When The Devil shows up in my readings my first reaction is always, "oh shit." He's trouble, but not because he leadeth me into temptation. No, the thing about The Devil is he stands by and calmly watches us rush towards all the things that lessen us. He doesn't have to do much tempting. We're pretty good at reaching out for all that's bad for us with both hands. The Devil card tells me it's time to look at myself clearly. My shoulds are most likely self-serving. My wants and "needs," probably self-serving too. The thing is we know the right thing. It's just the wrong thing seems a helluva lot more attractive.
When The Devil comes round, you're experiencing bondage in some way. Maybe you've accepted an unwanted situation. Maybe you're obsessed. Maybe your addicted and enslaved. You're definitely focusing on the material world, maybe overindulging the senses, getting and spending, forgetting the spiritual. You're ignorant, but by choice. You don't want to know and you choose this Devil you do know as opposed to the Devils you don't. Mostly you feel hopeless. You doubt. You see the worst and expect it. Been there, done all of that and more. Still doing some of it. They say with age comes wisdom. Maybe. I'm still waiting.
In the Jane Austen Tarot, The Devil is depicted by Lady Susan. This is one novel of Jane's I haven't read. I tried. I just never could get into it. Given the name of the main character, maybe I should. She presents a beautiful face to the world, but she's self-serving and cruel in the worst ways. She uses people for her own benefit. And while it could be argued we all do that, more often than not, Lady Susan does it willfully, carefully, and without thought of anyone but herself. Love is a game; children too. The world exists for her benefit only and people are not hearts and souls but commodities.
So here are the questions the Devil asks? Are you manipulating others to your will? Are you overly proud? overly sure? Do you believe you're entitled to do what you want, no matter who it hurts? (and we're not talking big things as much as little, the small, countless ways we assume it doesn't matter do let's just fudge it for our benefit.) Do you judge others harshly for the same behavior you have practiced? And are there dark secrets you've kept hidden, refused to reveal, won't even think about but pretend they never happened?
When the Devil shows up and whispers in your ear, you can pretend you don't hear him or you can look in the mirror and take stock, real stock. Who do you want to be and are you being true to that vision? He reminds us of our human frailties but also of the bit of divinity, our souls, that can help us rise above our worst inclinations.
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