Dark, magnetic, possibly evil, the devil card strikes fear in some, and intrigue in others. This is your complete reference guide for understanding this mysterious card, including meaning (upright & reversed), powerful devil card combinations, and how it relates to Love, Career, Health, Spirituality etc.
The Devil Tarot Keywords
Upright Meaning : Materialism, Hedonism, Restriction, Addiction, Sexuality, Attachment, Powerlessness
Reversed Position : Revelation, Detachment, Exploring The Shadow Self, Reclaiming Power, Freedom
The Devil Tarot Card Description
The devil is a half man, half goat figure, with bat wings. An inverted pentagram rests between his horns, showing his connection to the occult. Both the man and the woman are chained to him, seemingly under his control. Their respective tails signify pleasure, and their animalistic tendencies. His left hand holds a lit torch and right hand shows a Jewish blessing.
The Rider Waite version shows the devil in its well known satyr form, which originally represented balance, between good and evil, male and female, human and animal. Now it’s a symbol that is feared and sometimes considered evil.
Scroll down to the devil tarot card uncovered section for a deeper look into its powerful symbolism.
The Devil Tarot Card Meanings: Upright and Reversed
Upright Devil: Entanglements and Materialism
The devil card is a sign that you’re trapped in a power struggle, choosing short term pleasure and long term pain. Representing your obsessions, you might be completely at the mercy of something in your life, be it another person or a harmful addiction.
Entangled in unhealthy attachments, bad habits, and negative thinking. You’re nothing more than a powerless victim. At least, that’s the illusion the devil card represents. The truth is, you do have power. While it may not happen overnight, you can regain control of your animalistic tendencies.
Your life may be ruled by excessive materialism, pleasure seeking, and harmful behaviours. Use self awareness to shed light on the darker aspects of yourself. You have the power to break free, no matter how hopeless things seem.
Pay close attention to things like, smoking, excessive drinking, binge-watching TV, overeating, and sexual obsession – if you’re not careful these habits will create harmful consequences for you at this time.
On a brighter note, the devil upright can show a significant attachment, such as a mother’s connection to her newborn child, or a couple in the honeymoon phase. This major arcana card also signifies psychic prowess.
Reversed Devil: Liberation and Transformation
Break free from the chains of restrictions, those pesky limitations holding you back. The devil tarot card meanings become more positive, when this card is drawn reversed in your tarot spread. It shows that you’re making big strides on the path to self-improvement. You may be taking steps to overcome addiction, balancing your materialism with spiritualism, or finally letting go of long held limiting beliefs.
Often before a breakthrough you must confront your shadows. What is holding you back from the new version of you? Inner fears, anxieties, poor habits, toxic relationships, and lack of fullfillment may all come to the surface at this time. Lovingly address each of these to bring about positive change.
There is a reason for every darker aspect of your personality, even addiction is simply an attempt to survive a difficult situation. You can stop fighting against yourself. Find a way to own, accept, and integrate these darker parts of you, so you can move on with ease. Connect to a trained therapist or seek help for heavier issues. You are free, which means you don’t have to go at it alone.
The Devil Tarot Card Uncovered
The devil is the 15th card in a standard tarot deck. It’s ruled by the planet Saturn (planet of restrictions and limitations), and associated with the astrology sign of Capricorn. Click here to learn about astrology and tarot cards.
The half goat, half man figure in the center, is inspired by baphomet or the god pan. A famous occult symbol of duality (described above). The inverted pentagram is symbolic of the darker side of magic. His bat wings are associated with the blood-sucking nature temptations have when they control you.
His hypnotic stare depicts the magnetism of material desire.
Chained Humans and Respective Tails
The two humans chained to the devil appear controlled. However if you look close, the chains are loose around their necks. These humans are choosing to be slaves to their animalistic desires.
Their horns and tails illustrate that the longer they spend tied to the devil (their dark desires), the less human they become.
The woman’s tail features grapes, associated with her addiction to the finer things in life. While the man’s tail of fire, is his addiction to power and lust. Together they show the negative side of excessive material focus.
The Devil Tarot Card in Yes or No Readings
When pulled in the upright position, the devil shows a yes. When drawn reversed, a no is indicated. Be cautious because in a yes or no reading, the devil represents negative influences at play.
Devil card: One Card Pull
In a single card pull the devil is a reminder to be cautious when engaging in pleasure seeking and hedonistic tendencies. Don’t let the negative aspects of temptation and materialism destroy your spirit.
The Devil Tarot Card in Love, Career, and Finances
What does the Devil tarot card mean in love?
The hypnotic stare of the devil card represents the pure magnetism it possesses. In a love tarot reading, it indicates a person who is sexually attractive, magnetic and potentially domineering. While there are positive associations with this card, watch out, love can turn into addiction with the devil around.
Upright Devil Tarot Love Meaning
Drawing the devil upright in a love tarot reading is a good sign at the beginning of a relationship. It’s indicative of the honeymoon phase, showing a powerful attachment with an abundance of passion, love and lust. Tread lightly, as this attachment can quickly turn into a co-dependent relationship. Don’t allow yourself to get lost in your partner.
In a long term relationship, the devil card can show a power imbalance. One partner may be dominating the other in healthy and unhealthy ways. Make sure boundaries, individuality, and mutual respect have not been forgotten.
The devil card embodies your carnal desires. Sexuality and temptation can create unhealthy patterns if left unchecked. You may become addicted to using people for your own pleasure, and neglecting their needs in the process. Tame your raw instincts with honesty, if you’re only desiring to hook up, make sure it’s clear to the other person involved.
If you’re seeking personal liberation, this is a good time to explore your earthly desires. You may find yourself drawn to BDSM, fetishes, and playing out your darkest fantasies. Experimenting can be deeply fulfilling, however make sure you’re paying attention to your well-being, as the devil card suggests potential harm. Safety, boundaries, and choosing your partners wisely is important.
Reversed Devil Tarot Love Meaning
In love, the devil reversed indicates limiting beliefs finally being released. If you’re single, negative thinking may have been holding you back from finding the love you desire. Embrace detachment and you will regain control of your life.
In relationships, this card represents a partnership feeling trapped in a rut, and full of negative emotions. This cycle is coming to an end as both partners are now honouring the relationship and themselves. You have avoided causing irreparable harm to your connection and things are starting to look up.
At it’s worst, the reversed devil card displays an abusive, dangerous or controlling partner. This card shows you’re breaking free from unhealthy attachments and discovering your own independence. Toxic relationships can be addicting, and they keep you from your true self. Give yourself a pat on the back for finding your way out of unhealthy relationships, and finally being done with this pattern.
Career – Upright devil
Feeling trapped in a job you despise? If you’re staring at the clock waiting for your work day to end, it’s no wonder the devil card appears in your career tarot readings. You likely feel dependent on your job and unable to improve the situation.
It’s easy to blame external forces, such as money, luck, or bad world economics. However, the devil tarot card appears as a sign that you need to take accountability for your own destiny. What actions can you take, right now, to improve your career situation? Your well-being and life enjoyment depends on it.
Career Meaning – Reversed Devil
If you’ve been feeling trapped in your career path, the devil reversed suggests you’re breaking free. You may have felt stuck due to self-imposed limitations, money troubles, or focusing too much on status.
As you take more accountability for your own life, you will start taking actions to improve your position. This could involve leaving an unhealthy work environment, or unfulfilling job.
As you step into your independence and personal power, you begin to see external factors having less control over you.
Finances Meaning – Upright Devil
Watch your spending! When the devil card is present, you’re favouring short term pleasure over long term stability. This can get out of control fast! Rein in your spending and consider crucial financial decisions. You don’t want to let bad habits get the best of you.
Compulsive spending, gambling, and addictions should be paid attention to. Consider this card bad luck in risky financial matters.
Finances Meaning – Reversed Devil
Congratulations! The devil reversed demonstrates regaining control in financial matters. You’re making positive changes and will reap the rewards. If you’ve been dependent on others for money, you’re regaining your financial independence. Stability and prosperity are on the way.
Health and Spirituality Meaning
Upright The Devil tarot card meaning
In a health reading, this major arcana card is saying that your negative patterns are catching up to you. Smoking, excessive drinking, binge-eating and drug addiction all have their respective consequences. Will you break free from these patterns, or let their negative influences consume you?
A silent illness can also be indicated by this card. If something has been feeling inexplicably off, go to your doctor immediately. Mental health issues may also be at play, depression, anxiety, panic attacks and even schizophrenia are associated with the devil card.
Spiritually speaking, the devil is deeply tied to the occult, it can show the beginning of psychic abilities. Or negative aspects of spirituality creating unhealthy attachments in you. Be careful because psychic power left unchecked can readily turn into mental illness.
The duality of the devil tarot card personifies the battle between the spiritual and the material realm. If you’re excessively focused on your materialistic goals at the determent of those around you, connect to spirituality to create balance. If the opposite is true, and you’re neglecting the physical world due to spiritual involvement, remember the importance of the material world. True freedom comes from the balance of both these aspects.
Reversed Devil Meaning
Breathe a sigh of relief, you’re on the road to recovery. Bad habits have lost their hold on you and you have narrowly avoided their consequences. Keep this momentum going, the personal growth you’ve experienced is powerful. You have the ability to overcome your addictions and are doing an amazing job.
Spiritually, the devil reversed shows you’re moving out of a period of darkness, returning to happiness and joy. You are at the start of a spiritual breakthrough, limiting beliefs are falling away. Practising the Buddhist principle of detachment is highly beneficial to you now. You may also be integrating more of your shadow self. We all have a dark side, and shadow work allows you to feel more authentic and whole.
If you’re experiencing new, or old psychic abilities, you have gained full control over them.
The Devil Tarot Card Combinations
Understanding the devil tarot card meanings is one piece of the puzzle, applying it to the context of the other cards in your tarot reading, takes practice and creativity. Below are some powerful tarot card combinations to pay attention to.
The Devil and the Lovers or the Two of Cups
When these cards appear together it shows a couple with deep entanglements. It’s a powerful and challenging relationship that can cause great growth or great chaos. Often times both. The partners are deeply interwined, possibly even telepathic. Picking up on eachothers thoughts and emotions to both their benefit and detriment.
These types of relationships exist for two indviduals to become deeply aware of their shadow selves, and negative patterns. They’re platforms for growth, where both people feel consistently triggered by the other. Usually they’re too painful to last, yet still deeply meaningful in your life.
The Devil and the Five of Pentacles
Desperation, and hardship are plaguing you when the devil card is drawn with the five of pentacles in a tarot reading. Either you’re suffering financial loss, or a toxic situation is draining your energy. The struggle is real.
Don’t lose hope. If you can recognize your negative behaviours that are contributing to the problem, this tarot card combination is an oppurtunity. Accept the situation you’re in and the feelings it brings up, you’re in the perfect position for personal growth.
Seek help from family, friends and professionals if you need it. This is a challenging time.
The Devil and the Magician
When the devil card is drawn with the magician, this is a powerful reminder of your part in creating your reality. Negative tendencies may be holding you back. You could be manifesting from negative belief systems and therefore experiencing exactly what you don’t want.
The magician is your conscious mind and the devil your unconscious. Balance these aspects and you will become a force of nature. Able to create exactly what you want, no longer bogged down by negative thoughts and feelings.
The Empress Tarot 