This card corresponds to the letter Ayin, signifying the Eye, and the zodiac sign of Capricorn. In the era of Christian medieval times, it was understood very wrongly. Eliphas Levi studied this card very deeply, as it is associated with ceremonial magic, his favorite subject, and created a new drawing of the Devil, identifying it with Baphomet, the idol with the goat’s head, associated with the Templars. However, in Levi’s time, archaeological excavations had not progressed far enough, and the essence of Baphomet was not fully understood. Nevertheless, he managed to identify the goat depicted on the card with Pan.

On the Tree of Life, Atu XIII and XV are symmetrically positioned: they lead from Tiphareth — human consciousness — to the spheres where Thought (on one side) and Bliss (on the other) are created. Atu XIV, situated between them, leads from the same point to the sphere where Being arises. Thus, these three cards together can be seen as symbols of the processes through which an idea takes on manifested form.

This card represents creative energy in its most material form: in the zodiac, Capricorn corresponds to the zenith. It is the most exalted of all signs; it is the mountain goat, soaring above the earth’s peaks in a surge of desire. Its ruler is Saturn, symbolizing personality and eternity. In this sign, Mars is exalted, representing the fiery, material energy of creation at its best. This card depicts Pan Pangenetor, the All-Begetter. It is the Tree of Life, depicted against a background of exceptionally subtle, complex, and fantastical forms of madness — the divine madness of spring, which is already sensed in the contemplative madness of winter, for as the Sun enters this sign, it turns northward. The roots of the Tree are depicted as transparent, revealing countless emanations of sap; before it stands the Himalayan goat with an eye in the center of its forehead, representing the god Pan on the highest and most sacred mountains of the Earth. His creative force is concealed behind the symbol of the Staff of the Supreme Adept, crowned with a winged sphere and the twin serpents of Horus and Osiris.

In other words, This card symbolizes the journey from human consciousness to the realms where thoughts and bliss are created. It represents creative energy in its most material form, associated with the zodiac sign Capricorn, which is known for its ambition and achievement. The image shows Pan, the god of nature, depicted with a goat’s body and a human face, standing before the Tree of Life. The tree’s roots are transparent, symbolizing its connection to the source of life, while Pan represents the creative force behind it all.

Hearken unto me, O Lord of Stars,
For tireless service, my heart implores.
Accept both sorrow’s bitter scars,
And joy that on the path explores.

O, Capricorn, with thorns adorned,
Yet lily pure, in snow-white hue!
Your crown with golden light adorned,
With horned bow aglow, in skies so blue.

The sign of Capricorn is rough, sharp, dark, and even blind; its creative impulse disregards reason’s pleas, customs, or the voice of prudence. It is divinely indiscriminate in means, majestically indifferent to ends. “There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, free from the desire for specific results, is perfect in every way” (“The Book of the Law,” I, 42-44).

In other words, the Capricorn sign is bold, harsh, and even unyielding; its creative drive pays no heed to logic, tradition, or caution. It acts without discrimination and remains indifferent to the outcome.

The trunk of the Tree reaches up into the sky, encircled by the body of Nut. Similarly, the Staff’s trunk extends unimpeded down to the Earth’s center. This represents unity with the heavens and the earth.

The Devil symbolizes embracing all existence, finding joy in everything, even the unpleasant. He represents ecstatic joy in all things and transcends limitations. He is Pan; he is All.

So, the Devil’s formula is about fully recognizing and accepting everything that exists. He finds joy in the rough and unproductive just as much as in the gentle and fruitful. He delights in all existence equally. He symbolizes finding ecstatic joy in every phenomenon, even those naturally repulsive; he transcends all limitations. He is Pan; he is Everything.

It’s also worth noting some other correspondences. In the Hebrew alphabet, there are three semi-vowel letters — Aleph, Yod, and Ayin, and from these three letters, the sacred name of God is formed — IAO. Therefore, the corresponding three Atus — IX, 0, and XV — provide a triple explanation of masculine creative energy; however, this card represents masculine energy in its most masculine form. Its ruler, Saturn, is Set, the horned god of the Egyptian deserts, the god of the south. His name is associated with all gods whose names contain the same consonants, such as Shaitan or Satan.

Crowley refers to the following passage from Chapter 5 of “Magick in Theory and Practice”:

“The magnificent ‘Devil’ (or secret ‘other’ Eye) from the formula of dedication of the Mountain is described in other works. This ‘Devil’ is called Satan or Shaitan; and people who don’t know his formula fear him. Imagining themselves sinful, they lay the blame for their imagined sins on Nature itself. Satan is Saturn, Set, Abraxas, Adad, Adonis, Attis, Adam, Adonai, and so on. The most you can accuse him of is being the southern sun. Ancient Initiates, who lived in lands irrigated by the waters of the Nile or Euphrates, associated the south with deadly heat and cursed this side of the light, from where the sun sent its deadliest rays. Even in the legend of Hiram, echoes of this view can be heard: Hiram was brought down and killed precisely at noon. Moreover, Capricorn — the sign the sun enters when it reaches its southernmost point at the Winter Solstice, the time when plants die from the perspective of inhabitants of the northern hemisphere. This gave them another reason to curse the south. The third reason is the cruelty of hot and dry winds, poisoned breath of deserts or oceans, mysterious and inaccessible, and therefore inspiring horror: all this was also associated with the south in the perception of the ancients. But to us, familiar with astronomical facts, such dislike of the south seems like a foolish prejudice, inspired by the animistic beliefs of our ancestors due to the circumstances of their habitation. We see no hostility between Right and Left, Up and Down, and similar pairs of opposites. The concepts involved in such pairs are meaningful only in relation to each other; they are mere conventions arising from the arbitrary method of representing our ideas through a variety of symbolism based on dualism. The concept of ‘good’ needs to be defined in terms of human ideals and instincts. The concept of ‘east’ is meaningless outside the context of purely terrestrial circumstances: within the framework of the cosmic reference system, the direction of ‘east’ shifts by one degree every four minutes. ‘Up’ is different for each person — unless two people happen to be on the same straight line connecting them to the center of the Earth. The concept of ‘solid’ is merely a matter of opinion of our muscles. And ‘true’ is an utterly incomprehensible epithet, the meaning of which has not even been grasped by our most capable philosophers.”

We see that Crowley sees positive in Devil card: Crowley is discussing the idea of the Devil and how it’s perceived differently in various cultures. Devil is associated with the southern sun and ancient people feared it because of the deadly heat and harsh winds from the south. However, he argues that such fears are based on outdated beliefs and don’t hold true in modern understanding. He suggests that concepts like good and bad, up and down, and other opposites are subjective and depend on individual perspectives.

Thus, without any qualms of conscience, we revive the “devilish cult” of those ideas which, in accordance with the laws of sound and phenomena like speech and hearing, are associated with a group of “Gods” whose names are rooted in “Sh” or “D”, vocalized by the open “A”. For these Names embody qualities such as courage, honesty, energy, pride, strength, and triumph; they are words expressing creative and paternal will.

Thus, the “Devil” is Capricorn — the Goat, conquering the steepest mountains; a Deity which, when manifested in man, makes him Aegipan, that is, “All”.

The Sun enters Capricorn ♑️ at the turning point of the year, heading north. It’s also represented by the vowel “O” — the sound of roaring, rumbling, and command, a powerful exhale controlled by a tight circle of lips.

It’s the Open Eye of the high Sun, before which all shadows flee; and It is also the Secret Eye, which shapes the image of its God — the Light — and empowers it to prophesy, enlightening the mind.

Thus, it’s the Man who becomes God: noble and filled with passionate aspiration; fully aware, reaching the pinnacle of development, and thus ready to embark on a journey for the salvation of the world. However, some people may not perceive this true form — and upon seeing Pan, they may go mad with horror. He must remain hidden behind Its original mask.

Therefore, he takes on the form of the person it was at the beginning; he lives a human life; in fact, he is entirely human. But the initiation he underwent made him the master of Events, endowing him with an understanding that everything happening to it is the fulfillment of his true will.

The setting is crucial in this symbolism — desolate places, especially high places. This fits perfectly with the worship of mountains. In the Bible, there are many criticisms of kings who made sacrifices “on high places,” even though Zion itself is a mountain! This connection lasted even until the times of witch gatherings, which were preferably held on deserted mountain peaks or, if those were not available, at least in wild, untouched areas.

Note that Shabbatai, which represents the sphere of Saturn, is connected to the Sabbath. Historically, prejudice against witches is linked to fear of Jews, whose rituals, pushed aside by Christian magic among the masses, came to be seen as mysterious and dreadful. Panic led to rumors that Jews kidnapped, sacrificed, and consumed Christian children. This belief persists to this day.

All the symbols depicted on this card point to objects that are lofty and far removed from the mundane. Even the horns of the goat have a spiral shape, indicating the movement of pervasive energy. Zoroaster defines God as “possessing spiral force.” Compare this with the more recent but not as profound works of Einstein. Also, compare Saturn, located at one end of the sequence of the Seven Sacred Wanderers, with the Moon at the other: the old man and the young girl; see “The Formula of Tetragrammaton.” They are more closely connected than any other pair of planets, because 3 squared equals 9, and each of them contains its own opposite.

“The Devil

Master of the Gates of Matter
Child of the Forces of Time
Zodiacal Arcanum of Capricorn
Ruler – Saturn, exalted planet – Mars
Original composition: the figure of Pan or Priapus. An appropriate illustration for this Mystery could be the ‘Baphomet’ by Levi.
Hebrew letter: Ayin (eye).
Path of the Tree of Life: 26th, connecting Tiphereth (Beauty) with Hod (Splendor)
Colors: indigo; black; deep blackish-blue; cold dark gray, almost black.

“The Devil does not exist. It is a false name invented by the Dark Brothers to give the appearance of unity to the ignorant confusion of their scattered ideas. If the devil possessed integral unity, he would be a god.”

Perhaps the Devil does not exist, but the Devil card in the Tarot deck certainly exists unequivocally – and, in my opinion, more than any other card, it is subject to twisted interpretation. (However, you probably guessed that I would say that.)

This is the arcana of Capricorn — the sign of the goat. Is it any wonder that in the realm of divination, the Devil has become a veritable scapegoat — the one blamed for all conceivable and inconceivable misfortunes that may befall us, and for all the sinful temptations that continuously push us towards self-destruction? Indeed, how convenient!

But if we take the Devil as a card symbolizing evil, then what card would become the symbol of good in that case? All the other arcana are potentially capable of representing both good and evil in their various manifestations. So, what’s the need for just one card symbolizing exclusively evil?

Can’t the Fool be reckless enough, the Magician be crafty enough, the High Priestess be seductive enough, the Empress be malicious enough, the Emperor be tyrannical enough, the Hierophant be fanatical enough, the Lovers be treacherous enough, the Chariot be boastful enough, Strength be lustful enough, the Hermit be cruel enough to himself, Wheel of Fortune be unlucky enough, Justice be unfair enough, the Hanged Man be tormented enough, Death be bloodthirsty enough, Temperance be chaotic enough, the Tower be catastrophic enough, the Star be bleak enough, the Moon be deceitful enough, the Sun be narcissistic enough, Judgment be destructive enough, and the World be cold and heartless enough to collectively express all the evil that exists in this world?

It’s becoming clear that the Devil is not the ultimate embodiment of evil, but something entirely different. But what exactly? The answer to this question is found in his full title: “Master of the Gates of Matter.” However, this title itself may seem quite ominous… especially if you believe that earthly life is a kind of estrangement from God and that all material existence, including us, is inherently evil. What childish babble!

The supreme deity, whatever it may be, wouldn’t be supreme if it didn’t encompass all existence, including us and the Devil. It seems obvious without proof that the Devil is none other than God misunderstood by ignorant and malicious people. Crowley provides the following explanation:

“This card represents creative energy in its most material form: in the zodiac, Capricorn is at the zenith. This is the most exalted of all signs; it is the mountain goat, soaring over the peaks of the earth. Mars is exalted in this sign, representing in its highest aspects fiery, material energy of creation. This card depicts Pan Pangenetor, the All-Begetter” (“The Book of Thoth”).

Crowley further points out that the Fool, the Hermit, and the Devil “give a triple explanation of the male creative energy; however, the Devil represents male energy in its most masculine form.” And indeed, masculine energy in its most masculine form! Just look at this card! There’s no need for explanations. Everything depicted on this card is the Devil. The majestic Himalayan goat with a third eye in the center of its forehead stands against the backdrop of a tree with two huge spherical roots. The most intriguing aspect here, perhaps, are the figures placed inside the testicles.

In traditional Tarot decks, the Devil card depicts a man and a woman, kneeling before the Devil, expressing reverence and servile dependence. In the composition developed by Lady Harris, these characters have transformed into four female figures enclosed in the right testicle, and four male figures in the left. The uppermost of these male figures — with the horned head of the classical Devil — seemingly forced its way upward. Pairs of dotted lines contain hints of chromosomes, and radiant stars on the “equator” of both spheres evoke associations with the process of cell division. This is what the Devil, whom we’ve been taught to fear, represents. It is life itself — unrestrained, engulfed in passionate love, and directed towards growth and unity with all existence.

Therefore, the formula of the Devil is the complete acknowledgment and acceptance of all that exists. He rejoices equally in the coarse and the barren as in the tender and the fruitful. All existence fills him with ecstasy. He embodies the attainment of ecstatic joy in every phenomenon, even those that naturally evoke revulsion; he transcends all limitations; he is Pan; he is All.

In Crowley’s book “The Vision and the Voice,” he tells a charming tale of a little girl named Lola on an initiatory journey through the Tree of Life. She calls her guide, the Holy Guardian Angel, her Beautiful Prince. Upon reaching the 26th path (the path of Ayin and the Devil), they find themselves at a strange feast in the midst of a desolate heath.

At midnight came the Devil and sat among us; but my Beautiful Prince whispered, ‘Hush! This is a great mystery, but know that this is Yeshua, the Savior of the World.’ It was very funny because the girl next to me thought it was Jesus Christ until another Beautiful Prince (my Prince’s brother) whispered to her with a kiss, ‘Hush! Just don’t tell anyone, but this is Satan, the Savior of the World.

---