The Lovers and the Devil in the Tarot

Tarot cards are more than just a deck, a game, or a divination tool. They are portals to human experience, both collective and individual.

Themes such as balance, conflicting forces, and enlightenment are repeated throughout the deck. Tarot is strong because it is a complete system, not just a collection of images.

The system influences both meanings and images. The cards in the deck converse with each other. When we listen to those conversations, we can learn a lot more.

This can be achieved in several ways. One method is to look at pairings or groupings based on visual similarity.

The Lovers and the Devil is an intriguing pairing

The number of cards the Devil is associated with, based on aesthetic similarity, is quite astonishing.

The numerological link between Lovers and the Devil strengthens their relationship. The Lovers are, of course, number 6. The Devil's number is 15, which can be simplified to 5 + 1 = 6.

The number 6 symbolizes a variety of things (as most symbols do), including harmony, home, and answers. Relationships, on the other hand, are what we'll focus on here.

There are some significant symbolic and compositional connections between The Lovers and The Devil:

• Characters about or in something with a large non-human central character
• Two miniature human characters, usually a man and a woman, who are usually naked.
• Fruit that is associated with the female human
• The male human is related to fire.
• A symbol on or behind the non-human character's skull

The relationship between two people, groups, or things, often with contrasting traits such as gender, talents, agendas, or qualities, is a common theme in these two cards. Something or a force greater than themselves unites them.

The Differences Between the Devil and Lovers

The angel and the sun in the image of the Lovers represent spiritual truth and higher consciousness. The cloud, which is associated with the sky and air, evokes images of truth, deliberate action, and understanding. The cloud is also fleeting.

Even if you can't see the way, truths can guide you in the right direction.

The devil and the inverted pentagram in the Devil image imply favoring the physical world over the spiritual. The cube is substantial and capable of holding or binding objects within it or to it, particularly with chains attached.

The conscious mind does not make decisions or perform actions; instead, instinct or unconscious impulses direct them.

The Lovers' Trees symbolize how the physical world rises to the spiritual world and is nourished by it. The Devil's tails show that humanity is completely absorbed by the physical world and has forgotten about the spiritual realm.

Fruit as a symbol is an intriguing choice. Apples are used in the Lovers card, and are easily associated with knowledge and conscious understanding of good and evil.

The snake shows that there is a moment between not knowing and knowing, just as the cloud can mean a transitory “not knowing” or “not understanding.”

You can't unknow something once you've learned it. The act of knowing transforms you, just as a snake sheds its skin.

The Devil and Lovers in Life

Grapes, often associated with Dionysus, symbolize wine and intoxication, which can cloud the conscious mind and understanding, making it easier to make decisions based on the physical (ignoring the spiritual) and without engaging the intellect.

Fire is used in both images. The burning tree in the Lovers image reminds me of the burning bush in the Christian Bible and direct communication with God/Spirit.

The image of the Devil has replaced the passion of the spirit and the strength of the will with only the passion of the body. Furthermore, the Devil is supposed to hold fire to control or punish the figures.

The Lovers card has traditionally been associated with “choices” rather than love and romance. The topic of elections may come up frequently in the dialogue between the Lovers and the Devil.

How do we think about things and make decisions? What factors influence your choices? When making a decision, what aspect of yourself carries the most weight? What do you want to happen as a result of any decision you make?

We've only scratched the surface, but perhaps this article will serve as a starting point for your own investigations into the relationship between these two cards.

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