The Devil in brief
In the Rider-Waite tradition, The Devil stands for attachment, temptation and restriction, the habits and desires that keep a person bound. Modern readers often take it as a mirror held up to the shadow side, a call to notice what has a hold and to loosen it, while the reversed card points to release and the reclaiming of personal power.
The card represents “the chain and fatality of the material life.” A detail in the picture stands out: the chains around the two figures’ necks are loose and could be lifted off.
The card’s picture
The Horned Goat of Mendes, “with wings like those of a bat,” stands on an altar. At the pit of the stomach is the sign of Mercury. The right hand is raised and extended, representing the reverse of the blessing given by The Hierophant. In the left hand is a great flaming torch turned down toward the earth, and a reversed pentagram is on the forehead.
A ring in front of the altar holds two chains that run to the necks of a man and a woman. They resemble the two kneeling figures of the fifth card, The Hierophant, and appear “as if Adam and Eve after the Fall.” The figures are tailed, to show the animal nature, but there is human intelligence in the faces, and the one exalted above them is not to be their master forever. Even the Devil is “also a bondsman,” sustained by the evil in him.
The bat wings represent what happens when raw desires take over, and the small horns on the two figures are a sign that they grow more like the Devil the longer they stay. The flame on the man’s tail and the grapes on the woman’s tail represent pulls toward power and toward the finer things in life.
Upright meaning
The upright card’s divinatory meanings are ravage, violence, vehemence, extraordinary efforts, force and fatality.
The upright Devil represents feelings of entrapment, emptiness and lack of fulfillment, sometimes tied to materialism and a pull toward indulgence. The upright Devil also represents a sense of having no control over one’s actions or urges.
The Devil represents the shadow side and the negative forces that hold a person back, such as habits, dependencies and thought patterns. The Devil also represents choosing short-term pleasure at the cost of long-term well-being, and an opportunity to bring these patterns into awareness so their grip can loosen. On the positive side, The Devil can describe a powerful attachment between two people, such as a new romance, and can also represent sexuality and one’s wild side.
Reversed meaning
The reversed Devil represents evil fatality, weakness, pettiness and blindness.
The reversed Devil represents release. The reversed Devil represents a moment of self-awareness in which the chains of poor habits are broken, often out of weariness with running in circles. Breaking the chains of poor habits is never easy, and the reversed Devil is a call for honest self-assessment.
The reversed Devil represents standing on the edge of a breakthrough, with unhealthy attachments and limiting beliefs to let go of first. The reversed Devil also represents an invitation to practice the Buddhist principle of detachment, releasing dependence on things and people without ceasing to care.
The Devil in love
In love, the upright Devil represents lust, temptation and a pursuit of earthly pleasures, with the reminder that honest communication matters. The upright Devil also represents codependency, which can wear down the individuality of both partners.
Reversed, The Devil represents breaking free from negative emotional patterns and feeling more in control of one’s love life. The reversed Devil also represents leaving a domineering or codependent relationship, and offers encouragement to keep nurturing independence.
The Devil in career
For work, the upright Devil represents feeling stuck or trapped in a job, perhaps blaming circumstances or outside factors. The upright Devil also serves as a reminder that there are more choices than it seems, and only one’s own power needs reclaiming.
Reversed, The Devil represents reclaiming accountability for career choices, which can mean leaving a stifling job or repairing a strained working relationship.
The Devil and money
The upright Devil in money questions represents habits that make a hard situation harder, and a sense of being unable to change how money is handled.
Reversed, The Devil represents work underway to change old habits, and a new sense of independence for anyone who has relied on others.
The Devil as feelings
As feelings, the upright Devil represents an intense pull that can border on possessiveness, with desire mixed with insecurity. The upright Devil also represents one’s own struggle with temptation or with feeling trapped in certain patterns.
Reversed, The Devil represents liberation and new clarity, with someone breaking free from old attachments and seeing a relationship with fresh eyes. The reversed Devil also represents one’s own release from self-imposed limits.
Questions to reflect on
- What habit or attachment has more hold than it deserves?
- Where is short-term comfort costing something important?
- Which chains in life are looser than they look?
- What would reclaiming a little personal power look like today?