Devil Card Meaning
Table of Contents
Obsession, anger, repression, breakthroughs, illusions, empowerment
Despite the name, The Devil tarot card is not inherently evil. It represents our shadows, our vices (and by extension, our addictions), and our tendency to give away our power or responsibility to someone else.
The Devil certainly appears to be evil because it brings out the “worst” parts of ourselves. Or at least, the parts of ourselves we struggle with the most.
Anger and obsession are forceful emotions. They blindly drive us towards things we otherwise wouldn’t go anywhere near. We often believe we are blind and helpless in the presence of the Devil, but that is not the case.
We are in a cage of our own making. The Devil has tricked us with their illusions At any moment we can choose to break free of the cage and take back our freedom.
The Devil tarot card puts us in touch with the primitive, childlike side of ourselves that we try to ignore. We are told that anger is bad, so we repress it.
Eventually our hidden aggressions come barrelling to the surface and The Devil appears. We become a slave to our anger, living at its mercy because we believe we’re helpless.
But that’s an illusion. The Devil only holds power over us so long as we remain ignorant to the lies and make-believe. This is card number fifthteen in the major arcana.
The Devil Tarot Card Meaning
The Devil tarot card appears in a reading when there are harmful, addictive patterns present in your life that have the potential to destroy everything you’ve worked for. Assuming they haven’t already.
Addition in all forms is strongly associated with this major arcana card. People turn to various vices instead of dealing with their emotions and experiences, especially ones that invoke rage.
The Devil tarot card is a wake up call. It is time to stop doing what you’re doing, open your eyes, and take responsibility.
Don’t give away your power. Don’t pass off the blame. Don’t lose yourself in your own delusions. Don’t over emphasize the value of material things.
You’re either in the midst of, or just experienced, an extended period of over indulgence. This is likely where your addiction stemmed from.
And this doesn’t just have to be a life-threatening addiction (but of course, it could be). It could be an addition to horrible thought patterns, or a micro-habit that is causing a lot of strain. You know your life best, and admitting that a habit you’ve formed is an addiction takes a lot of courage.
The Devil tarot card is highlighting the fact that your courage is vital now. Whatever you’re obsessed with right now is probably not in your highest good. Be careful not to fall for any romanticized lies about it.
Devil Reversed
The Devil tarot card reversed is a positive and encouraging message of personal freedom. If this card shows up for you, you’ve triumphed over something that was doing you great harm. Congratulations!
You’ve recognized your power, seized your power, and are now stepping into your power.
Whatever previously had you in its grasps is dissolving now. While there may still be remnants to deal with, the hardest part is over. Stay the course and you will be successful.
Relapse is a real problem and a true temptation for anyone who experiences addictive behavior. The reversed Devil card is a strong warning to not fall back into your habits. Don’t undo all the hard work you just did to get here.
You’ve finally been able to detach yourself from the material things that were holding you captive. You’ve realized that you are responsible for your life situation, and for changing it.
This may seem terrifying, but it’s actually empowering and liberating. Once you’ve faced your own shadow, everything else seems so much easier to deal with.
Featured Tarot Deck – The Tarot of Dreams
The Devil Tarot Meaning
You are so much more powerful than you think you are. The Devil is not evil, it’s simply acting on primitive instinct.
We need The Devil archetype in our lives. It ensures our safety and survival. But honestly, how often are our basic survival needs genuinely threatened?
Everything related to The Devil card pertains to our ego minds (the inner monologue that is making all the active decisions). When our ego minds run the show, we will never live up to our true potential.
The Devil tarot card wants us to ask ourselves–what aspects of myself have I hidden away and avoided? What are my coping mechanisms that are harming me?
