A common misconception about tarot is that they are used to predict the future, but the primary function of these cards lies in manifestation and connecting with your spiritual self. It, in turn, helps you shape your life better.
Also, among these Tarot cards, the cards of the Lovers and the Devil are an intriguing pair because of their similarities, but they are rarely the topic of discussion.
So, what do the Devil and Lovers Tarot cards mean?
By simplification, the Devil and the Lovers tarot cards represent negative and positive aspects of life. The Lover card is associated with love and harmony, while the Devil card is associated with disharmony and materialism. Also, the meaning varies based on upright, reversed, and yes or no cards.
Here we will get an insight into the meaning of the Devil and the Lovers tarot cards, how they influence our behavior, and what these cards represent.
The Devil & the Lovers Tarot Cards
There are seventy-eight tarot cards, of which twenty-two are related to Major Arcana and fifty-six to Minor Arcana. The Major side relates to chief events (once-in-a-lifetime/life-changing ones) in life, and the Minor side relates to smaller ones (everyday events).
The Minor Arcana is subdivided into sixteen court cards and four suits (10 cards each). Speaking of which, not everyone believes in tarot. Some people do, while others consider it superficial.
However, these cards have been around since the fifteenth century, and tarots were used to provide oracles back then.
Before going into what the Devil and the Lovers card signifies, the number and appearance of each card are something you should know and understand. The Devil card is the fifteenth number card in the Major Arcana, while the Lovers is the sixth card in the Major Arcana.
At first sight, both cards give a similar feeling. The only difference is the presence of an angel in the Lovers card and a devil in the Devil’s card.
But that’s not all; the two humans in each card provide a subtle difference, as the two in the Lovers are free, while the two in the Devil are bound by chains.
Also, the position of the cards provides another distinction, which may differ from the generic meaning. It can be either upright, reversed, or yes/no.
Tarot reading is a simple tool; it isn’t a way to predict the future but a way to understand yourself better.
Meaning of the Lovers Tarot Card
The Lovers card relates to a healthy relationship; the card in more detail highlights two humans (a man and a woman) under the protection of an angel. The angel is the Archangel Raphael, the angel of healing.
Also, there are two trees in the picture, one with twelve fires representing zodiac signs behind the man and an apple tree with a snake wrapping it behind the woman, which indicates temptation.
Lastly, the mountain, river, and symbol in the background indicate fertility. All these things symbolize the fiery start of a relationship and how the passion dies down over time.
Generally, the happiness in the start is overtaken by the imperfections that will come over time; that’s what the Lover card describes. However, for a better understanding, the positioning matters.
Upright
The upright Lovers indicate a life-altering decision. It tells you to ponder about your choice and not give in to temptations, and if you resist temptations, it will lead you to a brighter path.
Reversed
The reversed Lovers indicate you have given in to the temptation and need to take responsibility for that. It also tells you to let go or think things through, but the primary representation relates to accepting who you are and believing in yourself.
Yes/No
Yes/No, as the name symbolizes, tell you whether your decision for something you are unsure about is okay. So, if you are uncertain of something and pull out a Lovers card, it means “yes,” you can go forward with it.
Other Meanings
Since the Lovers card belongs to Major Arcana, the decisions related to these are always on a bigger scale. This card also has meanings related to career, health, and relationship.
In career, the Lovers card tells you to avoid overspending, and before changing career options, think things through on what you really want. In a sense, the meaning of the Lovers card here isn’t a positive one.
On the health side, it tells you to focus on your personal growth. It informs you to focus on achieving harmony mentally and physically and change your habits to better ones.
For a relationship, it symbolizes the start of your love life or an opportunity to start it, reconciliation with your ex-partners, or you are already in a long-lasting and good relationship.
Meaning of the Devil Tarot
The Devil card is the inverse version of the Lovers card. From this, you can guess that it doesn’t mean anything good. It relates to betrayal, depression, and disharmony. Also, it indicates that you are chasing materialistic things.
We need to decipher the card representation in detail for a deeper insight. Unlike the Lovers card, the Devil with a pentagram takes the angel’s place and is sitting high up with chains linking to the seat it is sitting on. The Devil is Baphomet in this card.
Similar to the Lover’s card, two humans are also present here, but they have mutated with horns and tails growing out of them and chains hanging around their necks.
The tail of the man has fire on its end, while grapes are on the woman’s, indicating the temptation of carnal desires and wealth.
While this card isn’t any good, it provides insight into the negative aspects of life and hints at what you can improve on. Also, like the Lover’s, the meaning varies based on the positioning.
Upright
The upright Devil represents how good things in excess can lead to adverse results. That’s why; it tells you to consider the stuff you think right again and focus on things that make you better.
Reversed
The reversed Devil is a good indication; it indicates that you are trying to break free from the shackles and negative aspects. However, it isn’t as easy as it may sound. It also shows the ordeals you must go through to break from these temptations.
Yes/No
In a Yes/No reading, Devil’s card is a definite no. It warns that whatever you are thinking of isn’t in your best interest, and it is best to take a different route rather than going for it.
Other Meanings
The Devil’s card also provides meanings based on relationships, work, and health. Also, since this card is associated with “bad,” it is best to assume that these meanings tell you to change or avoid things.
In a relationship, the Devil’s card symbolizes a toxic relationship and that it is heading toward the worst. It also highlights the feelings of being stuck in a relationship or by yourself (not being able to enter a relationship).
That’s why; it is best to think things through, i.e., whether the relationship should continue or not, and take things slowly by discussing them with trustee people.
On the career side, it has a variety of meanings depending on the situation, e.g., if you are trying to invest and a Devil’s card shows up, it shows that you are dealing with a con man, and the chances of a scam are high.
Contrarily, if you feel like things aren’t working out despite your efforts in your job, this card symbolizes that you should try moving on, and it may not be the right one for you.
For the case of health, the Devil’s card showcases the bad habits that may lead to adverse effects on your health. It symbolizes physical and mental health issues that may arise due to over-indulgence.
Combination
The crucial aspect here is to know that the Devil and the Lover’s card aren’t standalone, and while looking at one, we can’t neglect the other. For example, good and bad, evil and virtuous, and so on, co-exist.
As we live our lives, we come into contact with both the good and the evil, and humans are social animals, so we have to experience both freedom and bondage.
However, as the dark makes the light shine brighter, the same is the case here, i.e., we can make ourselves better by trial and error and by experiencing things. That’s why; the combination of these two cards is a significant one to look at.
It tells us that we can integrate ourselves into this society by experiencing different values and understanding changing aspects of life and the beauty behind them. There is no fixed black and white but a gray area.
Conclusion
Lastly, the Devil and the Lover’s card are part of Major Arcana in the tarot and broadly indicate bad and good sides. However, the common aspect in both cards is the temptations, which means we should avoid them or control them to have a better life.
The Lover’s card showcases love and harmony and gives you the affirmation you need to pursue things you want while warning of temptations. Contrarily, the Devil’s card highlights the obsession and worldly nature and tells you to avoid pursuing activities that will eventually harm you.
