Part One - The Major Arcana - 15

[pamDemonium]

The Devil card is dark and opressive. Certainly negative. My card depicts a mask. i think this represents the things we hide from the world. We put on a mask for friends and family but beneath that mask there are demons we must tackle. As others have mentioned, jealousy or addictions, evil thoughts, the worst of us.

In a reading I would say this is a reminder to face our problems, bring them out into the open and deal with them.

[pamDemonium]

that pic was a bit small

[SandiLJ]

I, see that the devil likes to keep, people bound under opperession the young lovers, are bound together by ropes around their neck. The devil also has a club with fire, so that he can through temptation at them only, to make them feel his wrath,if they don't comply, he also likes to cause problems in, people lives sometimes through it is, not the devil at all causing the problems. It is the people it is just, easier just to blame the devil instead of, accepting the responsability of ones actions and, only you can really let the devil, control your life through addictions & only, if you let that happen only you, can control what happens in your life, a vast majoridy of the time some ,situtions you can not control so in the, end only you can control what you let happen in your life weather you, blame it on the devil or not.SandiLJ

[littleone22]

The devil shows two people who are imprisoned by the devil. These two people may be strongly controlled by the devil or they are his faithful minions who never leave his side! He is holding a flaming stick that will catch anyone even if they are on his side!   love littleone22

[grmrsan]

Celtic Dragon-
This one is called chains instead of devil. A big not so friendly looking dragon is holding the chains of a young couple tied back to back. Thie thing is though the chains aren't exactly binding them. They just think they are, so aren't bothering to try and escape. To me this card is a slap upside the head. "Stop feeling sorry for youself and LEAVE!" The only thing chaining you to an unbearale situation is your own refusal to look for a solution. This card could involve relationships, addictions, any toxic workplace or situation.  

Forest folklore-
This one's a lot less polite. Where the dragon card is a smack upside the head, this one is more like o punch in the gut. With a sledgehammer!These people are not happy. (Unless they're into S&M, and then it's hard to tell!) Here this big mean dude has all the control. Everything seems hopless and terrifying, (and hot!) and it's hard to tell what to do next. This could be a situation you got stuck in, or one you stuck yourself into, but it's definatly something you need to leave! The couple only have one small chain holding them together, if they cooperate, than escape isn't impossible. Still dificult maybe, but not impossible.

[Cheyenne]

I think this card either reflects a part of ourselves or the evil which surrounds us at the moment we draw it. It’s the negative voice that tries to tell us we are good for nothing. I think we need to face that we all have a dark side and that we should just try to deal with it and accept each others faults.

It can also indicate that someone is doing things that they don’t want to do. That they are trying to please others. They feel bound and feel like they have no where else to go. It could also mean that you are obsessed with something or someone. And by being obsessed you are trapped. BTW: I’ve based my general ideas on what the cards mean by using 3 decks. I looked at RW, Manga and Tarot of the White Cats. To be honest up until now I found this card one of the more difficult ones to interpret.

[BLouise]

His helmet hides his face suggesting mystery.  He stands in the flames unharmed which suggests to me perseverance and determination.  That I must work hard, possibly walk through fire so to speak to achieve my goal.  The Devil himself warns me against being "sinful", to avoid overindulgence, dishonesty, etc...

[arianna]

Definately not my favourite card although it usually means fighting ones demons - inner personal struggles - alcohol - drugs or just overindulgence I find it a warning card to be careful and mindful of what road you are going down and how self destructive we can all be - To remove ones self from a situation or certain people in our lives - when we need to let go

[arianna]

Definately not my favourite card although it usually means fighting ones demons - inner personal struggles - alcohol - drugs or just overindulgence I find it a warning card to be careful and mindful of what road you are going down and how self destructive we can all be - To remove ones self from a situation or certain people in our lives - when we need to let go

[Sabra]

The dark side of man? The Evil one? Is this card all negative or can it show us the light and the path out of the darkness?

I don't really believe that the 'Evil One' exists, but I see in shades of grey.  The people in the picture are chained, but it's possible that they are either there by choice... or maybe they are totally unaware that they are chained.  Or they might know they are being burdened but are putting up with it for something that is greatly beneficial to them (at least for the moment).

We might hate our jobs or our marriage, but the money that it brings for us to live our desired lifestyles keeps us contained.  I learned somewhere that the goat represents materialism.

[winniewoo]

The devil is sitting on a half-cube, that signifies the half-knowledge we have if we look only at the material side of life. The Devil's bat wings and the inverted pentagram represent the sensory side of life. The devil wants to keep the couple chained to something. They couple has grown horns, so whatever it is has brought the devil out in them. It could represent addiction or obsession in one form or another. The chains are there but they can be released. It's up to them. We've all been obsessed with something or someone at one time or another. Many people have experienced addiction. Though the Devil card is not pleasant to look at, the choices we make belong to us. We have the ability to break the chains that bind. I would probably take heed if seeing this card. Reexamining my personal habits. Am I doing something that is not emotionally, physically, or spiritually healthy? Is there something addictive or obsessive in my behavior?

[pirbid]

Oops, another card I cannot make to talk, or maybe do not want to. Every time I see it, it reminds me of all the things I would like to keep hidden from everyone, even myself.

I see everybody agrees on the card's meanings of our lower instincts taking over and keeping us trapped in undesirable situations we are not proud of. I had also heard about the inverted pentagram representing a person upside down = his/her passions ruling all else.

The RW image is very much like The Lovers, just as George said, but the Devil himself reminds me strongly of the Magician. The Devil can be very attractive and charismatic, displaying passionate power. Some part of us is always attracted to the "bad guy" or would like to take a ride on the more dangerous side of life, if only to escape from our routine. The trick is coming back from the ride unscathed.



The Chinese version clearly shows us when being led by our more animal side (oops, poor animals; make that our primitive side). These two also seem to be looking for other people to chain to themselves, just as gang leaders do for youngsters (very delicate time of life, that of teenagers: a mistake at that time can cost you the rest of your life and peace of mind).

Robin Wood's seems to deal with getting tied to the more materialistic side of life (joining the famous rat race, maybe?) and the sensual side. The good thing is that this card lets us see the light at the end of the tunnel, a way out if we can only disentangle ourselves.

The Ancestral Path's does talk with that inner voice that seems to keep berating us and telling us we are no good, that we have what we deserve and there is no way out. These two are truly chained and this refers to those really destructive relationships some of us can be prone to (I know people who go from one to the next: it seems the only way they can relate to others).

However we look at it, I find this card the scariest by far, as it can point to any kind of perversions, addictions and even psycopathic behaviour, although I always try to view it as lightly as I can. But it is certainly an invitation to look deeply into one's choices. Much better to get it upside down, as I take it to mean we are making the effort to get out, even if we still feel the pull.

[glenellen]

THE DEVIL..trapped in a situation infidelity, being led astray domination, possessiveness, secrets forbidden love

[windspirits]

The Horned one is not all bad.  You have something he wants and he is willing to use temptation to get it.  He will use his power of persuasion to deflect you towards him, but there is positive and negative in everything and everyone.  He is the balance between good and evil, like the yen and yang, we have to have an even balance in our lives or we would be a boring sector.  We have to know the difference between the positive and negative temptations or influences in our daily lives.  He is strong, but oh so weak.  If you will notice his hands, they are pointing in both directions, giving you a choice.  You have to know which choices to make.

[TravellingChristy]

The devil card show someone being tied down and unable to escape.  From marriage, to life choices or just a plain magic trick gone wrong HAHA.  This is a person who feels shame.  A black cloud of evil lurking around.