The next card in the series is the ‘The Devil’. This is the one card coupled with the ‘Death’ card of the Tarot that seems to forever be talked about in hushed voices. It’s perceived as the card you don’t want to see in your reading. I have experienced this myself when turning this card over for a client (even with people who know better). They immediately look more fearful and start worrying.

The imagery of ‘The Devil’ card in the Rider-Waite deck does look intense with its black background and two figures seemingly enslaved to a larger figure above them. However, once this card has been dissected it like all the other Major Arcana’s holds a neutrality that can be seen as good or bad and often it is a card that can really help us bring into the light things that have been kept in the shadow.

Traditionally this card means an addiction to the external world of material and superficiality. These can be strong urges such as sex, money, drugs and alcohol, but also to the deeper and darker thought patterns and behaviours that keep us trapped and in a state of despair. What’s so important about the imagery in this card though is initially both people standing below the figure of the devil look trapped by the chains over their heads. On closer inspection though, the chains are loose, and the people can lift them over their head and be free whenever they so choose. It comes with a catch though. They first must take their eyes off of what the figure is offering them.

‘The Devil’ card’s main strength lies in its ability to bring what we have hidden in our shadow out into the light. Whether or not we like it every single one of us has a shadow aspect. It is part of the human condition. Even that person you know in your life who comes across as so kind. The person who you feel can do no more wrong, still has a hidden, more uncomfortable side to their personality. Often when we see a part of our own shadow, we panic wanting to suppress it, so we don’t have to acknowledge the darker side of ourselves. This is the worst thing we can do. The shadow cannot be shackled and will continue to operate behind the scenes within our unconscious keeping us chained to our more destructive patterns of behaviour. We will have missed the opportunity for healing.

It’s important to note when working with aspects of our shadow it is not a one hit and you are free scenario. Many people on ‘the path’ seek a huge awakening moment, like in the stories when Man meets his God. That we are suddenly free of all our burdens and patterns.

I speak from my own experience that these moments can occur. However, it is the slow burn afterwards, the contemplation and the continual realisation that makes the biggest difference to not only bringing your shadow to light but seeing life as it is and not through the many projections of our mind.

‘The Devil’ card urges us to embrace our dark side, our shadow. To push for its healing. Often when people talk about spirituality, they talk of love and light, of kindness and beauty. Ignoring the darkness of the human psyche. Go into a bookshop and see the many books written on the subject and prove this for yourself. This card knows better. It knows in its wisdom that only through our hate and darkness can we attain our peace and joy.