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Capricorn season arrives at the dawn of a new year, from December 21st to January 19th. It's a time when many reflect on old habits and patterns, deciding what to leave behind in the new year. Capricorns are built for this kind of hard work. They are fundamentally pragmatic, and tough, and know how to stand their ground when faced with difficulties. The sign’s ruling planet - Saturn- is one of structure and boundaries. The powers of Capricorn can be utilized in many ways this New Year, and one of them is through tarot.
The card most commonly associated with this earth sign is the Devil. At face value, this card may seem daunting; but rest assured that this doesn’t mean anything nefarious for your Cap friends or family, for there is much more to this card than initially meets the eye.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into the traits of a Capricorn and the Devil card, to better understand the message it brings to your practice.
Before we can unpack the meaning of the death card, we must first understand the history behind Capricorn. Capricorns are traditionally considered to be responsible, grounded, and pragmatic in all that they do. Capricorns have goals, and very little can interfere with them once their course is set. While it is true that Capricorns are determined, that does not mean they are immune from temptations or vice.
Capricorn is derived from the Capricornus constellation, and its rich backstory can offer key insights to the inner workings of this sign.
The myth and symbolism of Capricorn are found in the story of Pan, who is also depicted in the constellation Capricornus.
The constellation Capricornus and the zodiac sign Capricorn share a common symbol: The sea goat.
This image is derived from the Greek Mythological story of Pan.
Pan is the God of untamed nature and music. With the body of a goat, he rules over shepherds and is known for being lustful and indulgent.
Typhon was both a God and a monster of great strength. Born of Gaia (the Earth goddess) and Tartarus (a primordial, violent and chaotic being), Typhon sought to overthrow the Gods. He was a colossal being who towered above the clouds. Though he had the torso of a man, his arms and legs were tentacle-like and stretched for miles. On his head, there were hundreds of hissing snakes.
One day, this creature of unbridled horror attacked the Gods. The Gods fled from his rage by transforming into various animals in an attempt to evade capture. Pan, quick-witted and ambitious, dove into the Nile River and morphed the lower half of his body into that of a fish. From this vantage point, Pan (with aid from Hera) was able to assist Zues in the battle and ultimately allowed the Gods to overcome Typhon. In his honor, Zues cast Pan’s image upon the stars. Now, he is seen in the constellation Capricornus in his half fish half goat form.
The story of Pan relates to Capricorn as an indication of the sign’s resourcefulness. Capricorns are deeply intelligent. They are adept at analyzing stressful or convoluted situations, understanding when to step in, and achieving success through their cunning, ambitious and determined nature. Once committed, a Capricorn follows through. Failure is simply not an option.
The Devil Card courtesy of Juliet Sharman-Burke
Understanding the story of Pan, we can now analyze the symbolism and meaning of the Devil Card. As for every tarot card, the symbolism may differ across decks and cultures. For this article, I am largely referencing this deck and book by Juliet Sharman-Burke.
The image of the Devil in tarot is often represented by a half-goat, half-man figure, linking it to the story of Pan. The devil figure appears seated above two naked individuals, a man and a woman. They are held beneath the devil by loosely fashioned chains. Their hands are free, implying they have the agency to free themselves if desired. Instead, they are seated casually, gazing at the floor, as the devil reaches down and provokes them with a lit torch.
In a reading, The Devil indicates a situation where energy is being restrained. The Devil having such close resemblance to Pan implies that this is a restraint of someone’s natural and most powerful desires. Pan is a God of Nature who acts upon his impulses. Depicting him as being connected to the devil suggests that one should be wary of those parts of themselves. This card beacons the reader to keep themselves at a distance from and in control over their shadow self. However, there may be a deeper meaning to consider within this symbolism
As the Devil swings his torch over the heads of the bound humans, who are representations of worldly desire, he paradoxically does so to get closer to them and see them in a clearer light. For one to exist wholly detached from and unaware of their shadow self means, literally and metaphorically, to live at a distance from yourself. If you can not face the parts of yourself that you fear or that you perceive as a threat to your goals, you can not obtain a sound enough internal foundation for maintaining such goals. This is the ultimate trial for Capricorn. Despite the hardships that lie between them and their goals for their physical world, the most difficult challenges often lie within. They must remain in control of their wild ambitions and engage in self-reflection along the way, so that their control and success may extend beyond the surface.
The connection between Capricorn as a sign and the Devil card lies in the meticulous balance of ambition and control.
Capricorns are known for their ambition. When something is close to a Capricorn’s heart, they will stop at nothing to preserve it, whether that's a dream, a relationship, a particular status, etc. A Capricorn is willing to fight for what they want.
With this degree of drive comes the need for control and restraint. Not only to restrain from things that may derail progress toward their goals, but the control to believe in and stick with that goal for an extended amount of time. To fulfill their intrinsic desires, the Capricorn must restrain from worldly distractions as implied by the devil card.
With such strong ambition, the Capricorn will likely achieve their material success. As such, the Devil card heeds further warning not to overindulge.
It is impossible to neglect all of one’s desires. While the Capricorn may be skilled at self-restraint, that does not mean they are immune from falling off course.
If you find yourself struggling to find a balance between work and me-time, notice that your goals and desires conflict each other, or just have a Capricorn in your life whom you aim to understand on a deeper level, you can utilize the connection between Capricorn’s energy and the Devil card in many ways.
Meditation allows your subconscious to present its trends and troubles to your conscious mind. By meditating with the Devil card, you may center yourself on the notion of uncovering your heart’s most innate desires. Through this practice, you can begin unpacking where those desires stem from and what need they aim to fulfill. Looking towards these aspects of your shadow self may help you in finding a balance between
Examining how the devil card shows up in your readings may help to illuminate areas in your life where you may be feeling constrained, tempted, or overly attached. For Capricorns (or just those navigating Capricorn energy) this card may indicate an area of your life where you may need to analyze whether your ambition is fueled by joy or shallow intemperance and allow yourself to reunite with your core beliefs
Tracking your readings and writing out your emotional and physical response to their findings can be a helpful way to explore the innermost parts of yourself. When journaling with tarot specifically regarding the Devil card, ask yourself questions like
There is much to be learned from analyzing the connection between the Devil card and Capricorn. The Devil card helps to uncover areas where you may be feeling stuck or controlled in your life- internally or externally- and is a reminder that you hold the power to release yourself.
