that essence. THE DEVIL distorts this creative, life-giving force into compulsion and entrapment.
5 corresponds to THE HIEROPHANT (V), the masculine ordering principle of Coherence of Mind. With THE DEVIL, this coherence becomes an illusion or oppressive construct, symbolizing how order can devolve into dogma, trapping the mind in rigid systems or destructive ideologies.
6 links THE DEVIL to THE LOVERS(VI) card, reflected in the arrangement of the face of that card. THE LOVERS represent Union, Beauty and the Path of Desire. Desire in this sense is the divine yearning or longing, for that which the divine in us deems beautiful, such as Fulfilment and Harmony. THE DEVIL alludes to the shadow aspect of Desire, a surrender of sovereignty
GEOMETRY & SEMIOTICS
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation, the systematic study of sign processes and the communication of meaning
In semiotics, numbers are not just quantities but signs that convey meaning beyond their mathematical function. The number 15 functions as:
A culmination symbol, representing the fulfilment of a cycle (e.g., the sum of 1 through 5).
A transitional symbol, marking the shift between balance (10) and dynamic change (5).
Triangular numbers like 15 create a “field of possibility” where points relate to each other to define both space and emergent potential. In semiotic terms, this spatial relationship reflects interconnectivity and the dynamic interplay of elements within a system.
SYMBOLISM ON THE CARD FACE
The symbols depicted on THE DEVIL card, including the Inverted Pentagram, Horns, Chains, and the echoes of the Fruit and Flames motif from THE LOVERS, are deeply significant.
The Pentagram, Horns and Chains each have dual meanings.
Pentagram: Represents either spiritual alignment (upright) or material dominance (inverted).
Horns: Embody both life-giving vitality and primal instincts that, if unchecked, can lead to ‘panic’.
Chains: Reflect connections that can be sacred or oppressive, forged by loyalty or by fear, but ultimately capable of being broken.
These elements challenge us to explore their dualities within ourselves, examining where balance has been lost, power has been misused, or connections have been distorted. They emphasize the complexity of existence, where no symbol is wholly good or evil but reflects the choices and circumstances that shape its expression.
Pentagram:
In its upright form, the pentagram represents harmony, protection, and the balance of the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) with spirit at the apex.
In its inverted form, the pentagram suggests the dominance of material or lower instincts over spirit. It symbolizes a reversal of natural order, where higher principles are subordinated to base desires or impulses.
Horns:
In pre-Christian or non-Christian symbolism horns are not automatically associated with evil, rather symbolising physical power and the raw, untamed energy of life. This is especially evident in figures like the Greek god Pan, who embodies virility, primal sensuality, and the wild forces of nature. Pan’s horns, akin to those of a goat, are an extension of his connection to the earth and the primal instincts of living creatures.
In Sumerian and Mesopotamian art, horned crowns were a mark of divinity.
Chains:
Chains symbolise forms of connection, bondage or restraint that are forged and incidentally, can be broken. Chains are used to symbolise both sacred unions and bonds of loyalty, but also to indicate servitude and power dynamics.
Fruit & Flames:
Fruit is a timeless symbol of desire, knowledge, and fulfilment. Fruit ripens and is associated with yield.
The flame symbolizes passion, transformation, and the spark of divine energy. Its presence in both cards represents the dynamic force of creation, though its expression differs dramatically. Flame transforms and is associated with both consuming and fueling.
The Hand Gesture:
The central figure on the card face has their right hand held up gesture echoes the pose of Baphomet as depicted by Éliphas Lévi, where one hand points upward and the other downward, symbolizing “As above, so below”—a foundational Hermetic principle. However, this gesture, when singular, as in THE DEVIL card, emphasizes control over one realm, suggesting dominance rather than harmony between opposites
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
These elements do not simply depict “evil” or malevolence but instead illuminate the inherent tension between liberation and entrapment, creation and destruction, harmony and distortion.
The pentagram, inverted, reveals the potential of the spirit to be subjugated by material impulses, while the horns, essentially divine and vital, transform into markers of unrestrained instinct.
Chains symbolise the paradox of bonds and boundaries.
Fruit is the Divine product of abundance carrying seeds of potential, but also fleeting indulgence. Flame can be both the transformative potential of passion and a destructive consuming force.
Together, these symbols challenge us to explore the dualities within ourselves, examining where we are aligned with growth or ensnared by distortion. Herein is reflected life’s complexity, inviting discernment, between forces that fuel liberation and those that perpetuate entrapment.
ARCHETYPE & FORM
Among the invoked archetypes of THE DEVIL card The Devil, The Demiurge, and Pan. Also related is the darker Archetypal figure of Saturn/Kronos.
THE DEVIL
The Devil represents the darker, repressed, and unacknowledged parts of the human psyche. It embodies temptation, materialism, and desires that entangle and enslave. Unlike figures of pure malice, The Devil is a more complex representation of duality and opposition—he is not simply evil but rather the force that encourages indulgence, deception, and self-gratification at the cost of spiritual freedom. The Devil lures individuals into focusing solely on the material, the ego, and the pleasures of the flesh, tempting them to forsake their higher purpose for immediate satisfaction.
The Devil also personifies humanity’s struggle with its own nature—the tension between base instincts and the aspirations of the soul. He stands as a reminder that what we seek to suppress within ourselves can often control us. This archetype holds power not through brute force, but by manipulating our own weaknesses, fears, and unintegrated desires. The power of The Devil lies in his ability to disguise bondage as freedom, and indulgence as fulfillment, masking the consequences of self-delusion and surrender to the shadow.
Christian influence: Many cultures feature devil-like figures, often embodying chaos, temptation, or danger, but not necessarily pure malevolence. The notion of THE Devil as a singular, supreme adversary to the Creator is unique to Christian theology and has syncretic origins. It draws heavily from Zoroastrian dualism, where Ahura Mazda opposes Angra Mainyu, and from the demonization of deities like the Canaanite Baal. This archetype evolved into a figure representing ultimate rebellion, deception, and malevolence, solidifying the binary framework of good versus evil in Western Christian thought.
THE DEMIURGE
The Demiurge archetype, drawn from Gnostic and Platonic traditions, depicts the force responsible for shaping the material world but in a flawed, ignorant, or malevolent way. This figure is often associated with a creator god who is distant or even antagonistic toward the higher spiritual realms. The Demiurge governs the physical world and embodies the idea of the flawed or false creator, one who imprisons souls within the boundaries of matter and illusion, preventing them from experiencing true spiritual liberation.
In the context of THE DEVIL card, the Demiurge archetype highlights the illusion of power that comes from attachment to the material plane. It suggests that individuals can become trapped in a reality dominated by false perceptions, mistaking the physical world and egoic desires for the ultimate truth. The Demiurge, like The Devil, is a force of control and limitation, creating a sense of false authority that obscures spiritual reality and higher consciousness. This figure also represents the chains of ignorance that must be broken to attain spiritual liberation.
PAN
Pan’s association with shepherds, flocks, and nature is just the surface of his mythological complexity. With the upper body of a man and the horns and lower half of his body that of a goat, he is a multifaceted figure, embodying not only the wildness of nature but also the primal forces of chaos and instinct within the human psyche. His untamed aspect links him to fertility, virility, and the mysteries of life and death. Pan’s nature is ambivalent, symbolizing both creation and destruction.
Pan represents the boundary between civilization and the wild, evoking the tension between order and chaos, reason and instinct. His presence is not just pastoral; he is also seen as a god of panic and ecstasy—the primal unconscious drives in human beings always present just below our composed and civilised veneer. Pan can inspire terror as much as he can inspire revelry, speaking to his role as a liminal figure between human control and the uncontrollable forces of the natural world.
Beyond the pastoral image, Pan can be viewed as a symbol of unmediated nature—raw, untamed, and filled with a vitality that transcends human categorization. His image connects to shamanic traditions and the instinctual, irrational aspects of human experience, playing a deeper role in the mystery traditions of Greece, possibly linked to rites of initiation and transformation. This complexity makes Pan a figure that embodies both the joy of natural connection and the fear of the unknown forces within and around us.
SATURN/KRONOS
Kronos or Saturn is archetypally associated, especially in astrology, with the notion of bounds, boundaries and limits. Kronos, the Titan of time and cycles, represents the archetype of boundaries and inevitability. As the keeper of time’s relentless progression, he governs the dual forces of order and limitation, highlighting the tension between the necessity of structure and the potential for entrapment within those bounds.
Kronos is mythologically infamous for devouring his children to prevent them from overthrowing him, symbolizing time’s consuming nature.
As a keeper of bounds, Kronos ensures the cycles of life, death, and rebirth that sustain order. These boundaries, while essential for stability, can also limit freedom and self-awareness when perceived as inescapable. The archetype illustrates how order can devolve into control, stifling growth and transformation.
Kronos, like The Devil and The Demiurge, is a figure of the lower and material planes. His governance of time and form ties him to the temporal illusions that define human existence. The constraints he represents serve as both a framework for creation and a trap for those who remain unaware of the possibility of transcendence.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
Through these archetypes, THE DEVIL card invites reflection on the choices that either bind us to our lower nature or liberate us to explore the deeper, more meaningful aspects of our existence, not the least of which is our own Ignorance, especially ignorance of our own nature and the unavoidable truth that half our existence and psyche is animal in nature. The repressed shadow—the raw, instinctual side of ourselves that we often seek to deny or suppress—becomes a source of internal conflict and external control. By refusing to acknowledge this side of ourselves, we give it more power, allowing it to manifest in distorted, unconscious ways that bind us further into material and psychological chains.
The Devil archetype illuminates the paradox that true liberation is achieved not by rejecting the lower aspects of our nature but by confronting, understanding, and integrating them. The primal forces within us—desire, fear, instinct, and the constraints of time and material existence—are not inherently malevolent. Rather, our entrapment lies in ignorance, particularly the ignorance of puritanical denial, which mischaracterizes these forces as purely destructive. Transcendence can only begin with self-knowledge and self-awareness, where integration of these shadow aspects transforms them from chains into tools for growth and empowerment.
ETYMOLOGY & LANGUAGE
Vertical shallow Etymology finds the nearest root words and leaves it at that. Deep and Wide Etymology reaches down and laterally, to explore the full essence of meaning that is related to the word.
DEVIL
The word Devil ultimately comes from the Greek word diabolos (διάβολος), which means “slanderer” or “accuser.” It is derived from the verb diaballein (διαβάλλειν), which means “to slander, attack, or throw across.” This verb itself is a compound of dia- (διά), meaning “across,” and ballein (βάλλειν), meaning “to throw.” The term diabolos was used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Septuagint) to refer to Satan, the adversary and accuser of humanity.
PANIC
The relationship with the Greek God Pan invokes the word Panic which means “sudden mass terror, often causing wild unthinking behaviour.”
Panic is the species of fear which grips a mind or minds, and triggers the “freeze, fight, fuck or flight” response in animals and humans.
The Greek panikon literally means “pertaining to Pan—the god of the woods and fields.” Pan was the god of ‘the wild’ and specifically the wildness of nature.
Related words are:
Pandemonium: From pan (all) and daimonium (spirits), meaning “the place of all demons” or widespread chaos. Reflects Pan’s association with wild, uncontrollable energy.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
The etymology of Devil and Panic reveals layered symbolic meanings tied to disruption, challenge, and primal fear. Diabolos highlights The Devil’s archetypal role as the adversary who “throws across” obstacles or accusations, challenging individuals to confront their shadows. Panic, rooted in Pan’s domain, evokes the wild and uncontrollable instincts that arise when encountering the raw, untamed forces within ourselves or nature. Together, these words underscore themes of confrontation, primal instinct, and the transformative power of fear and adversity, and also the ever-present reality of the animalistic and primal aspects of nature without which none of us would be here and life would simply not exist.
APPEARANCE & ARRANGEMENT
The card THE DEVIL depicts a dark, cavernous scene dominated by a horned, goat-headed figure seated on a black pedestal. This central figure combines anthropomorphic and bestial features, with bat-like wings extending behind it and an inverted pentagram prominently displayed on its forehead. The figure’s muscular, human-like upper body contrasts with its goat-like head, hairy legs and clawed feet. It’s one hand held aloft in a gesture of authority and in the other a torch of flame aimed at the tail of the male figure below.
Below the oppressive central figure, two nude human figures, one male and one female, stand chained by the neck to the pedestal. The chains appear loose enough to be removed, symbolizing self-imposed bondage. Both figures have small horns and tails, with the woman’s tail ending in a cluster of grapes and the man’s in a flame. Their postures and expressions reflect a passive acceptance of their predicament.
The background is stygian, dark and unlit, creating a sense of confinement and isolation. Flames burn faintly at the base of the pedestal, providing the only source of light in the card, while the barren setting emphasizes the stark and oppressive atmosphere.
EGREGORE & ESSENCE
Egregore is an esoteric concept representing an emergent archetypal thought form that arises from collective thoughts.
The card THE DEVIL represents The Demiurge and The Primal Truth of Nature—the forces that shape and define our understanding of existence, often hidden in the shadows of cultural narratives and personal denial.
To know one’s Devil is to know one’s God.
Shams of Tabrez
Western thought has long perpetuated a distortion of self-image that seeks to deny or repress those aspects of the human experience that are considered incompatible with the ideal of the divine. This worldview often glorifies purity, reason, and transcendence while rejecting or vilifying the primal, instinctual forces within us. Yet, we remain inseparably bound to the laws of nature: the mechanics of survival, reproduction, and the overwhelming, inescapable power of desire.
Similarly, in our romanticized view of Nature, we celebrate the blossom and the soaring bird, symbolic of beauty and freedom, while neglecting the reality beneath—a realm of raw, bestial energy, predation, and untamable elemental forces. This denial leaves us fragmented, estranged from the wholeness of life, and incapable of reconciling the light with the shadow. To truly understand ourselves and the world, we must embrace this duality—the delicate and the violent, the divine and the primal—recognizing that they are all parts of a greater and awe-inspiring whole.
THE UNFOLDING
THE SHADOW & THE DEMIURGE
THE DEVIL card is rich with the concepts of duality and causality, specifically the implication of Shadow. Everything real in this world casts a shadow—a phenomenon both literal and symbolic. The shadow is real in its existence, yet it is always a projection, inseparable from the object that creates it.
This duality underscores the nature of THE DEVIL card: the Shadow represents those parts of the ‘self’, or the world, that we refuse to confront or integrate. While it is tangible and impactful, it has no independent existence. It owes its form and substance to the light that reveals it and the reality that casts it, consciously or otherwise. To deny or repress the shadow is to allow it to grow unchecked, distorting its influence and reinforcing its power. The human habit we have for attaching agency, personality and intentionality to everything is called Mythos.
For this reason, in mythological narratives, the Devil often functions as the gatekeeper to the next stage of spiritual evolution.
“The fact is that if one tries beyond one’s capacity to be perfect, the shadow descends into hell and becomes the devil.”
Carl G Jung.
Joseph Campbell, the renowned mythologist, often spoke of the Devil not as a literal figure of evil, but as a symbolic archetype representing the shadow aspects of human nature and the obstacles to spiritual growth.
To understand THE DEVIL card in the Major Arcana and the archetypes it invokes, one must recognise that the Christian concept of God, and the associated notion of being “God-fearing,” is deeply intertwined with the Christian construct of the Devil. The two exist as a duality, each defining the other through opposition.
The Christian God is often portrayed as the ultimate embodiment of good, order, and divine authority, while the Devil serves as its antithesis: a figure representing rebellion, temptation, and chaos. This binary worldview shapes not only religious thought but also cultural perceptions of morality, desire, and fear. Without the Devil, the idea of being “God-fearing” loses its emotional and psychological potency, as the Devil embodies the consequences of straying from divine law.
In this way, the archetype of the Devil in the Tarot reflects more than just the shadow side of human nature; it is the byproduct of a theological framework that defines virtue through the rejection of vice. THE DEVIL card challenges us to confront this inherited duality and consider how fear, temptation, and judgment are used to shape our understanding of freedom, morality, and the self.
The human mind maintains sanity only through the frameworks of Logos & Mythos. Logos provides the order—structures, rules, and forms—by which we orient ourselves in reality and navigate the world. It is the framework that organizes the chaos of experience into something comprehensible. Mythos, on the other hand, is the unseen narrative that weaves through our beliefs, fears, and superstitions. It is rarely confined to a single religion or system but is instead a tapestry inherited from childhood and society, forming our deeper attempts to make sense of cause, effect, and power.
Every order must have a keeper, every space a boundary, every power a limit. Every distance must be measured, and every reality organized by polarity, scale, and relevance. What lies beyond these bounds—outside the Logos—is chaos, and we fear it. That which lies outside our perception or understanding we call darkness. Beyond this darkness exists the shadow, a realm both psychological and spiritual, mythic and invisible.
The Gnostics interpreted this through allegory. To them, the power we fear to confront—the force that keeps us bound, that holds the keys to our unexamined fears and shames—was the Demiurge. Through their allegorical mythos, they captured the essence of this shadowed presence, not as a mere adversary but as the keeper of the limits that define and challenge us.
THE SYMBOLISM IN THE CARD
THE DEVIL card brims with layered symbolism, each element reflecting profound truths about duality, shadow, and constraint. The inverted pentagram dominates the card, signifying the subversion of spirit by matter. While the upright pentagram celebrates quintessence, sovereignty, and the primacy of spirit, its inversion embodies their shadow—where higher ideals are distorted and subjugated by lower instincts. This duality underscores that every empowering force carries its shadow implication.
The horns and goat legs evoke Pan, the primal god of wild nature, reminding us of the untamed, bestial side of existence that civilization seeks to suppress. Pan’s influence warns of the peril in ignoring or denying this raw energy. The bat wings, by contrast, symbolize the darker, demonic counterpart to the divine angelic wings seen in THE LOVERS card. Where THE LOVERS celebrates unity and higher aspiration, THE DEVIL depicts Adam and Eve after the fall—bound, stripped to their lowest nature. Their horns and tails represent humanity’s inherent base instincts and primal desires, yet the loose chains binding them suggest their captivity is self-imposed and escapable through self-awareness and choice.
The Stone block is dogma. Dogma is the result of what happens when we attempt to codify divine truth. Reality is emergent, and divine truth, divine Logos, can only be accessed via Mythos. That means that what we call truth has to flow, it has to be living, growing and evolving.
The stone block represents dogma—the calcification of divine truth into rigid systems. Reality, as an emergent phenomenon, cannot be confined to static definitions. While divine Logos is living and emergent, flowing with the rhythm of creation, dogma freezes this truth, reducing its vitality and relevance. The result is a framework of morality that can stifle growth, cultivate shame, and empower the demiurge—a force that traps the soul in illusion and limitation.
The figures are bound to the stone block of dogma, yet their chains are loose, suggesting that liberation is possible through awareness and choice. The message of THE DEVIL is not to fear these lower natures but to recognize how our relationship with them—whether through repression, indulgence, or ignorance—determines whether we remain captive or become free.
By confronting and integrating the shadow aspects of existence—our instincts, fears, and unexamined beliefs—we reclaim the vitality of truth, allowing it to flow once more as a dynamic, transformative force, rather than remaining frozen in the block of dogma. This act of awareness dissolves the demiurge’s power, breaking the chains and returning us to alignment with the higher nature symbolized in the upright pentagram.
SYMMETRY & SEQUENCE
Within the deck, there are symmetries and connections between the cards, defined by their appearance in sequence, their numerical allocation and/or thematically by the relationship of their symbols, archetypes and other essentialities.
Two obvious symmetries exist.
THE DEVIL & THE TOWER
The first is the association of THE DEVIL with THE TOWER, where both card faces are set against stark black backgrounds, invoking an immediate sense of dread or foreboding. Both cards are often perceived as “bad” or malefic, representing moments of intense disruption, confrontation, and upheaval. However, they each serve complementary roles in the journey of transformation.
THE DEVIL highlights the chains we willingly wear, the illusions we cling to, and the shadows we refuse to confront. THE TOWER, on the other hand, signifies the shattering of those illusions through external forces, breaking down false constructs and enabling liberation. Together, they embody the twofold path of awakening: the internal realization of bondage and the external dissolution of that which no longer serves.
THE LOVERS & THE DEVIL
The second is the visual symmetry with THE LOVERS card. Numerologically linked through their shared reduction to 6 (15 → 1 + 5 = 6), these cards explore dual aspects of desire and union. Where THE LOVERS portrays the divine Desire for connection and harmony, THE DEVIL reveals its shadow—the distortion of desire into obsession, dependence, or compulsion. Both cards feature a central figure flanked by a male and female pair, underscoring the interplay between masculine and feminine principles. THE LOVERS celebrates choice and conscious alignment, while THE DEVIL warns of the consequences when choice is abandoned for unconscious indulgence. Together, they form a continuum of human experience, urging us to seek awareness and balance in our relationships with self, others, and the divine.
OTHER SYMMETRIES
THE DEVIL card also invokes, through inversion or perversion of the two role-based archetypes, namely THE MAGICIAN, THE HIEROPHANT and the three Virtues: STRENGTH, TEMPERANCE and JUSTICE.
Both cards involve mastery and the use of power, but while THE MAGICIAN represents conscious creation and alignment with divine will, THE DEVIL symbolizes the misuse or distortion of power through illusion and material entanglement. Where THE MAGICIAN channels energy "as above, so below," THE DEVIL inverts this principle, emphasizing domination and control over the material plane, often at the expense of spiritual alignment.
Both cards deal with systems of belief and authority. THE HIEROPHANT symbolizes spiritual guidance, tradition, and societal structure, while THE DEVIL reveals the darker side of these systems: dogma, manipulation, and entrapment. The numerical connection (5 and 15) highlights the transformation of spiritual principles into tools of control when they are distorted by fear or greed.
STRENGTH depicts the triumph of grace, compassion, and inner fortitude over base instincts. THE DEVIL, by contrast, illustrates surrender to those instincts, leading to bondage and self-imposed limitation. Both cards highlight the tension between primal forces and higher ideals, but while STRENGTH emphasizes integration, THE DEVIL warns of imbalance and indulgence.
TEMPERANCE is the card immediately preceding THE DEVIL in the Major Arcana sequence, representing balance, harmony, and the alchemical blending of opposites. THE DEVIL follows as a reminder of what happens when this harmony is lost—when imbalance leads to bondage and indulgence. Together, they form a polarity between moderation and excess, liberation and entrapment.
JUSTICE depicts the law of cause and effect, impartial and balanced. THE DEVIL represents the consequences of ignoring this law, as attachments and indulgences create cycles of suffering. The interplay between these cards emphasizes accountability and the need to confront the shadow to restore equilibrium.
ALCHEMY
Alchemy explores the transformative and mystical processes that turn the base into the sublime, symbolizing the journey from raw essence to spiritual enlightenment. In the context of Tarot, it offers a complimentary framework for interpreting the profound alchemical symbolism embedded within the cards, revealing deeper layers of meaning through the interplay of elemental and metaphysical transformations.
The alchemical narrative of THE DEVIL card is embedded in its symbols, each representing stages of transformation, base elements, and the interplay between the material and spiritual.
The inverted pentagram symbolizes the corruption of quintessence—spirit subordinated to matter. In alchemical terms, this reflects the nigredo stage, where the prima materia (the raw essence of being) descends into chaos, darkness, and dissolution. The inversion of the pentagram reminds us that transformation begins in this state of apparent corruption, where the shadow must be confronted and integrated.
The chains binding the figures represent the alchemical concept of fixation—where the spirit is tied to base instincts or material desires. Yet, the looseness of the chains suggests the potential for liberation, echoing the separation process, where the alchemist isolates the pure from the impure, allowing the soul to ascend.
The torch in THE DEVIL's hand embodies the alchemical element of fire, the agent of calcination and transformation. Fire consumes, purifies, and brings light to darkness, symbolizing the illuminating force that reveals the shadow and begins the process of refining base desires into higher aspirations.
The stone block is the alchemical prima materia itself—unformed and inert, yet full of potential. It represents the base of all transformation, the point where the alchemist begins the great work. In its rigidity, the block also warns against the stagnation of fixed ideas or beliefs, which must be transmuted into fluidity and growth.
The figures themselves are symbols of duality and the interplay of opposites. Male and female, fire and fruit, action and creation—these represent the coniunctio, the sacred union of opposites. Their horns and tails suggest the unchecked raw energy of nature, awaiting refinement through the alchemical processes of sublimation and integration.
In the alchemical journey depicted in THE DEVIL card, the lesson is clear: the shadow and the base must be acknowledged, worked with, and ultimately transmuted. The process of alchemy, like the message of the card, is not to deny the material or the shadow but to refine and elevate it, transforming what binds us into what liberates us.
KABBALAH & JUDAIC MYSTICISM
GEMATRIA & ALEF-BET
The 15th and 16th letters of the Hebrew Alef-Bet are Samekh (ס) and Ayin (ע). These letters carry profound esoteric meanings:
Samech (ס):
Meaning Support or Uphold, Samekh represents the cycle of existence, providing stability amidst motion.
In a mystical sense, it symbolizes the invisible force of support, much like the unseen laws of nature that govern life and survival.
In the context of THE DEVIL card, Samekh points to the ways in which structure and limitation, even when oppressive, can be relied upon for stability, though they may also obscure liberation.
Ayin (ע):
Meaning Eye (literally) and Letter of Choice (mystically), Ayin represents seeing deeply into the nature of reality, especially its concealed or shadowed aspects. Choice can be made unconsciously. Actions made in ignorance are still considered choice.
The combination of Samekh and Ayin highlights the interplay of support and perception—forces that can either ground or entrap us, depending on how they are integrated.
The number 15 is associated with the divine name Yah (יה), the first two letters of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) and a representation of higher spiritual energy. However, in the realm of THE DEVIL card, this higher energy becomes inverted or constrained by material attachments and illusion.
15 also breaks down to 1 + 5 = 6, connecting THE DEVIL to THE LOVERS (VI), which reflects themes of union and desire. Where the Lovers symbolize divine connection, THE DEVIL represents the shadowed distortion of those desires—attachment, addiction, and dependency.
SEPHIRA & THE KABBALISTIC TREE OF LIFE
On the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, THE DEVIL corresponds to the path that connects the Sephira of Hod (Splendor) and Tiferet (Beauty), assigned to the Hebrew letter Ayin (ע).
Hod:
Represents intellect, rationality, and structure, often tied to the mechanics of thought and perception.
Its connection to THE DEVIL reflects the rigid patterns and illusions of the mind that can bind us to lower instincts.
Tiferet:
Represents harmony, beauty, and the heart center of the Tree of Life.
This station embodies the balance of divine energies and human experience. THE DEVIL's path challenges this harmony, emphasizing the ways in which imbalance and distortion obscure our connection to divine beauty.
The path between Hod and Tiferet, governed by Ayin, asks us to see through the illusions of materiality and ego, to reconcile the lower and higher aspects of ourselves.
HERMETIC LAWS & CONCEPTS
The card THE DEVIL serves as a powerful representation of Hermetic principles, offering a lens through which to understand the interplay between duality, illusion, and liberation. The imagery—chains that bind, the torch that illuminates downward, and the inverted pentagram—illustrates fundamental truths about human nature, the material world, and the forces that govern existence.
The Principle of Mentalism (The All is Mind)
THE DEVIL illustrates how the mind can be both a tool for liberation and a source of entrapment. The chains binding the figures below are loose, symbolizing that their bondage is self-imposed, born from ignorance, fear, and unchecked desires.
This principle reminds us that freedom begins with the mind and that the illusions of materiality and attachment are created and sustained through perception.
The Principle of Correspondence (“As Above, So Below”)
THE DEVIL card emphasizes the mirroring of higher and lower realms, though here the connection is distorted. The downward-pointing torch and inverted pentagram highlight the dominance of base instincts over spiritual alignment.
This distortion reflects the dual nature of existence, where the lower (material) mirrors the higher (spiritual), but in THE DEVIL’s domain, the higher is subordinated to the lower.
The Principle of Polarity
The card explores the interplay of opposites: light and shadow, freedom and bondage, spirit and matter. THE DEVIL’s power lies in manipulating these polarities, creating the illusion that indulgence in one extreme negates the other.
This principle reveals that liberation lies not in denying one polarity but in understanding and integrating both.
The Principle of Cause and Effect
THE DEVIL reflects the immutable law of causality, where actions driven by desire, fear, or ignorance lead to cycles of bondage and consequence. The flames beneath the pedestal symbolize the ongoing results of these choices, which fuel further attachment.
This principle reminds us that understanding the root of our bondage is the first step toward breaking free.
The Principle of Rhythm
The cyclical nature of indulgence and consequence is central to THE DEVIL card. The repetitive patterns of addiction, material attachment, and self-deception represent the rhythmic sway of pendulum-like forces, pulling individuals deeper into cycles of bondage.
This rhythm suggests that liberation requires stepping outside the cycle, disrupting the oscillation between extremes.
The Principle of Gender
The masculine and feminine principles, as represented by the bound figures, are out of balance. Their exaggerated and distorted forms symbolize the misuse or suppression of these forces, resulting in stagnation and dependency.
THE DEVIL’s domain shows how imbalance in these principles leads to the entrapment of creative and vital energy.
ASTROLOGY
In most cases, the Hellenistic astrological insights covered cannot be divorced from the mythological context with which it shares archetypal relevance.
The astrological insights associated with THE DEVIL card align with the planetary influences of Saturn (Kronos) and Pluto (Hades), whose mythological and symbolic contexts resonate deeply with the themes of constraint, transformation, and the interplay between the material and spiritual realms.
Saturn represents the structured order of limits and responsibilities, while Pluto governs the unseen depths, bringing profound transformation through confrontation with the shadow. Together, they reflect THE DEVIL’s tension between bondage and liberation, illusion and self-awareness.
SATURN
Saturn, known as the taskmaster of the zodiac, is associated with discipline, structure, and boundaries. In its astrological role, Saturn defines the limits within which existence unfolds, forcing accountability and highlighting the consequences of actions. Its influence in THE DEVIL card underscores the chains of material attachment and self-imposed limitations, challenging us to confront what restricts our growth. Saturn reminds us that only through understanding and accepting boundaries can we transcend them.
PLUTO
Pluto, the ruler of transformation and the subconscious governs the deep forces of change and renewal. Astrologically, Pluto’s influence brings to light what has been hidden, unearthing truths that demand recognition. In THE DEVIL, Pluto symbolizes the power of shadow work—facing fears, desires, and suppressed elements of the self. This planetary influence suggests that liberation comes through embracing transformation, even when it requires navigating darkness and discomfort.
Saturn and Pluto together offer a dynamic lens through which to view THE DEVIL card. Saturn emphasizes the structures that bind us, while Pluto compels us to delve into those bindings and seek renewal. These planetary forces illuminate the card’s essential lesson: that within constraint lies the potential for transformation, and through confronting the shadow, we may ultimately find freedom.
VENUS
THE DEVIL card carries a surprising and nuanced connection to Venus, the planet traditionally associated with love, beauty, and desire. This link is illuminated through the archetype of Lucifer, whose name means “Light-Bringer” or “Morning Star,” a title also attributed to Venus when it appears as the bright herald of dawn. While Venus governs attraction, harmony, and relationships, it also represents desire and the power of yearning—forces that, when unchecked, can entangle and bind, themes central to THE DEVIL card.
Venus, astrologically and mythologically, governs how we attract and relate, highlighting what we value and desire. Its connection to THE DEVIL reflects the seductive pull of materiality and the allure of the physical world, reminding us that unchecked desire can lead to entrapment. Yet, this same force has the power to awaken and transform, teaching us about the balance between indulgence and transcendence.
In its shadow aspect, Venus’s energy transforms from love to lust, from harmonious balance to obsession and indulgence. Lucifer, as a fallen figure, embodies this shift—once the bringer of light and beauty, now the keeper of shadow and temptation. The duality of Venus, both illuminating and entrapping, echoes the tension within THE DEVIL, where the forces of desire can inspire or imprison depending on our awareness and choices.
MYTHOS & LOGOS
THE DEVIL card in the Tarot is deeply infused with mythological symbolism, embodying the forces of duality, shadow, and constraint. It represents the tension between freedom and bondage, material desire and spiritual transcendence, and the confrontation of the unseen aspects of existence.
There is a succession of archetypal figures that align with these themes: Pan, the wild god of primal instincts; Kronos, the devourer of time and keeper of limits; Hades, the sovereign of the underworld and guardian of boundaries; and Yaldabaoth, the Gnostic Demiurge who traps souls in the illusion of the material world. Each contributes to the layered understanding of THE DEVIL, illustrating the interplay between light and shadow, constraint and liberation.
PAN
Pan, god of the wild, inhabits the margins of the human and the primal. His mythos is steeped in desire, chaos, and untamed energy. When the mortal Psyche, abandoned by Eros, stumbles weeping by a river, it is Pan who speaks to her—not with comfort, but with raw truth. He tells her to embrace her love, to persist despite her suffering, for this is the nature of life: a chaotic dance of longing and instinct.
In another myth, Pan teaches Apollo the art of divination, a curious role for the god of instinct. Pan shows that wisdom is not antithetical to wildness but emerges through harmony with natural rhythms.
KRONOS
In his myth, Kronos devours his children to prevent his prophesied downfall, a vivid allegory of time consuming all that it creates. Yet this act also ties him to themes of transformation and cyclical renewal. The children he swallows are not destroyed but held within him, awaiting their liberation by Zeus. This duality—destruction and preservation—mirrors the function of THE DEVIL card, where bondage is not only a constraint but also a gateway to transformation.
As myths evolved, Kronos’s association with endings and boundaries blended with Christian depictions of the Devil. The scythe-wielding figure became an image of fear, tied to sin, judgment, and eternal damnation. Yet the original Titan’s story reveals a more nuanced truth: the limits he represents are not purely punitive but essential for growth. Without time’s constraints, there would be no progression, no meaning, and no renewal.
HADES
Hades, the lord of the underworld, presides over a domain that serves as the final boundary between order and chaos. His realm is not a place of punishment but of inevitability, where all mortal beings, regardless of their deeds, ultimately come to rest. Yet, his sovereignty extends beyond mere death; the underworld is the prison of primordial forces and beings of chaos, constrained to prevent them from disrupting the balance of creation.
Hades’s role as the keeper of bounds encompasses the rivers that define his realm. The Styx, a river of unbreakable oaths, marks the sacred boundary between the mortal world and the afterlife, while the Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, ensures that memory can be relinquished, granting peace or renewal. Within his domain, Hades governs Thanatos (Death), who gently guides souls to their end, and Morpheus (Dreams), whose visions bridge the waking world with the shadowed depths of the unconscious.
Unlike the chaos he contains, Hades himself embodies neutrality and order. His abduction of Persephone symbolizes the interplay of life and death, light and shadow, as her cyclical journey restores balance between the seasons. The beings of chaos, bound within his domain, are held by the same authority that governs mortal souls, reinforcing Hades’s role as the guardian of cosmic equilibrium.
GNOSTIC DEMIURGE
The Gnostic tradition identifies Yaldabaoth as the Demiurge, a powerful but ignorant entity that creates and rules over the material world. Believing himself to be the ultimate god, Yaldabaoth traps souls within the cycles of material existence, preventing them from perceiving the divine light beyond. Despite this, his role is not wholly malevolent but paradoxical; by enforcing boundaries and ignorance, he indirectly catalyzes the soul’s eventual awakening and liberation.
RAVANA
The fierce-eyed demon is Ravana, demon-king of the rakshashas, abductor of holy Sita and adversary of Rama, in the Vedic epic the Ramayana. Ravana is not merely a villain but a richly symbolic character embodying unchecked power, desire, and ego. In the Ramayana, Ravana serves as a profound archetype of the shadow—an externalized representation of the inner conflicts and temptations that Rama must overcome to fulfil his dharma. Ravana’s role as the abductor of Sita and his battle with Rama underscore themes of duality, balance, and the eternal struggle between higher principles and base desires.
It must be remembered that the animals—the monkeys, the bears, and even the vultures—play a pivotal role in Rama's ultimate victory over Ravana. These creatures, often underestimated, embody loyalty and courage, proving essential in the divine mission to restore dharma.
In his final moment, the demon king Ravana transforms, assuming the glorious form of Indra, the regent of heaven. His radiant halo crackles with celestial energy, a spectacle so overwhelming that even Rama, the embodiment of dharma, cannot bear to look directly upon him. It is as though Ravana, in death, reaches for a final vestige of divinity, embodying the grandeur and tragedy of his character.
At that critical juncture, the Charioteer, Matali, calls out to Rama, urging him to act decisively. Rama fires his great bow, the bowstring resounds across the entire universe. Rama’s arrow shattering Ravana’s sword and bow, piercing his heart, and embedding itself deep into the earth.
As Ravana falls, his minister approaches Rama with a stone letter, a testament of the demon king's final thoughts, a message etched in permanence, transcending life and death. The letter offers a glimpse into Ravana's inner world, his understanding of the cosmic order, and his acknowledgment of Rama’s divine nature, ensuring his legacy remains more than that of a mere villain. It speaks of wisdom, impermanence, and the fulfilment of roles in the great cycle of existence.
“Dear Rama, think and remember how you promised Indra to kill me forever. Nothing is forever, except yourself. Except, dying at your hand, how else could I make you take me into your own self? I was a rakshasa, and you were very hard to approach. Yet, seeking wisdom, I learned many things. I saw that heaven was impermanent. I discovered that the time of every life is one day full, and I found how all creatures that are separate from you are ever and ever again reborn, over and over, and always changing.
Best of men, there are many kinds of love, but I never hurt her. I kept Lakshmi to lure you here. I offered you my life, and you accepted it. You are Narayana, who moves on the waters; you flow through us all. You are Rama and Ravana. You are the poet, and the playwright, and the play. Born as a man, you forget this. You lose the memory and take on man's ignorance again, as you will, every time.
Therefore, welcome back your Sita. The war is done.”
Ravana’s final act, taking on the radiant form of Indra, embodies the essence of Shadow as seen in THE DEVIL card: a force of opposition that reveals deeper truths. His luminous transformation before death is not a contradiction but a culmination, showing that even the most feared and defiant aspects of existence carry the seed of divinity. The Shadow is not evil but a boundary, both a challenge and a gateway.
Ravana’s stone letter acknowledges this duality. By luring Rama, he fulfils a role that both defies and serves the cosmic order. Like THE DEVIL card, Ravana forces us to confront limits and desires, not as external evils, but as intrinsic parts of the self. His death is not defeat; it is the moment shadow becomes light, showing that liberation lies not in erasing the Shadow, but in understanding its purpose.
INNER REFLECTION
THE DEVIL card confronts us with the unvarnished truth of duality, the primal forces that underpin existence, and the shadowed depths we often avoid. This is not the shadow as a mere absence of light, but a vital counterpart to all that we understand as good, ordered, or divine. It is the boundless wilderness of unrefined nature, desire, and instinct, from which all life springs and to which all order must answer.
We are drawn to see that the Shadow is neither wholly malevolent nor separate—it is a mirror. In its presence, we confront the limits and illusions that bind us, the unchecked instincts that drive us, and the primal truths we often fear to name. The figures in the card are bound, but their chains are loose, offering a choice: to remain ensnared by illusion or to rise above it through understanding and integration.
The inverted pentagram, the horns, and the barren stone pedestal—all remind us that spirit, when suppressed by matter, distorts into compulsion and stagnation. Yet, just as the alchemist begins with lead to reveal gold, so must we begin with the Shadow to uncover the Light. The horned figure of THE DEVIL, like the mythic Pan, beckons us not to flee but to see clearly the forces we deny and the truths we project outward as chaos.
To engage with this archetype is to confront the Demiurge within—the force that limits, binds, and defines. But these constraints are not curses; they are the crucibles of transformation. THE DEVIL shows us that through the tension between freedom and bondage, creation and destruction, we are forged anew. It is a reminder that liberation is not escape, but mastery—a reclamation of the self in all its primal, chaotic, and divine aspects.
Like Ravana’s luminous transformation in his final act, we are shown that the Shadow, when fully understood, reveals its divinity. In the constraints of the Shadow and the chains of the ego lie not only our greatest challenges but also the seeds of our ultimate liberation.
In the presence of THE DEVIL, we are called to confront what we deny, embrace what we fear, and integrate what we have cast into the dark. This is not a descent into evil but a journey toward wholeness. It is only by facing the shadow that we can walk in the full light of truth. The lesson of this card is profound: to know the shadow is to know the light, and to break the chains is to see that they were never truly fastened.
The title image depicts a motif of the inverted pentagram, a symbol rich with dual meanings. Upright, the pentagram represents harmony, balance, and the unity of the five elements—earth, air, fire, water, and spirit—with spirit elevated at the apex. When inverted, the pentagram represents not only the dominance of the physical over the spiritual but also the potential for self-imposed bondage. It invites reflection on how perception shapes meaning, reminding us that symbols, like the forces they embody, are neither inherently good nor evil but reflections of the choices and awareness of those who engage with them.
If you are interested in joining me for an integrated exploration of your own Archetypes, Symbolism, Mythos, Totems and Astrology via the Hermetic lens, and have an appetite for something deeper and more mature, schedule a call.
Incredible depth and substance Rocco. Thank you.
As THE LOVERS represents Conscious Agreement, just so THE DEVIL represents unconscious Agreement, this form of bondage we subscribe do by not honouring our own sovereignty, or bondage we subject others to by not honouring theirs.