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In 1857, Éliphas Lévi, a French occultist, released Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual, a work that significantly influenced modern tarot. Within this treatise, Lévi presented an intriguing illustration of Baphomet, referred to as the “Goat of Mendes,” even though the original Egyptian figure was a ram. Lévi’s captivating depiction of a goat-man crouched on a rock and gesturing with his right hand, left a lasting impact on the collective imagination and eventually was co-opted by followers of Satanism. This iconic image bears similarities to the Devil card in the tarot deck designed by Pamela Colman Smith. The Devil’s grimacing face reflects a Japanese print style. The Devil, with his right hand up and his fingers spread open, mocks the Hierophant’s esoteric sign of blessing of two fingers up and two down, symbolizing the hidden versus the revealed. His wings are bat wings, symbolizing the powers of darkness. His face and horns are that of a goat, relating him to the sign of Capricorn. His legs and feet are eagle’s claws, and the eagle is related to the sign of Scorpio, which rules the sex organs. There is an inverted pentagram that hovers between his horns, which represents matter (four) over spirit (one). Beneath the Devil’s feet rests a stone block that symbolizes the Cube of Matter or Malkuth.

The Devil card parallels the Lovers card, hinting at a continuation of the same narrative. Eve transforms into a horned woman, her tail bearing fruit like the Tree of Knowledge, while Adam becomes a horned man with a flaming tail reminiscent of the Lover’s Tree of Life. There is a torch held in the Devil’s left hand and pointing down, burning wastefully and giving off little light. The torch is also a phallic symbol, a symbol of life force, which here is being wasted. The man and woman chained to the devil’s stoop are obviously wasting their life force energy and using it unwisely. It’s being wasted through overindulgence, which can lead to exhaustion, boredom, and addictions. The illustration also shows the use of sexual energy to control or enslave others. This powerful generative energy has been debased and abused. The talons also symbolize how when we cling to this need to be right, despite all evidence to the contrary, we are in the Devil’s clutches. This key involves all matters of temptation of the ego. The man and the woman in the chains represent our self-conscious and subconscious modes of human thinking that have become trapped in material ways of being and thinking. Their horns, hooves, and tails show that when we get caught up in surface things, our consciousness becomes more beastialized. They’ve chosen to indulge their ego and prioritize things like materialism, sensory experience, and sexual gratification. Thinking that the illusion of the matrix is real causes enslavement, and the loose chains around their necks shows how the enslavement is voluntary.

We might be also chained to narrow perspectives or opinions or living according to other people’s expectations for us. We must understand that perceptions based in duality, separation, and materialism are false and illusory. The Devil thinks that the power comes from his own ego self and material gains. This kind of ego inflation is a real danger on any path of spiritual power.

When we feel our limitations and we become fed up with them, that’s what motivates us to actually free ourselves and choose to take our chains off. The Devil also represents the universal principle of mirth and humor, combined with stability. Those who embody this archetype find that it’s important to maintain a sense of humor and productivity at the same time. Think of a comedian who has an ability to bring humor to very worldly situations. Being able to accept and even laugh at our human foibles is one way to bring light to life’s situations.