Today, dear Tumblrs, I offer you my version of The Devil, an important and complex major arcana card. The Devil card speaks to the things in your life that constrain you and prevent you from living up to your full potential. You may think these are external forces but The Devil is an inner force, he represents our own bondage - fears, addictions, and harmful attachments or impulses. You may feel powerless but like the loosely bound figures on this card, the power to break free is yours.
In a reading this card may be trying to call your attention to some form of bondage in your life - an unhealthy relationship, over indulgence, negative behaviors or people. It could indicate obsession or addiction. The Devil card frequently features a goat or satyr, often used as a symbol of lust and dark, elemental drives. Above him is an inverted pentagram, signifying the darker side of magic and occultism. Sometimes this card indicates behaviors that are keeping you from happiness and fulfillment, for example being too controlling, calculated, or dispassionate. The goat in the Devil can also be seen as a scapegoat, you may be blaming others for the things that only you have the power to change.
In reverse the Devil indicates harmful bonds that must be broken. You need to eliminate the things that are harming you and holding you back. Push past the despair and seek freedom. Bad habits or addictions may be getting the best of you. Look out for forces in your life that will make your situation worse - things that might put you in debt or bind you more firmly to a bad relationship.
Correspondences:
ASTROLOGY: Capricorn
NUMBERS: 15
HERB: Lobelia
Thanks for reading! This card is from the deck I have been working on, The Linestrider Tarot Deck, which will be available soon at http://www.linestridertarot.com/
