Devil tarot card meaning: bondage, restrictions, addictions and tempting vices
Key points
• Represents bondage, restrictions, addictions and tempting vices. Physical attachments that are hard to break.
The main symbol
• Depicts a demonic, horned figure, Baphomet, sitting on a throne with two humans shackled to the seat by chains. Feels trapped or overly influenced by harmful behaviors or relationships.
Reversed meaning
– When reversed, the Devil card can indicate liberation, freedom from limitations or toxic dependencies. Moving past denial into honestly facing issues and making positive changes.
Table of Contents
Devil Tarot Card Meaning
The Devil card depicts a sinister figure holding chains that bind two nude figures. Actually, it represents the primal human urges that can become addictive or enslave our free will if taken to an extreme. Historically, the Devil card grew out of earlier demonic iconography during the Middle Ages in Europe.
Upright Devil Card Meaning
In a reading, the upright Devil card represents being chained by our own addictions, anxieties, or unhealthy attachments. It warns against allowing anything – EVEN people, habits, or beliefs – to dominate or constrict you. Free will is an important theme.
Love and Relationships
This card could reflect co-dependence, obsession, or toxicity in your romantic partnership. Or it may point to sexual temptation from an outsider that threatens your bond. The message is too closely examine relationship dynamics for balance.
Career and Finances
The Devil suggests addictive or risky behavior could interfere with career success or financial stability. Gambling problems, substance abuse, or excessive spending may loom large here.
Personal and Spiritual Growth
On a personal level, this shows feeling “stuck” and enslaved instead of embracing your potential for freedom and free will. Spiritually, it hints that vices, egoism or materialism prevent inner development.
Reversed Devil Card Meaning
General Interpretation
In reverse, the cycle of unhealthy fixation may finally be breaking. You possess the strength AND determination to overcome whatever “devil” has been weighing on your mind and life.
Love and Relationships
Co-dependency issues lessen as both people gain independence. Temptations lose their power over your loyalty and commitment to your partner.
Career and Finances
Reversing addictive habits or reckless attitudes supports steady career progress and Financial security. You’re gaining the willpower for responsible conduct.
Personal and Spiritual Growth
With vices losing their grip, inner freedom AND personal growth happens naturally. Spiritually, you detach from materialism to find more meaning.
So in summary – the Devil card can have varying interpretations depending on its orientation and the context of the spread. But it Ultimately focuses on overcoming any “devils” that constrict free will in our lives. With reversal comes increased independence, willpower and liberation FROM whatever had been holding us back.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the name Devil actually represent in some older tarot decks and what Biblical figure was it sometimes linked to in the writings of Eliphas Levi?
In some of the older tarot decks, the Fifteenth card of the Major Arcana was called ‘Le Diable’ instead of ‘The Devil.’ According to occult writer Eliphas Levi, this card was thought to actually represent Baphomet, a figure linked to the Gnostic interpretation of Lucifer in the Biblical book of Isaiah.
What does the Devil card occasionally represent in a tarot reading beyond just evil and what Hebrew letter is linked to this Major Arcana card?
While the Devil card can signify temptation or negative influences, it also sometimes depicts being bound by addiction, obsession or materialism more so than evil. In occult tradition, this Major Arcana card is linked to the 15th letter in the Hebrew alphabet which is Resh.
