An Interpretation: The Meaning of The Devil Tarot Card

This is my initial interpretation of The Devil card.

Tarot Deck: Universal Waite Tarot

The Devil is the first card in the last third of the final seven cards in the Major Arcana. The Devil is another example of a card in the Tarot deck that looks frightening. However, if we focus on the scenery of the card, we can get a good sense of what the card means.

What are some of the obvious keywords that we associate the devil with? I decided to do a free association exercise with this card in hopes of trying to tap into my true feelings as opposed to preconceived notions I had about the word “devil” and the scenery depicted in The Devil card. Some of the keywords seemed obvious. But, many of them displayed abstract ideas that I would not have thought about prior to Tarot. A great introduction to free association and Tarot available on Douglas Gibb’s Tarot Eon blog.

Using this technique, here are the keywords I came up with:

• Pure evil; menacing; taunting; dominating (mentally, physically, sexually); relentless; wild; horned; animistic; uncontrolled and extreme passions; fire; lights the fire in us; heat; burning desire; hate; the opposite of good; a force; succumbing; temptation; ego; extreme; pure; naked; vulnerable; lacking balanced judgement, slavery, chains; restrained by will and choice; unbridled passions reign; submissive; temporary

The Devil crouches on black rectangular box that has two silver chains attached to a large silver ring. Silver represents the unconscious. The woman and man–Eve and Adam from The Lovers card–appear in this card in similar, but more stark setting. The angel of love, happiness, new passions and desires has been replaced by the Devil, who symbolizes unrestricted and extreme passions that can be destructive as opposed to beneficial. Both Eve and Adam (left to right) can break free from the restraint of The Devil’s chains, but they remain submissive to The Devil–or, their unbridled passions.

The Devil looks rather beastly and has giant silver wings and horns. A white upside down pentacle is on top of his head, between the silver horns. The Devil’s body position even resembles the shape of this upside down pentacle–as opposed to a right side up pentacle–which represents a standing man or woman. A right side up pentacle represents the five elements: fire, water, air, earth and spirit. The upside down pentacle obstructs the meaning of the five elements, essentially perverting it.

The position of his arms and left hand remind me of two other cards, which also represent the number 15, reduced to 1 and 5. The Magician is key I (1) and The Hierophant is key V (5). The Devil’s arm position is similar to the Magician’s. In addition, The Magician is the first point in the Tarot journey when we are presented with symbols that represent the four elements in the Minor Arcana: Wands (fire); Cups (water); Swords (air); Pentacles (earth). The Devil is mocking our will to be able to create from what is presented to us. Similarly, the Devil has his left hand pointed upwards towards the heavens with his fingers separated in a different position–an action of disrespect to the spiritual heavens.

Possible Meanings in a Tarot Reading:

Keywords:

• A situation where dominance is occurring in a way that is extreme (mental, physical)
• Temptation has lead to lack of judgement
• Vulnerability due to unbridled desires that are not balanced
• Egotistical decisions have been made without concern for yourself; others
• Restraint by will, not because of someone else
• Obsession
• This situation is temporary; it’s okay to enjoy yourself/passions, but find balance

Symbolism:

• Rectangle (not a square)
• Silver chains
• Devil (the antagonist to the angel in The Lovers card, The Magician and The Heirophant)
• Eve and Adam
• Upside down pentacle

Image: Universal Waite Tarot © US Games Systems, Inc.

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