Major arcana
The Devil: tarot card meaning
The Devil shows the chains you can remove yourself: dependencies, fears, patterns that bind you. It points to temptations and attachments that promise pleasure but cost freedom. Facing it squarely is the first step to release.
Upright
Reversed
Astrological correspondence
Following the Golden Dawn tradition (Book T; Crowley, Liber 777).
In love
In love it can indicate intense passion, but also jealousy, dependency, or a relationship that traps more than it nourishes. Ask yourself whether this bond helps you grow or keeps you chained.
The Devil as a friend
In friendship, The Devil shows ties that bind: a relationship of dependence, shared temptations or a friend who pulls you into patterns that take away your freedom. Facing it is the first step. Reversed, it's good news: you're breaking free from a toxic friendship or an influence that held you back.
Friendship reading derived from the card's general meaning (Waite, 1911; RWS tradition): not a separate doctrine.
At work
At work it warns of a job that enslaves, unchecked ambition, or murky deals. Money or security may be buying your freedom. Read the fine print — around you and within you.
The Devil reversed
Reversed, it's great news: the chains are loosening. You're waking from a dependency or stepping out of a toxic situation. Use the momentum to free yourself fully — and don't look back.
Sources: Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911); tradición RWS
Frequently asked questions
- What does The Devil mean in tarot?
- The Devil shows the chains you can remove yourself: dependencies, fears, patterns that bind you. It points to temptations and attachments that promise pleasure but cost freedom. Facing it squarely is the first step to release.
- What does The Devil mean in love?
- In love it can indicate intense passion, but also jealousy, dependency, or a relationship that traps more than it nourishes. Ask yourself whether this bond helps you grow or keeps you chained.
- What does The Devil mean as a friend?
- In friendship, The Devil shows ties that bind: a relationship of dependence, shared temptations or a friend who pulls you into patterns that take away your freedom. Facing it is the first step. Reversed, it's good news: you're breaking free from a toxic friendship or an influence that held you back.
- What does The Devil reversed mean?
- Reversed, it's great news: the chains are loosening. You're waking from a dependency or stepping out of a toxic situation. Use the momentum to free yourself fully — and don't look back.
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