The Devil Tarot card, a major arcana card, means you might feel stuck or have bad habits in your life. When you see this card in a reading, it shows where you feel trapped. This article talks about what the Devil Tarot means for love, work, and personal growth.
Key Takeaways
The Devil Tarot card means you are struggling between your good and bad sides. It often shows that you feel trapped by your own choices and bad habits.
When the card is upright, it means you feel stuck and have bad habits. When it is reversed, it means you are breaking free from these bad things. The Devil upright can signify issues such as addiction, mental health challenges, and feeling trapped, while also emphasizing personal control and the importance of recognizing negative influences in one’s life.
The card has strong symbols like the upside-down star and chains. These symbols talk about temptation, wanting too much stuff, and how you can grow as a person.
The Devil Tarot Card Overview

The Devil Tarot card uses powerful symbols from old stories. The main picture on this card is Baphomet, a creature that is half goat and half man. This character shows how people can have both good and bad parts.
The upside-down star on the devil’s head shows dealing with dark magic and breaking rules. This symbol warns you not to give in to temptations that can lead you away from your path.
At the bottom of the Devil Tarot card, chains wrap around people, showing they feel trapped. But the chains are loose, meaning you can break free if you try. This picture talks about limits you put on yourself and hints at freedom.
Other symbols like bat wings on the devil and unique tails on the figures add to the card’s story. One tail has flames showing a pull towards power, and the other has grapes showing indulgence. Together, they highlight material desires and facing your inner darkness, including acknowledging your shadow self.
The Devil Tarot card has changed a lot over time. It used to show rebellion against the rules, but now it talks more about your inner struggles and wanting too much stuff. This card helps you understand your challenges and how you can become free and true to yourself.
Upright Devil Tarot Card Meaning
When you see the Devil upright Tarot card, it often means you feel trapped and have bad habits. As part of the major arcana, this card shows problems like addiction and wanting too much stuff. These problems can stop you from reaching your best self. The card tells you to look at how it affects your love life, work, and money. In each area, you might face challenges, but you can also grow as a person.
Love and Relationships
In love and relationships, the Devil Tarot card means you might get caught up in feelings or situations that are not good for you. If you are single, you might find yourself in relationships that focus more on physical closeness than true connection. The card warns you not to get too caught up in looking for pleasure.
For couples, this card can mean one partner relies too much on the other, leading to a co-dependent relationship. Such dynamics can inhibit personal growth and self-expression. You need to keep your own interests and not depend too much on each other to stay healthy.
To get past these problems, you need to think about yourself and work on becoming a better person. By seeing what is wrong and working on it, you can have better relationships with others.
Career and Finances
In work and money, the Devil Tarot card upright can mean you feel stuck in a job you don’t like, prompting you to reflect on your career meaning. This feeling can lead to bad habits where you blame others for your work problems. The card asks you to think about what you really want in your job and take action to change it.
With money, be careful when you see the Devil card. It warns you not to take big risks with money and to watch how you spend. It highlights temptations like gambling, which could cause trouble.
To face these challenges, focus on actions that improve your situation. This includes managing your money well and rethinking your career goals. By acknowledging these issues, you can break free from wanting too much stuff and avoid hurting yourself, leading to better success at work.
Reversed Devil Tarot Card Meaning

When you see the Devil reversed tarot card, it means you can break free from bad habits and beliefs. This card helps you take back control of your life and move away from things that hurt you. It shows you can be brave and face your fears.
The Devil upside down usually means you notice more about yourself and how you got into bad situations. It encourages you to change and be your true self.
Next, we’ll talk about how this card affects love and work when it’s upside down.
Love and Relationships
In love, the upside-down Devil card means:
You notice bad patterns in your relationships
You take back control of your life
You escape from a bossy partner or a relationship where you rely on someone too much
You build your confidence and know your worth
This card encourages you to grow on your own and feel proud of your progress.
If you’re single, seeing the reversed Devil card tells you to enjoy being alone and learn about yourself. It’s a chance to stop bad habits that keep you from finding a good partner.
If you’re in a relationship, this card suggests fixing problems to feel better emotionally. The upside-down Devil card invites you to let go of bad feelings or habits. By changing, you can have happier and healthier relationships.
Career and Finances
At work and with money, the upside-down Devil card means you need to make changes to avoid problems later. It’s a good time for positive change and better choices. This card often means you should stop relying too much on your job for security and find strength within yourself.
With money, the reversed Devil card suggests you take charge of your finances by fixing past mistakes. Focus on finding happiness instead of just chasing money. Freeing yourself from old money problems can make you feel more independent.
When it comes to money habits, the upside-down Devil card gives you a chance to recover after issues like gambling or bad spending. This change helps you balance work and money, leading to more happiness and stability.
Historical Context and Evolution

The Devil is a character that stands for going against God. You can find its roots in old religious stories. The Devil first showed up in Tarot cards in the early 1500s with the Rosenwald Tarot. During the 1400s, people started seeing the Devil as a sneaky source of bad things and temptation.
In 1856, a man named Eliphas Levi added Baphomet to the tarot cards. This change brought new symbols from old magic ideas, changing how people see the Devil card. Many tarot decks, like the Rider-Waite Tarot, still use these symbols. You can find lots of interesting pictures and meanings on each Devil card, often highlighting the importance of confronting and releasing limiting beliefs.
Psychological Interpretation
The Devil Tarot card helps you face your fears and notice the things you don’t like about yourself. By doing “Shadow Work,” a term from Carl Jung’s ideas, you learn about the hidden parts of who you are, the thoughts that trouble you, and any mental health issues you may be facing.
When you see the Devil in a tarot reading, it makes you think deeply about your worries and wants. Being kind to yourself during this time helps you feel less guilty and stressed. You learn to be gentle with yourself and find balance in life.
Spiritual Significance
On a spiritual level, the Devil Tarot card asks you to face your biggest fears to free yourself. The upside-down torch that Baphomet holds means you find understanding not by regular light but by accepting your darker sides. This card tells you to let go of things that hold you back and things you put on yourself.
By seeing that wants have two sides, you can change and know yourself better. The loose chains on the Devil card show that you can break free from these limits.
When you look at the Devil card with an open mind, it might show important life changes or challenges you need to face, emphasizing the journey of reclaiming power in your life.
Practical Tips for Tarot Readings
When you do a tarot reading, pay attention to where the Devil Tarot card is in the spread. This helps you understand if it talks about the past, present, or future. The cards next to it can change what it means. If you see the Devil card upside down, focus on spending money wisely and learning from past mistakes.
When the devil shows in your reading, it might tell you that you can succeed by trying new things. It encourages you to be brave when facing problems. It also suggests sharing tasks wisely and setting important goals for your work.
Understanding these details helps you give better readings with tarot cards, making them more meaningful for your life journey.
Summary
The Devil Tarot card makes you think about life, showing ideas like being stuck, addiction, and finding freedom. Whether upright or upside down, the card asks you to face your dark inner parts and welcome change. Its detailed pictures and history make it a strong tool for thinking about yourself and getting better.
As you explore tarot cards, remember that the Devil card acts like a mirror showing life’s tricky parts. Approach its lessons with an open heart and courage. Let it guide you to more awareness and self-power.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Devil Tarot card mean when it shows up upright?
When the Devil Tarot card shows up upright, it means you feel stuck because of addiction, wanting too much stuff, or bad habits. It reminds you to spot bad behaviors and work to break free from them.
How does the upside-down Devil Tarot card affect love and relationships?
The upside-down Devil Tarot card means a good change in love and relationships. It often means you break free from bad patterns and depending too much on someone. Use this time to learn about yourself and take back your power!
What does the inverted pentagram on the Devil Tarot card mean?
The upside-down star on the Devil Tarot card points to the darker sides of magic and going against normal values. It talks about wanting too much and the dark parts of yourself. It reminds you to notice what’s hidden inside.
How has the Devil Tarot card changed over time?
The Devil Tarot card has changed a lot. It went from showing rebellion against God to modern images inspired by Eliphas Levi’s Baphomet, filled with magic symbols. This change shows how people think differently about temptation and wanting too much in life.
What practical tips can help when you read the Devil Tarot card?
When you read the Devil Tarot card, look closely at where it is in the spread and the cards around it, as they can change what it means. Remember, it often talks about planning your money carefully and setting clear goals.