Tarot Card Meaning: The Devil

The Devil in a Tarot Card Reading

The devil card, much like the death card, is one of the most famous and misunderstood cards in the major arcana series. The card depicts a horned devil with two human figures bound to it. When this card pops up in a reading many automatically start thinking of hell, sins and bad things. However the devil card is actually pointing at something very different.

The Devil card faces us with an interesting realization, that the source of all our pain is attachment. When we are bound to something, so attached to it that we can’t live without it we are dooming ourselves to lives of codependency and pain.

The Devil is not a real figure, it is a force inside of us, much like our ego, that tries to hold on to things that make it feel good for fleeting moments. But such physical pleasures, be them food, drugs, shopping, alcohol, or other activities, can act as our prisons if let them. We willingly give ourselves to these fleeting pleasures, bounding ourselves to them, and we must break ourselves free if we want to stop feeling the pain.

The devil is the card of Capricorn, the hardworking achiever of the zodiac. The capricorn is obsessed with status and success, and is willing to climb any mountain to reach their goals, they must be extra wary not to let these attachments get them stuck in place.

When the Devil card comes up in a reading it is telling you to let go of what not only doesn’t serve you, but actually is pulling you down, preventing you from growing and spreading your wings. You should see if you are stuck in any situations that don’t suit your well being and true goals, for example staying in a toxic job because it pays exceptionally well, or staying in a bad relationship simply due to fear of not finding another.

The Devil is associated with the astrology sign of Capricorn The Devil is the Capricorn tarot card - click here to read more about the astrology association to tarot.