The Devil Tarot Card Meaning

This tarot card depicts the Prince of the underworld standing at an altar to which a man and woman are chained. These two figures — Adam and Eve — were already introduced to us in the 5th tarot card, but now life's path has led them to their downfall, for which they are banished from Paradise and are under Satan's dominion.

The tails they possess speak to the baseness of their being, symbolizing animal instincts and desires. The Devil found a loophole to their souls and revealed their bestial nature, yet in the card, they do not appear as sufferers or victims. On the contrary, they are so blinded and bewitched by the demon that they seem quite content with their fate.

Though the chains tying them to the Devil could easily be removed, they make no attempt to do so. In the evil demon's hand is a blazing torch, reminiscent of the fiery Gehenna, while the other hand is extended over the fallen souls in a gesture of domination.

The upright position of the Devil tarot card in a spread signals your dependencies, intrigues, and excesses. You've become too engrossed — an immoderate, even painful desire to possess something (money, power, a person) turns you into a slave of your own passions! The Devil tarot card states: You are showing weakness or not fighting against yourself at all, which is a direct path to hell.

However, the Devil tarot card suggests that you have enough strength to resist temptation. If you notice in time how harmful passions eat away at your soul and defeat the Devil within you, then you can maintain inner purity and avoid this quagmire.

Key Meanings of the Upright Devil Card

• Greed, the desire to succumb to temptation, passion, vanity, base feelings, lies, corruption, lust.
• Dependence, obsession, indulgence in weaknesses.
• Negative emotions, anger, destruction, misfortunes, difficulties.

The inverted Devil tarot card suggests that you have succumbed to devilish temptation and are fully under its power, lacking the strength or desire to escape.

Perhaps there's some destructive dependency in your life—be it alcohol or drugs, another person, money or power. You have fallen for this hook, the tarot arcana indicates, and now Satan is pulling your strings like a puppet, making you submit to his evil will.

As a result, you are following a false path, pursuing wrong goals, losing control over yourself and the situation, growing more disappointed and resentful each day. This is how the Devil works—first enslaving, then destroying the individual.

Overcoming the negative prediction of the Devil tarot card is not easy, it requires considerable inner courage and determination. Recognizing the problem is your path to cleansing and liberation from the yoke of devilish passions! By following the path of virtue, you will be able to overcome the "enemy of mankind", cleanse spiritually and experience inner freedom.

Key Meanings of the Inverted Devil Card

• Cruelty, selfishness, ambition, careerism, mental complexes.
• Desire for material well-being, greed, heartlessness, phobia.
• Dependency, wrong choice, loss of control, lack of will, pettiness.
• Deterioration of the situation, fatal circumstances, indecision.

Often, when the upright Devil card appears in a love reading, it signifies a powerful attraction, an uncontrollable burst of passion that clouds the mind. You or your partner has completely lost their head over love, fallen into emotional dependency on another person, a dependency so strong that it becomes dangerous and destructive.

There's no emotional unity here, only lust and a consumerist attitude. This card often speaks of infidelity or a love triangle as well. Likely, one of the partners is playing unfairly, pursuing their own selfish interests. The card advises breaking off this vicious relationship before it leads to a tragedy.

In a reversed position, the card's meaning is more positive and speaks of the dissolution of a disharmonious union.

When Reading for a Suitor, Beloved

In a reading for a suitor or partner, the upright card suggests that your chosen one is not immune to temptations in love. Attractive faces of the opposite sex draw their attention, and after making a choice, they must struggle against temptations.

The reversed card indicates that in love, your chosen one is a slave to their passions. Temptations constantly arise in their path, and they are not averse to succumbing to temptation.

In business readings, the Devil card often signifies the achievement of material prosperity through less than honest means. The person is entirely focused on attaining wealth, fame, and a high social status, consumed by the idea of getting rich to the point of neglecting all other aspects of life and being willing to "step on heads" to get there.

It can also indicate a situation where a person betrays their ideals and convictions for the sake of profit and wealth, figuratively "selling their soul to the Devil."

In the reversed position, the card suggests that a person who has fallen into dependency will manage to overcome their weaknesses. However, if they themselves were the schemers, catastrophe and ruin await them.

In tarot readings for individuals, the upright Devil card is interpreted as a person who is not indifferent to earthly desires and who dreams of achieving much in life—wealth, power, and fame.

In the reversed position, this card represents an ambitious and driven individual (possibly even excessively so). While pursuing their goals, they don't always consider the interests of others.

In the upright position, the card advises you to stand firm against temptations that arise in your path.

Appearing in a reversed position in the spread, the card suggests that you should draw a clear boundary between good and evil in your life and decide on which side you stand.

If the card appears in an upright position, the forecast for your situation is ambiguous. You may achieve your goals, but in doing so, you risk making mistakes. Avoid seeking easy ways out, and most importantly, do not succumb to provocations and temptations.

In the reversed position, the forecast for your situation is not very favorable. Destructive desires, emotions, or temptations could hinder you.

With card 0 - The Fool - Haze, acting on instincts, deep dependence due to ignorance.

With card 1 - The Magician - Malevolent intentions, an unlawful scheme, going in the wrong direction or crossing over to the dark side, getting carried away.

With card 2 - The High Priestess - A rebellious mood, vengeful plots, sorcery, or a cunning rival.

In combination with card 3 - The Empress - Unknown accumulations within the family, a calculated marriage, a spouse who indulges in pleasure.

With card 4 - The Emperor - A stubborn spouse, family secrets, infidelity, or a destructive obsession of the household head.

With card 5 - The Hierophant - A false prophet, a dangerous sect, or immorality, false advice.

With card 6 - The Lovers - A bad choice, a path leading to rebellion, sinking to the bottom.

With card 7 - The Chariot - Moving in the wrong direction, lack of principles, relationship breakdown or serious disagreements.

With card 8 - Strength - Dependency, lack of willpower, using resources inappropriately, humiliating or offending someone.

With card 9 - The Hermit - Resentment towards the world, considering oneself the smartest, disregarding society, vanity.

With card 10 - Wheel of Fortune - Luck in illegal affairs, gambling addiction, a clever swindler or a seducer.

With card 11 - Justice - Conflicts with the law, choosing an illegal scheme, deceiving with taxes, a corrupt judge.

With card 12 - The Hanged Man - Depression, being a pawn in someone else's game, becoming disillusioned with life.

With card 13 - Death - Negative consequences, paying for one's actions, pernicious influence or changes for the worse.

With card 14 - Temperance - Sometimes indulging in vice, hidden weakness or dependency, a hungover morning or a relapse.

With card 16 - The Tower - Destructive vice, failure to draw conclusions, going in circles.

With card 17 - The Star - Hoping to get out of a tricky situation, resourcefulness, timely cutting loose ends.

With card 18 - The Moon - Considering oneself a genius, dangerous illusions, the brink of madness.

With card 19 - The Sun - Distorted notions of good and evil, a skewed moral compass, reprehensible actions.

With card 20 - Judgment - Blaming others, giving bribes, the corruption of the system or youthful mistakes.

With card 21 - The World - Purification from evil, breaking free from harmful habits, reforming oneself, or severing ties with the past.

With the Ace of Wands - Provocation or temptation, strong negative beliefs, indulging in a carefree life.

With the Two of Wands - Plotting mischief, a serious obstacle awaits on the path, treading on a crooked track.

In combination with the Three of Wands - Troubles are approaching, unfair competition, a rival.

With the Four of Wands - Gossips or disagreements at home, a den, an unpleasant apartment.

With the Five of Wands - Hostile surroundings, one must stay alert, dangerous rumors.

With the Six of Wands - Trusting a swindler or a cunning liar, a harmful romantic infatuation, self-deception.

With the Seven of Wands - Foolish or provocative actions, ruining one's own life, getting caught in flattery.

With the Eight of Wands - Being part of the system, turning a blind eye to something, passing by injustice.

With the Nine of Wands - Paranoia, nervousness or jealousy, going on the defensive or spying on a partner.

With the Ten of Wands - Greed, abusing one's position, profiteering without considering conscience.

With the Page of Wands - An available young woman, a miscalculation, bold lies or an attempt to avoid trouble.

With the Knight of Wands - Irresponsibility, selfishness, trampling over companions, an unprincipled cavalier.

With the Queen of Wands - Suppression, following the majority's opinion, aligning with the victor.

With the King of Wands - Depravity, a path to self-destruction, lawlessness at a high level, tyranny.

With the Ace of Swords - Bad news, unforeseen circumstances, someone's malicious intent, or ill fate.

With the Two of Swords - Courting with bad intentions, lack of a right choice, inability to turn back, choosing between two evils.

In combination with the Three of Swords - Deceit from a rival or opponent, bewitchment or curse, a foul play.

With the Four of Swords - Shameful indulgence or vice, a disgraceful secret, being embarrassed in front of everyone and fleeing.

With the Five of Swords - Losing trust, damaging one's authority, falling out with a loved one.

With the Six of Swords - Dangerous road or journey, forced relocation, bargaining after a divorce.

With the Seven of Swords - Unsubstantiated hopes, empty fuss, being the last to know everything.

With the Eight of Swords - Being led, trusting the wrong person, finding oneself in a dead end.

With the Nine of Swords - Self-pity, extreme selfishness, demanding attention.

With the Ten of Swords - A multitude of bad news at once, knowledge that throws one off balance, emotional distress.

With the Page of Swords - Courage will backfire, lack of modesty, being a scandal-monger.

With the Knight of Swords - Rushing into trouble, living on the edge, risking one's life.

With the Queen of Swords - Early widowhood, stubbornness, heading for a downhill path.

With the King of Swords - A bandit or a high-ranking official, having connections with the criminal world, wielding authority or seeking the protection of dangerous individuals.

With the Ace of Cups - Ill fate, getting entangled, living long in the captivity of illusions or justifying bad deeds.

With the Two of Cups - Finding a soulmate, a devilish alliance, two boots as a pair.

In combination with the Three of Cups - A gang or a criminal conspiracy, being in bad company, negative influence.

With the Four of Cups - Clear aversion, addiction, capriciousness or a bad character.

With the Five of Cups - Unrealizable hopes, a reckless life, fleeting regret for what has been done.

With the Six of Cups - Do no good - receive no evil, vice under the guise of virtue, deception and shortsightedness.

With the Seven of Cups - Chasing after freebies, intoxicated with dreams, a squanderer of life or a dreamer.

With the Eight of Cups - A futile attempt to escape temptations, a short-lived departure from matters, the whirlpool will draw one back.

With the Nine of Cups - Embrace one's dark sides and desires, a tempter, flatterer, or a cunning selfish admirer.

With the Ten of Cups - False relationships, showing only the good, an unhealthy attachment.

With the Page of Cups - An alluring young woman, non-traditional orientation, indiscriminate connections.

With the Knight of Cups - Failure in creativity, seeking easy ways, trickery, and show-off.

With the Queen of Cups - A fatal woman, expensive pleasure, obsession with passion.

With the King of Cups - The gift of eloquence, a charismatic admirer, an organizer of a den.

With the Ace of Pentacles - Robbery, seizing someone's property or funds, dishonestly acquired wealth.

With the Two of Pentacles - Foolishly squandering wealth or inheritance, purchasing forbidden substances or alcohol.

In combination with the Three of Pentacles - Taking money for work not done, disappearing with an advance payment, running away from debts.

With the Four of Pentacles - Deceiving colleagues with finances or encountering a miser, a tightwad.

With the Five of Pentacles - Using pity as leverage, engaging in extortion or blackmail.

With the Six of Pentacles - Money laundering, attempting to appease one's conscience through donations, performing charity for show.

With the Seven of Pentacles - A financial pyramid, tapping into saved funds, a rainy day.

With the Eight of Pentacles - Working for swindlers, intrigue, harboring hidden malice or envy towards others' income.

With the Nine of Pentacles - A marriage contract, coming into money, being unprepared for a challenging situation.

With the Ten of Pentacles - Family heirlooms, a cursed treasure, a treacherous blow from family members.

With the Page of Pentacles - A mercenary individual, a girl living off a man, a dangerous competitor.

With the Knight of Pentacles - A company of rich people, a gigolo, an idle sluggard.

With the Queen of Pentacles - A brothel, complete lack of moral principles, a thirst to enrich oneself by any means.

With the King of Pentacles - Perversion, a life beyond the boundaries of the law, one's own dark morality.