One of the most controversial and universally recognized cards in the entire deck of Tarot is the Devil. This horned half man, half beast sporting the grotesque wings of a giant bat, stares at us with a hypnotic and yet menacing glare. Stamped on his forehead we see an inverted pentagram representing the dark arts and sorcery meant to invoke chaos, pain and destruction. Like the Magician, one of the Devil’s arms extends upward towards the heavens while the other, holding a burning torch instead of a wand, points downward, indicating earthly desires and materialistic needs. A man and a woman stand on each side of the Devil – though they have peaceful expressions, we see that they are chained to each other and to the block the Devil towers over. Naked, the woman exhibits a tail of rich purple grapes, a sign of pleasure seeking, while the man’s tail burns brightly and lustfully. The black background is unique to the Tarot – very few cards have such a dark environment.
Rich in symbolism, it’s easy to understand how the images in the Devil card represent being enslaved to our desires, addictions or obsessions. Though we may think that the power afforded us from financial success, political prestige or social popularity will make us feel fulfilled and happy – that’s as much an illusion as thinking that addictive behaviors will lead us to enlightenment and inner contentment. Both power and addiction have alluring attributes – but they also have a price. And as we see in the man and woman standing helplessly at the Devil’s side, that price is freedom. Does life only exist in our five senses? Is our need to constantly feel good – either through power, wealth or sex? The Devil laughs with a low growl and says, “But of course.”
But the Devil is wrong.
If we take a closer look at this card, we see that the chains trapping the man and woman are loose and could easily be shaken off. These golden handcuffs are a choice. Desires may not feel much like choices – often they are strong and single minded. They seem to come unbidden and often interrupt our ability to live more fully. Or they feed our obsession for power and influence. Either way, it can be difficult to step back and realize we’re more than the sum total of our urges and impulses. What makes us human is actually our ability to step above our base urges, to see through our illusions of grandeur and to break free of behaviors which don’t serve us. Living a narrow life based solely on accumulating material comforts can be miserable and shallow – but we don’t have to accept our reality as one where no Divine Magic exists. This is the truth of the Devil. His lesson is one of discomfort, of fear and of change – these things are necessary for growth and for understanding that life’s richest tones and deepest meanings lie in doing things that are sometimes uncomfortable, that involve unknowns, risks and especially humility. For it is never easy removing the veil of our own self-lies and half-truths.
When the Devil appears it’s time for us to be brutally honest with ourselves. What harmful behaviors are we rationalizing? How are we evading ourselves? What excuses are we using to stay in situations which ultimately don’t serve us spiritually? Are we married to shallow illusions that will never truly satisfy us? Are obsessive thoughts, addictions or base desires ruling our decisions? Let us take stock of our choices. Let us step away from what keeps us comfortable but unhappy. Release the chains. True satisfaction and deep contentment are waiting for us if we are willing to sacrifice our desires for learning and growth.
Consider the castor bean when looking for an ally that, like the Devil, appears toxic but can be transformed into something nourishing and healthy. Castor oil is made from a vegetable (Ricinus communis) that grows throughout warm areas of the world though is chiefly cultivated in India, China, Greece, and Brazil. Interestingly, this oil-rich seed contains a poison called ricin which is one of the most lethal natural substances known. However, it is rendered inert by the extraction processes the castor bean undergoes when procuring the oil, allowing it to be used safely. In fact, the oil contains a multitude of healthy compounds and antioxidants, as more than 90% of its fat content contains a powerful omega-9 fatty acid called ricinoleic acid, which research shows is both pain relieving and anti-inflammatory. High amounts of vitamin E are also present, plus another health boosting omega-6 fatty acid known as linoleic acid. These acids are super hydrating to the skin and when applied to eyelashes or hair follicles can help to nourish and thicken them. Ingested, castor oil is a powerful laxative that is also known to induce labor. Old wives’ tales abound with this thick golden oil so don’t hesitate to explore it further – its uses are impressively expansive.
Castor Oil and the Devil card show us that not everything is as it appears. Indeed, sometimes when misfortune or failures litter our path, they hold important lessons. Same with golden handcuffs – all that glitters is not always gold. Sometimes it’s poisonous. If we take a step back and are honest with ourselves, we can accept our desires and needs without being ruled by them. They have an important role to play, but they are not the main players. The Devil may want to loom large but in reality, he holds only a small piece of our spiritual real estate – and if his hold extends beyond that, it’s time for us to reclaim the rich, diverse life experience which is firmly within our grasp if we’re willing to give up illusionary thinking.
*Tarot reading is based on the Rider-Waite Tarot Card deck, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith
References
Jay, Kitty. “Does Castor Oil Make Eyelashes Grow?” Healthline, 10 April 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/castor-oil-for-eyelashes
Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom. San Francisco, Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC, 2007. P112-117
Timmons, Jessica. “The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Castor Oil to Induce Labor.” Heathline, 4 January 2018. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/castor-oil-labor
Vieira, Celme, Evangelista, Stefano, Cirillo, Rocco, et al. “Effect of Ricinoleic Acid in Acute and Subchronic Experimental Models of Inflammation.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, 8 September 2000. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1781768/