The Devil Card - A Positive Wake Up Call

[PentQueen]

I've recently rec'd this card to indicate who I currently am beneath the surface. I can't think of a more ironic card to get in this placement...like: "deep down I'm really shallow?" LOL--umm, what the heck?

I'll admit, I haven't liked this card in the past. Everytime it's come up, I've interpreted it to represent an inner weakness that produces anger, hatred, rage, jealousy, manipulation, greed, ignorance, animalistic tendencies--the opposite of strength. And I know this card has many meanings, but these are the ones I usually associate it with. I've never been able to 'get' the positives.

Anyway, recieving this card to represent my inner nature has been a really positive wake-up call, and I wanted to share my newfound meaning in this card (which I'm sure many already are aware of). The fear of recieving this card has caused me to look at myself with a more critical, outside perspective, and I daresay it's been the biggest major arcana breakthrough for me, to date.

I've been able to see how I've given up responsibility in my life to others, and how this has made me weak and angry toward many around me. Beneath the surface, I suppose I AM the devil--I have repressed rage--but it's my own fault. Instead of improving my life on my own, I've expected others to behave the way I want them to, and then I blame them when they make ME feel imperfect, for not living up to my standards. All the while, I've been thinking how 'giving' my 'passive' and 'perfect' nature has been, when in reality, I've created a narcississtic personality from trying to be perfect to others and then 'expecting' perfection in return. I now truly see how we gain back what we give, and I have no right to blame or complain.

For me personally, the paradoxal nature of the devil lies in it's strive for perfection. Striving toward percieved beauty can result in absolute ugliness, and yet it is the imperfect bits that exude true beauty. Focusing on, and learning about this card has been the best wake up call, and I have a newfound appreciation for it, my imperfections, the imperfections of others, and how we must take responsibility for our lives to find true beauty in them.

Understanding this has also helped me to finally break free from the chains of a destructive co-dependant relationship...not at all in the way I had expected, though. I've been searching and searching for the answer to why I can't 'fix' things, and it's becuase I've given up complete responsibility to another, for my own happiness. I haven't even seen how burdensome this would be on the other person, and that NO ONE is winning here. I see that if you want anything good for yourself, you have to get it from yourself. Anyone else should simply add to this. And if they don't...then YOU need to do something about it.

Just, wow. A great card. Sorry for the rant, just wanted to share. And I welcome your added thoughts/other stories

 

[rcb30872]

I tend to agree. It is a bit of a wake-up call. Yeah, my friend has the tendency to get this card a lot, but she tends to go more towards the usual meaning, and apply it to the other person as it is usually related to a relationship type reading. Don't get me wrong, she is my friend, but she drives me nuts with her obsessive compulsive tendencies. Everything has to be just so, you know, not saying that there is anything wrong with that, of course. But, what I am trying to say is that well sometimes when you see somone being so obsessive about being so ordered in their environment in their lives, not always, don't get me wrong, I am not tying to slag anyone, just emphasising what you suggested, that matter of fact the one place that really needs to be sorted out is their minds. There is so much stuff that they fret about, it makes you wonder how they actually live their lives, when they are in constant fear of losing control! That reminds me of someone else, argh, always giving statistics, you know, something along the lines out of so many car accidents happen a large number of that occur within a certain distance (close) from your home. While you are so busy focussing on things you are tending to forget the most important thing, your happiness, and the happiness of those around you.

 

[Aeon418]

From the Book of Thoth:

With thy right Eye create all for thyself, and with thy left accept all that be created otherwise.

The Devil

The Devil is the card of the real individual. He represents total personal responsibility and autonomy. A real individual is also strong enough to accept other individuals and not feel threatened by them. A person who is comfortable with themselves is also comfortable with other people. But usually in life it works the other way around. Insecure people, rather than doing the hard work of changing themselves, seek to change other people and lay the blame on them for their own failures.

Be a Devil.

 

[PentQueen]

Great insight rcb30872, and love the quote and piece of wisdom, Aeon418. I totally get what you are saying now--wow. What an intruiging card; I really do feel that its strengths lie in it's paradoxes. I'll never shrug this card off again as 'scary' or 'superficial'...there's so much more depth beneath the surface Any truly, kudos to the 'devil' for knowing himself and taking responsibility for himself.