Any thoughts on Death and The Devil combined?

 

My initial thought was an end to toxic patterns such as codependency, overcoming addiction (or whatever the Devil card referred to).   

 

Any other interpretations? 

Hi, yes it could be, but it always depends on the context and the question. 

This combo may also underline an addiction (alcool, drug, whatever) as a result of a painful separation/as a way to react to that.

Context matters, and it’s also equally important what deck is used and what is depicted on those cards. I would also take card order into consult, as well as card interactions. But since you’re asking generally… Sure, this combo could mean an end of something destructive, but it could just as well represent a death or an ending that is brought on by sinister people/circumstances. And it could also mean what @November suggested.
 

I would personally be more inclined towards one of the less optimistic interpretations, unless the Death card have unusually positive or neutral imagery. So to know for sure, I would look to what the cards are depicting and how the images on both cards seem to interact. 
 

Edited November 15, 20223 yr by Raggydoll

@Raggydoll

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I was using Mythic Tarot deck. Here are the cards:

1 hour ago, November said:

Hi, yes it could be, but it always depends on the context and the question. 

This combo may also underline an addiction (alcool, drug, whatever) as a result of a painful separation/as a way to react to that.

 

Thanks, yes that makes sense too. Your input helps. 

If this is relating to an actual reading that you want help to interpret, you need to post in the ‘Your readings’ section @Jasmine 

8 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

If this is relating to an actual reading that you want help to interpret, you need to post in the ‘Your readings’ section @Jasmine 

 

No, I don't.  I thought I supposed to post the cards. Nvm! 

It's fine @Jasmine and okay to post the cards to demonstrate the combination.

 

We can discuss this combination in a general way with ideas which might help anyone who looks up this thread in future 🙂

7 minutes ago, DanielJUK said:

It's fine @Jasmine and okay to post the cards to demonstrate the combination.

 

We can discuss this combination in a general way with ideas which might help anyone who looks up this thread in future 🙂

 

Oh that's good, thanks for replying.   I was only ever intending to discuss it in a general way.  I just thought they were an interesting combination when I saw them appear. 

Okay, this is completely off the top of my head after just a quick glance at the cards.  Death is saying "thank you, you have brought me what I need.  You may go now" and the Devil is saying "not so fast".

@Grandma yes, I think that's exactly it. 

2 hours ago, Jasmine said:

@Grandma yes, I think that's exactly it.

 

That's good to know, thanks.  As Raggydoll wrote, 

23 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

it’s also equally important what deck is used and what is depicted on those cards.

Without seeing the cards, all we can do is suggest possible meanings.  That's good for building a knowledge base but not always helpful when speculating about a specific draw.

Grandmas suggestion is great. I saw something slightly different though, maybe because of my twisted mind 😄 I picture the masked Death welcoming those people at what they think is the end of the road, but shortly after they have paid their respects, Death drops his mask and unveils that he’s in fact Pan or the Devil. And the people look down to see that they are now in shackles.. but before they have time to panic, Pan starts playing his flute and suddenly reality becomes blurry and they feel strangely elated.
 

I guess I don’t trust masked figures 😊

8 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

I guess I don’t trust masked figures

Then perhaps I shouldn't have worn this mask today?

31 minutes ago, Grandma said:

Then perhaps I shouldn't have worn this mask today?

Death is usually cut and dry to me—nobody gets out alive, or endings or release (even beneficial ones). Devil shows up for me with my mother in law, who is a staunch religious fundamentalist. Kind of like the cards say, this lady thinks she’s heaven’s special messenger, but often what she does is, well… Evil. (Not in a funny way. It’s hard.) It’s like the cards are validating that her behavior really hurts me. And also making kind of a joke, like the universe saying, oh darling, I see it too.

 

Death comes to everyone, and everyone has a devil in them. Death isn’t stoppable most of the time, but we can evolve past our devils. 

I might interpret this combination in a very sinister way.  Not of actual physical death, but something that a person might have wanted very badly is now OVER for good, and won't return—mainly caused by an addiction of some sort.  If a marriage comes to an end because of alcoholism in one of the partners, this could be the combination that turns up.  Or possibly just a person's bad habits mean the death of a dream ...job, relationship, opportunity, etc.  

There are probably other less stark ways the cards could tell you this, but if I got this in a reading I would take it to mean this is BIG STUFF.
 

It could also mean that the death of something cherished (not the querent's fault) will result in some kind of unhealthy addictive behaviour.  Everything from substance abuse, to unhealthy attitudes or practices that become chronic and difficult to control.