The Devil card describes power--its use or misuse.
The Devil card, a member of the Major Arcana, is a card of great complexity and layers of meaning. A cursory look shows the devil, an imposing figure that dominates the card, flanked by two subordinate figures held by chains around their necks. They are naked with tails. The woman's tail holds a bunch of upturned grapes, the man's tail faces downward and is full of fire.
The image of these three figures against a background of black is disquieting and powerful. When working with clients, the appearance of The Devil nearly always elicits a strong reaction.
The Devil is a heavy hitter, but he isn't necessarily negative in the sense that we normally associate with the word "devil."
The appearance of The Devil often indicated that either the client or someone in the client's environment is playing the "heavy." But that is not necessarily a bad thing. If things are out of wack, it may take nothing short of someone putting his foot down to bring them back into balance.
One example is a woman in a leadership position in a small non-profit who had to ask a disruptive volunteer to leave the organization after her poor behavior brought a simmering situation to a head.
The reception among other staff was relief. Another is a coach who finds she needs to take on the role of "The Devil" in requiring that her clients agree to be committed and accountable.
In both cases, each client needed to be The Devil, in other words, exercise her own power.
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