Where Does the Devil fit in Tarot
The Devil Card is the 15th Major Arcana in the deck. It comes after the beautiful balanced card of Temperance and shows us what happens when we don’t keep a tempered life. The Devil is a card of vices, excesses and it can show us what we can be addicted to - whether that may be. The Devil card is followed by the Tower which can be seen as breaking free from the bonds of the previous cards.
What the Common Misconceptions of the Card?
A lot of people gasp when they get this. The Devil gets a bad rap in history. But he isn’t all bad. The Devil card can show us our darkness but in doing so provides the opportunity to shine a light in there. So while this card definitely gives off an intense tone - it can also have positive ramifications. For me - this card always reminds me to focus on integrate darkness with light. How can we welcome and embrace the hidden or repressed areas of our psyche inside of hiding it away or feeling shameful of it.
The Devil gets assigned big Capricorn energy in the deck. Therefore the energy of the Devil card is Cardinal Earth - practical and strategic action. This card is closely associated with ambition. While of course blind ambition is not healthy - ambition in general can be a good thing to cultivate. When we get this card it is an invitation to think about where we want to go in our professional lives. Where do we want to be seen. What sort of legacy do we want to leave behind. These are some questions to contemplate when you get this card.
What does it mean upright?
In love this is a very lusty card and can indicate a strong sexual attraction. However it is more associated with the physical connections over emotional. It can also sometimes point to a fear of commitment or people who are not interested in settling down at this time.
It can also indicate vices, addictive behavior, toxic relationships, partying.
For work - this can be an invitation to set goals and stick to them. It does warn against unbridled ambition.
What does it mean reversed?
This is a card which can be quite positive reversed as it indicates getting a handle on our vices and addictions - whatever they may be.
In love, if you are looking for a relationship, this can be a positive omen. Reversed it indicates moving into a more serious relationship, or that the relationship is moving from a casual one to more defined. It can also be getting over the fear of commitment.