The Devil Tarot card depicts Satyr God as a half human–half goat creature, dancing to the sound of the trumpet that he holds in his left hand. In many myths, the goat is considered as an animal that is not clean and full of lewdness. However, the goat also symbolizes a person who is unfairly accused, or a person/a creature feels better comparing himself to the incompetent. Therefore, he is the one we blame for the difficulties in our lives. Shadow images and cave without doors indicate that he resides in the most distant realm of consciousness, and only the crisis can penetrate these walls.
There are two beads in his right hand, each worn around the neck of one of the two naked. These people consisted of a man and a woman, wearing little horns which are the same as Satyr. The necklaces around their necks are very wide and their hands are not tied. They can take the initiative to lose themselves but they choose not to let that happen. This symbolizes that the dependence on the Devil is ultimately a voluntary issue where consciousness can be liberated
The number 15 has the sum of the units equal to 6, the number corresponding to the Lovers card, and here the Lovers are bound, depending on the material and sexual of nature. The zodiac of the Devil Tarot card is the Capricorn.
Menu of Contents
The detailed description of the Devil Tarot card
Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Satan, the Prince of Darkness. Any words we use to call him, the Devil will always be a symbol of evil and unwanted things. From a human perspective, we will see the world as a struggle between light and darkness. We want to defeat the bad so that the good can prevail. In fact, the good side and bad side cannot be separated, just as you can not cut the shadow out of its object.
The darkness is simply the lack of light, and it is created by the mistakes of concealing the truth. This 15th card shows us those mistakes. The first is ignorance – not understanding the truth and not realizing that we do not know. The second is materialism – the belief that there is nothing but the material. As mental entities, we look forward to the Divine, but we will lose our connection to this source of truth if we only believe in our senses. The despair also exists, steals from us the joy and prevents us from the direction of light.
Traditionally, the Devil symbolizes evil, but it does not carry this terrible meaning in one turn of spread. This card tells you that you may be in poor health. You may be in the dark side of something – lack of knowledge about the truth and its implications. You may be obsessed with a person, idea, material, or image that you know will adversely affect you (or you may not know it). Sometimes this card reflects the opposite of negativity that makes you worry about yourself and your future. We often recall mistakes in life.
Keywords related to the Devil Tarot card: Slavery, Materialism, Ignorance, Hopelessness.
Detailed meaning of the keywords of the Devil Tarot card
Passed through slavery
- Accept an unexpected situation;
- Being obsessed;
- Feel bonded against the will;
- Lose control;
- Let yourself being controlled;
- Being addicted and dependent;
- Give yourself to others.
Focus on the material
- Focus on the appearance;
- Only believe in the material;
- Forget the spirit;
- Have and then spend it;
- Cherish your emotion.
Stuck in ignorance
- Not being aware;
- Works in a narrow range;
- Experience the limits;
- Choice in the dark;
- Fear of invisibility;
- Deceived by appearance.
Feel hopeless
- Believe in the worst;
- Hopeless;
- Lack of confidence;
- See a boring world;
- Negative thoughts;
- Bother to a bleak future;
- Doubtfulness.
A few opposite cards to the Devil Tarot card
- Fool – have faith, trust;
- Star – hope, faith, optimism;
- 4 of Wands – liberated, freedom;
- 6 of Cups – goodwill, naive, simple joy;
- 10 of Cups – joy, peace, luck.
A few support cards for the Devil Tarot card
- 7 of Cups – overdose, dissolute;
- 8 of Swords – chaotic, limited;
- 9 of Swords – disappointment, lack of fun.
Upright meaning of the Devil Tarot card: dependence, temptation, sexuality, materialism
Words and Keywords
The power of negative thinking, the difficulty of letting go, the pessimism, the unwillingness to escape a difficult situation, excessive dependence, unimportant sin, strong commitment, face your own anxiety, the darkness, the need to understand the truth, stick to tangible assets way too much, assumption, selfishness, unhealthy involvement, greed, lust, strong desire for sex, constraint, fearful, discomfort, self-doubt, hopeless, oppressive, binding relationship, unsatisfied choice, feeling trapped in a situation or a restricted relationship.
An unhealthy dependency on someone or something,slavery, cramped, forgiving, addiction, tied in a bad habit you created yourself, obsession with power, sexuality, or money, brutality, cruel, a conflict between money and spiritual life, uncontrol passion, rottenness, sexual instinct, the overwhelmed fear, weakness, Carl Jung’s concept of the dark side.
“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Jesus).
Introduce
The Devil Tarot card is not a “terrible” card to interpret as depicted on most Tarot decks. This is a card of slavery, but this is often metaphorical and within our minds. With this card, you are called to look deeply at the outside and find out the truth and meaning of a situation. You are also asked to remember that when you feel self-control, you almost always hold the key to your own freedom. Do not give up hope!
Overview
The Devil implies that it is important to remember that during any circumstances, you always have a choice. First of all, do not let others tell you that your choices are limited. If that conclusion comes, make sure it comes from you. It is also important to remember that you can free yourself from any limitations that are holding you back, and you should choose to do things that way at any time. You may now feel that you can not control over your life. Sometimes, this happens as a result of your own actions, but usually, it is a result of postponement. So, take action, move on to whatever you can to give yourself a sense of control. Even when you simply choose the place where you plan to have dinner. It is very significant to take step by step.
Work
In terms of work, the Devil Tarot means you can clearly feel being tied to a job you do not like but you can not find any obvious ways to leave because you love the feeling of being assured. Just consider whether it is worth it or not? The essence of the problem as such as working days, age, more or less task, benefits, etc. Is it really guaranteed? If you choose to stay, be aware that this is your choice, not something or anyone else force you to do it. If you feel this is unworthy, give up these feelings and think about what you can do to change the situation. No one can bind yourself unless you allow it.
Love
If you are in a long-term relationship, either each side or both of you may be in the situation as if you feel like being tied up. If you receive these signs, speak it out to keep your relationship. We always have choices. Take the initiative to make miracles happen.
If you are looking for your love, the Devil Tarot card in the upright may be the signal that you are on a wild-goose chase, your assertive attitude that pushes the potential-lover away. If you fall into that situation, consider taking a short break to get out of that relationship – to find and understand yourself better. Get back to your way when you feel no longer urgent.
Finance
Everything can or will be very tense in the near future. Try not to piss off with your own problems, but instead settle everything calmly and clearly. Let’s go step by step. If you need financial help, do not hesitate or be too proud to make the request. Help from others is always available to you. If you satisfy with your the financial at the moment, it is time to remind you to keep balance. Save it for a rainy day!
Health
The Devil Tarot card in the upright tells you that this is a time when you need to prevent working overtime, weariness and stress. Doing the exercises as well as doing the things that help you focus on the problems that others are facing instead of yourself will bring many benefits to you. If you are suffering from chronic health problems, do not let it suppress you. You have more things in life than just illness, and you will be treated better through health challenges as a motive to develop.
Mentality
Keeping a positive mindset is very important at this time. Positive convictions are important and will benefit you. Look at the people around you. Are they positive among others, or are they so cranky and critical that makes you sad? Sow a thought, and you reap an act. Life is too short, one’s mood is easy to influence each other.
Situation and advice
You feel trapped in an oppressive situation that may be created by you. Perhaps, you are feeling overwhelmed by those commitments which are full of responsibility. Are you refuse to put an end to a troubled relationship? Are you feeling hard to let it go when you know you should do it? When the Devil Tarot card appears in a spread, you need to consider your dependence on material possessions, insatiable passion, harmful relationships, and financial security. Your fear and negative thoughts are hindering your life.
Take a look at reality. How did you become a slave in your own life? Have you fallen into a network of unhealthy relationships? Are you greedy and afraid of losing material wealth? Are you using the money to trade love? Do you maintain a relationship that you know is harmful? Does material success tempt you? Are you obsessed with wealth or love affairs? Are drugs, alcohol, or other desirable things controlling your life?
The Devil Tarot warns you of using your power or influence to enslave or control others. You are trapped in a cramped scene that you have created yourself and it’s time to face your fear and inhibition. Your desperation and your beliefs that you can not change are restraining your growth. Why do you believe that your destiny is endured? Face the Dark Side (Shadow) to allow yourself to continue to grow. (according to psychologist Carl Gustav Jung’s theory of Shadow, It deals with the dark side of our fear, our own discomfort, and most of the difficult aspects of our characters that we must confront and accept before embracing ourselves.).
Human
Those are too concerned about money, those with unhealthy relationships, those are greedy and stingy, those dominated by sexual desire, negative people, women who are victims of brutes, those have lives associated with slavery.
Meaning of the Devil reversed: to separate, break free, power recovery
Words and Keywords
(+) Face your fear, free from bondage, breaking the chains, no longer depends on something else, the power of positive thinking, abandon bound relationships, overcoming the temptation, search for enlightenment.
(-) Lack of assertiveness, rigid, excessive ambition, greedy way too much, unsettled situation, hold on tight, dependent, feel overwhelmed, an oppressive relationship, abuse of power, stubbornness, dehumanize, use human resources for selfish purposes or material interests. The supreme power wins everything over.
Introduce
Especially when it is in reverse, this is not a card with scary meaning. In the opposite position, the card reminds us that any situation or circumstance that makes us feel trapped ourselves, it turns out they are all illusion. We always have choices and there are always some helpers.
Overview
When this card appears in the opposite direction, it becomes a hint to look more closely at a situation without focusing on its appearance. Things may not be as bad as they seem. In particular, the reversal of the Devil implies that we are reminded to clarify the fact that life can change quickly, sometimes in a very positive way.
You may feel you are out of control at this time. The first step is that you should take a deep breath and be calm. And then you need to take action, do whatever you can to make yourself feel in control, even the smallest things (such as decide where you are going to have dinner?). It is also important to take step by step. Do not take this as a negative card, especially when you draw the reversed Devil.
Work
When you draw the Devil reversed, this is an important time to recognize that any job that claims “long-term” and guaranteed today and this period seems to be not like that in the long run. This is not a bad thing, new information and knowledge are the power, knowing that you have a choice which is being strong mental support, instead of feeling like you have to stick in a situation forever because you think it’s protected and guaranteed. You have to be part of yourself, assurance comes from within, not from the world outside.
If you are in a situation where you are not satisfied with the job because of the assurance and safety it gives you, be aware that this is an option you are offering, no one is pushing you. If you think your feelings of dissatisfaction are not worth the trade-off, start giving up these feelings and thinking about what you can do to change the situation. You will not be bound unless you allow yourself to be bound. There are always choices in different ways for you.
Love
The Devil reversed can be a friendly sign that the problem may appear in a vague way if you are in a long-term relationship. One or both of you may feel like being trapped in the situation. This time will come soon when you have the need to mention it if you want to save the relationship. However, the reversed card does not address much of the long-term relationship as the upright card.
If you are looking for love right now, just consider whether you feel restrained in loneliness and want to do your best to bring peace to your situation or not? The desire to be in love so much will cause the potential candidates around you to “run away”. Good people are not impressed by the clinging and risk takers. Make sure you are not that kind of person. Consider stopping dating for a while.
Finance
Having the same meaning as the upright, the Devil reversed shows that the financial situation can be very tense in the near future. You should try to be wise and calm with your problem, instead of being angry. Take step by step. No matter how the circumstance is, it is certain that it will not last forever. If you need financial help, do not be afraid or too arrogant to make a request. If you draw this card while your finance is stable, you still should be careful and save it for a rainy day.
Health
The latent intensity implied by the Devil Tarot card in the upright is not quite as severe as the reserved card. Even so, this is a time when you need to look back on whether you are working too hard, too tired or too stressed. Doing exercise regularly or doing anything to help you “get away from yourself” instead of being obsessed with your own problems. Like the other signs of this card, you only get hurt by health problems – at least in the mind and emotions – when you allow yourself to do so, do not torture yourself for the physical limitations you have. All things considered.
Mentality
With the Devil Tarot card in reverse, your positive attitude and point of view are still very important. Especially if you are having difficulty keeping a good attitude, consider the people around you and who are really your friends. Keep the active person by your side, or are you surrounded by over-critical people who complained and scolded you at those mistakes you have made? Sow thought, reap an action. Life isn’t about keeping score. This card again reminds you that everything is not what it seems, you are not really tied up. Even if you are, they can not oblige your spirit, soul, or mind, use your own freedom!
Situation and advice
On the positive side, the Devil Tarot card shows that you were out of shackles. You face the wrong values and the limits that you self-imposed. You are no longer dominated by your obsessions. A heavy bond is coming to an end. You are now ready to be free and independent, no longer in bad relationships, no longer yearning for money and power or thinking negatively. You are ready to break the oppression.
On the negative side, the Devil Tarot implies that you may act like you are the center of attention or in a greedy way. You may have to choose between money and happiness. Your physical desire or power can become an obsession. Most likely someone is controlling or enticing you. At present, you are prone to depression if you do not remove the knot that is tying you up. Many things that hold you back are caused by you and you are ready to face them. The negative meaning of the reversed Devil card warns about involvement in sexual misconduct. You feel hopeless when stuck in a situation that you can not bear its burden.
Human
(-) The butcher, those who seduce and control, the evil, the stingy, sexual abuser.
(+) People who face the fear and get freedom.
The Devil Tarot card tells us when those mistakes become serious enough to make us pay attention. When getting this card, you should consider your hypotheses carefully and make sure that you do not work on the mistakes of yourself and the situation. Looking toward the highest visibility of your true self.
More The Devil Cards from Famous Tarot Decks
1. The Devil Thoth Tarot
The Devil Thoth Tarot, along with Death and the Tower, are cards with a creative potential that cannot be turned into useless by the horrifying terror or the reversal of it into a divine.
<< See More >> The Devil Thoth Tarot Card Meanings
2. Le Diable Tarot De Marseille
The Devil – Le Diable Tarot de Marseille may refer to an imminent amount of money or everything related to major financial transactions that are sometimes secret or shady.
<< See More >> Le Diable Tarot de Marseilles Tarot Card Meanings
3. The Devil – Shadowscapes Tarot Deck
The Devil Shadowscapes refers to the loss of independence, the domination of addiction and slavery, being stuck in the material kingdom, indulging in passion, choosing to stay in the darkness, and feeling the despair and the limit in choosing.
<< See More >> The Devil Shadowscapes Tarot Card Meanings
4. The Conditioning Osho Zen Tarot Deck
The Conditioning Osho Zen reminds us of an old tale of Zen, there was a lion raised by a herd of sheep, he grew up with a thought that he was a sheep.
<< See More >> The Conditioning Osho Zen Tarot Card Meanings
5. The Guardian Wildwood Tarot Deck
The Guardian Wildwood raises unreasonable fears that fill our souls, making us bewildered and timid. It draws its energy from inhumane and senselessness. It absorbs fear and panic in malice-filled joy.
<< See More >> The Guardian Wildwood Tarot Card Meanings
6. The Devil Deviant Moon Tarot Deck
The Devil Deviant Moon Tarot represents the realm of taboo – the culturally indigestible wilderness and darkness that each of us carries within our subconscious.
<< See More >> The Devil Deviant Moon Tarot Card Meanings
7. The Devil Linestrider Tarot Deck
The Devil Linestrider Tarot is about things in life that dominate you and prevent you from developing to your full potential. You might think these are external resources, but the Devil is an internal resource.
<< See More >> The Devil Linestrider Tarot Card Meanings
