Learn the Tarot: The Devil Meaning
Learn the Major Arcana with That Oracle Guy Patrick. Together we’ll dive into the meanings, symbolism, and history behind each card — with affirmations, journaling prompts, and theme songs to help ground the lessons into your daily life. The Wisdom of the Major Arcana is yours to claim.
#15 The Devil, Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck
Meeting The Devil:
The Fool had faced Death and survived. He had released what no longer served him and stood reborn. But in the quiet aftermath, a seductive voice called him deeper still—into a shadowed cave where torches flickered and chains rattled.
There sat The Devil—not a monster, but a mirror.
Horned and majestic, he stared at the Fool with a smirk that pierced through the veil of self-deception.
Around the Devil’s throne stood two chained figures. The Fool looked closer—only to realize the chains were loose. They could leave at any time… but they didn’t.
“You are free,” said the Devil, “but do you believe you are?”
The Fool trembled, not in fear, but recognition.
This was not evil incarnate.
This was addiction, shame, obsession, distraction—the internal prisons he had built to feel safe, loved, or in control.
Here, the Devil whispered truths dressed as lies: You are not enough. You need more. You must obey your fear to survive.
But the Fool looked down at the chain around his own neck.
He reached up. It lifted easily. The illusion was broken.
The Devil didn’t stop him—he only smiled wider. The Fool had made a choice. He had seen the shadow and not looked away.
Keywords for The Devil:
Temptation
Addiction
Shadow work
Materialism
Bondage
Obsession
Illusion
Power dynamics
Associations:
The Element: Earth (physical world, the material, attachment, survival)
The Planet: Saturn (restrictions, limitations, hard lessons, discipline)
Zodiac: Capricorn
Card Symbolism:
The Devil (Horned Figure): Represents ego, addiction, and the illusion of separation. He is the unacknowledged shadow—our repressed fears and desires.
The Torch Facing Downward: Held by the Devil, it represents a misuse of power or illumination being turned inward toward indulgence rather than higher insight.
The Inverted Pentagram: Symbolizes spirit being dominated by matter. When upside down, the pentagram suggests imbalance and loss of spiritual connection.
The Chains Around the Humans’ Necks: Symbolize voluntary bondage, as the chains are loose. They represent addiction, codependency, or limiting beliefs.
The Naked Figures: Signify vulnerability and desire, but also shame and entrapment. They show what happens when our instincts aren't integrated with consciousness.
The Devil’s Wings: Represent fallen grace or the potential for higher consciousness being used for base desires or control.
The Black Background: Symbolizes ignorance, fear, and spiritual blindness—the absence of light and clarity.
The Devil’s Smile: This sly expression implies manipulation, seduction, and complicity. It’s not the Devil’s power that traps us—it’s our willingness to believe him.
Roman Numeral XV: 15 (1+6) echoes The Lovers card. The Devil is the shadow of the Lovers—where union becomes obsession, and choice becomes entrapment. This connection reminds us that love without consciousness can turn into dependency, lust, or illusion.
Upright Meaning:
Don’t be nervous! The Devil is easily one of the more alarming tarot cards to get, but its message is extremely important — this is a card about our shadow aspects and liberating ourselves from what oppresses us. Sure, the figures are chained, but the chains are loose — you can pull them off of your head at any time!
A lot of the illusion, attachment, jealousy, bondage, addictions that we experience are self-inflicted. If you want to get to the root of The Devil, then ask yourself very intentionally:
What in my life do I know is not good for me, but I make constant excuses for … and keep on doing it?
It’s not an easy question to be truthful about, and therein lies the power of The Devil: if we keep looking away from forces or habits that actively harm and disregulate them, who else is going to come in and do it for you? Who has the real power here to make positive changes in your life? You.
It’s very reasonable to go through episodes with The Devil energy — addictions, compulsions, toxic behavioral patterns, power struggles, the relentless pursuit of ambition, co-dependency, inner conflict, burning ourselves and others, physical violence.
Different shades of the same energy here: ego.
The Devil is a shadow that asks to be acknowledged. By recognizing the parts of our psyche that beg to become conscious, we open the door to wholeness and stop being mindlessly unhappy with our actions and circumstances.
The trick is honest self-examination of our attachments, temptations and fears.
Reversed Meaning:
If The Devil is attachments, then The Devil in Reverse is when we begin to recognize those patterns and liberate them. It’s a breaking of the chains. It’s a dawning of awareness, of our self-imposed limitations, that have been limiting our full potential.
We love to see The Devil in Reverse, because it means you’ve been putting in the work to free yourself from the shackles of fear, obsession, jealousy, power, and conflict. You’ve been investing in your own personal power. Nothing is allowed to keep you bound to ignorance.
From a Jungian perspective, this is the integration of the shadow into the conscious self, leading to psychological growth and self-realization. It's a journey toward authenticity, where the illusions of the ego are dismantled, revealing the true self beneath.
In practical terms, The Devil reversed may indicate recovery from addiction, the end of a toxic relationship, or the shedding of limiting beliefs.
It's a powerful affirmation that change is not only possible but within reach when you focus on your own growth and liberation.
Journal Prompts for The Devil:
Where in my life do I feel stuck or powerless, and what stories do I tell myself to justify staying there?
What do I crave or obsess over that may actually be distracting me from deeper healing or purpose?
What inner beliefs keep me bound to guilt, shame, or fear? Are they true?
If I removed fear and shame from the equation, what choice would I make right now?
Affirmations:
“I recognize my shadows without shame and take full responsibility for my freedom.”
“I release attachments that limit my growth and reclaim my power.”
“I am not my fears—I am the awareness that transforms them.”
Theme Song:
Sympathy for The Devil by The Rolling Stones, 1968
About The Author
Patrick is an evolutionary tarot reader specializing in deep, transformative tarot sessions that empower clients to gain clarity, break limiting patterns, and navigate life with confidence. As a lifelong believer that there are no coincidences, he knows firsthand the power of tarot and oracle cards as a north star for your personal growth.
Ready to experience a deeper tarot journey? Book a reading today or explore more articles and resources at: ThatOracleGuy.com
Book A Tarot Reading:
Recorded 15-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Live 15-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Recorded 30-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Live 30-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Recorded 60-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Live 60-Minute Tarot & Oracle Card Reading
Join The Butterfly Clique:
Members-only tarot card readings — 3 times a month. Join now and enjoy the benefits of detailed, insightful messages for a much smaller collective.
Learn More About The Butterfly Clique
Tarot School Digital Course Waitlist:
Want to learn the tarot with Patrick? Sign up for the digital course waitlist and receive and exclusive discount at launch.
Learn More About The Tarot School Digital Course and Sign Up For The Waitlist
1-on-1 Spiritual Mentorship With Patrick:
Let’s spend a month together exploring the ins and outs of your life — offering guidance from the cards, homework assignments, and developing an action plan to get the most out of your time here. Sign up for the waitlist and receive an exclusive discount at launch:
Learn More About 1-on-1 Spiritual Mentorship with Patrick — very limited availability
Tarot services offered: 15-minute online tarot card readings, 30-minute online tarot card readings, 60-minute online tarot card readings, 1-on-1 spiritual mentorship, members-only tarot card readings, the butterfly clique, book an online tarot card reading, remote tarot card readings, oracle card reading online, male tarot card reader, lgbtq+ tarot reader, queen tarot reader
Blog Keywords: the devil tarot meaning, the devil tarot symbolism, major arcana the devil, tarot for spiritual balance, tarot journal prompts, the devil tarot affirmations, the fool's journey the devil, the devil tarot, the devil tarot archetype, learn the meaning of the devil major arcana, music for the devil tarot
