The Devil Card Meaning: In Chains

How The Devil Card Has Changed Over the Centuries

The Devil card has changed over time, with cultural and religious shifts influencing how it is understood.

Early Depictions of The Devil

The Devil card hasn't always looked like the goat-like image that is common in modern decks. Early European tarot decks depicted The Devil in many diabolical forms, frequently emphasizing flaming imagery. This was in line with the main theological beliefs of the time, which saw The Devil as a real and powerful force of evil. A lot of the early pictures were about punishment and damnation, making them similar to the scary tales about hell and demons.

The Influence of Baphomet

In following ages, the way people saw The Devil changed a lot. The Devil card’s visual history offers a fascinating look into how symbolism changes over time.

In 1665, Giuseppe Mitelli made a tarot deck for the Bentivoglio family that shows The Devil in flames with a serpent under his feet. In French and Swiss tarot cards, on the other hand, The Devil looked more like a goat, which was based on Levi's Baphomet. Some early decks, like the Rouen-Bruxelles tarot, didn't even have The Devil card at all.

The goat-like images that are common in current tarot cards came from Eliphas Levi's Baphomet illustration in Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (1855). This changed how The Devil was presented, moving away from solely wicked images. It became more of a symbol of temptation and earthly pleasures.

The Devil Card Meaning in Today's World

The card now does not stand for a literal devil. Instead, it often indicates the shadow self, our internal struggles with temptation, and the chance to break free from ideas that hold us back. This change in how people see tarot puts more emphasis on the psychological and personal growth aspects of the cards, moving beyond simple ideas of good and evil. This historical backdrop is very important for understanding The Devil card in modern tarot readings.

Understanding The Devil Card's Symbolism

The real meaning of The Devil card extends well beyond a simple idea of wickedness. Let's look at the many symbols that make up this powerful archetype, using the images from the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck as a guide.

The Devil's Figure

The card's center features a horned figure that typically looks like Baphomet. This creature is a representation of the shadow self and shows the aspects of ourselves that we repress or deny, like our anxieties, insecurities, and basic needs. The Devil isn't here an evil being; he's more like a personification of our wild side. And our shadow aspects could be dangerous if they aren't kept in check, but they could also help you become very self-aware.

The Chains

Two smaller figures are chained to The Devil's pedestal. They show how it feels to be stuck in limiting beliefs and destructive habits. But pay attention to the fact that the chains are loose, which suggests that freedom IS possible. This happens to be the main idea of The Devil card: the limitations we perceive are often imposed by ourselves. The card encourages us to face these imagined chains and set ourselves free.

Materialism and the Inverted Pentagram

The Devil has an inverted pentagram on their forehead. This sign suggests a focus on material possessions and earthly desires, which strengthens the card's connection to materialism and temptation. Seeking pleasure from outside sources might make us feel like we're in chains and keep us from growing spiritually. The pentagram's downward point signifies the dominance of the material realm over the spiritual.

The Half-Human Creatures and the Dual Nature

The chained figures are not fully human; they are part animal, which emphasizes the dual nature of humanity. They embody the constant struggle within us between our higher and lower selves. This fight, which is often called a fight against our inner demons, is an important part of getting to know ourselves better. We become more complete and whole when we accept and integrate these dark sides of ourselves.

Key Symbols in The Devil Card

Fifteen: The Devil's Numerology

The Devil is the 15th Major Arcana card, which gives it a numerological meaning. Fifteen reduced to six (1 + 5 = 6) is a number that stands for peace and harmony. This can be interpreted as follows: a person (1) struggling with their freedom of choice (5) in order to achieve peace and harmony (6). The card therefore encourages us to find a balance between our desires and spiritual goals.

The Devil Card's Important Role in the Fool's Journey

The Devil card signals a critical moment in The Fool's Journey toward self-discovery. Here, we can learn a lot about our inner conflicts and fears. The Devil pushes us to face our biggest fears and think about how we can free ourselves from them.

The Devil Card's Message in Tarot Readings

Let's take a look at what The Devil card actually means in tarot readings. This really goes beyond old concepts of “evil” and instead focuses on how complex human nature can be.

The Devil Upright: Comfortably Stuck

When The Devil appears upright, it's telling you to take a good, hard look at where you feel trapped in your own life. The catch? You probably helped build the trap, and part of you likes it there.

This shows up in ways we all recognize. The job that pays the bills but kills your spirit. The relationship that's more about fear of being alone than actual love. Scrolling through your phone for hours, night after night. The Devil isn't judging you for it. It's simply holding up a mirror and saying "See? You're stuck. And you're choosing to stay stuck because the known hell feels safer than the unknown way out".

The Devil Reversed: The Slow, Hard Work of Getting Free

When the card is reversed, the energy shifts. This is the phase of squinting at the lock on your cage and looking for the key. You've become aware of the problem. Maybe you've started therapy, had the big fight, or finally admitted you have a problem. You're trying to break the chain.

But here's the human truth of the reversed Devil: it's messy. You might take two steps forward and one step back. You might leave the bad job, but then panic and take a similar one. You might block their number, then unblock it a week later. This card understands that. It means you're in the struggle. You're fighting for your freedom, even if you're not winning every battle.

Love and Relationships With The Devil

Pulling The Devil card in a love reading isn’t an automatic sign to break up. Instead, think of it as a brutally honest spotlight. It forces you to look at what’s really going on beneath the surface of your relationship.

Addicted to Love

In love, The Devil card is a sign of a bond that's turned binding. This isn't about a little drama. This is about relationships that feel addictive. You can't live with them, and you're terrified to live without them.

Think codependency. Think jealousy and control disguised as passion. Think staying together because splitting the rent is hard, or because you've been together so long you don't know who you are alone. The Devil asks the tough question: Is this love, or is it just a habit wrapped in fear? It's not telling you to leave. It's telling you to be brutally honest about what's truly going on.

The Devil at Different Relationship Stages

The Devil card's energy can shift depending on where you are with someone or yourself.

• New Relationships: The Devil is like a flashing yellow light here. It warns against jumping into anything that seems very passionate but may not be established on solid ground. That magnetic draw could be hiding red flags, basic differences, or even your own unsolved issues. This card asks "Is this a real connection, or do you just like the thrill of something new"?

• Long-Term Partnerships: The Devil shows the ruts and shackles that have grown up over time in a long-term relationship. Routine, animosity, or implicit power conflicts have taken the place of the spark. You might feel more like roommates or co-managers than lovers. The Devil here means that your partnership is on autopilot, and you're both there because it's comfortable and the notion of untangling your lives seems too hard. It's not always about breaking up; it's about asking the hard questions to see if you can pick the lock from the inside.

• Your Relationship with Yourself: This could be the most crucial part. The Devil can show you how you are stuck. It's the way you hurt yourself, the negative voice in your head that tells you you don't deserve love, or the way you hold on to old wounds to prevent real intimacy. The card asks you to look at where you are your own worst tormentor, building walls instead of bridges.

Career and Finances With The Devil

The Devil card often evokes negative associations. However, it offers surprisingly insightful guidance for your career and finances. Instead of representing pure evil, The Devil card meaning in this context helps you identify and overcome self-imposed limitations that hinder your professional fulfillment and financial freedom.

Recognizing Financial and Career Traps

The Devil here may be the "golden handcuffs". You can't leave the job because of the great pay, even though it makes you unhappy. The culture of hustle makes you answer emails at midnight to show how valuable you are. It's a bad boss or a job that loves drama.

With money, it's the cycle of debt from buying things to feel better. It's believing that the next purchase will finally make you happy. It's that anxious, clenched feeling of "there's never enough", which keeps you hoarding your resources and stressing over every penny. The Devil says your mindset about success and security has become your own prison.

Practical Strategies for Getting Your Freedom Back

When The Devil shows up about your job or money, it’s a practical nudge. It's not enough to just feel trapped. You need a plan. Here’s what that can look like:

• Get Real About Your "Why". Pause and ask yourself: Am I chasing a title, a paycheck, or someone else's idea of success? Or am I building something that actually means something to me? The moment you stop working for pure external validation is the moment you start taking your power back.
• Name the Trap. Be specific. Is it the fear of losing your salary (the golden handcuffs)? Is it a bullying boss? Is it the shame of your debt? You can’t solve a problem you haven't fully identified. Write it down. Say it out loud.
• Make One Small Alignment. You don’t have to quit your job today. But can you spend one hour a week on a hobby that feeds your soul? Can you take a course that interests you? Start weaving threads of meaning and passion into your life, however small. It proves to yourself that another way exists.
• Check Your Mindset. With money, The Devil often lives in your head. It’s the voice that says “I’ll never have enough” or “That’s for rich people, not me”. Actively challenge that. Practice gratitude for what you do have. Make a budget to see the real numbers, not the scary story. Scarcity thinking keeps you poor; a mindset of clarity and possibility is the first step out.
• Get Help. There’s no award for struggling alone. If debt has you chained, talk to a financial counselor. If a toxic workplace is crushing you, talk to a career coach or therapist. Asking for help isn’t weakness; it’s a direct rebellion against The Devil’s message that you’re stuck and alone.

The Devil’s appearance is a turning point. It’s the universe handing you a crowbar and pointing at the walls you built yourself. The work is hard, but the freedom on the other side is real. It starts with one honest look at the lock, and the decision to finally turn the key.

Health & Wellness: When Your Habits Become Your Cage

Let’s be real — this one hurts. The Devil card here doesn’t talk about bad luck or minor slip-ups. It's about the daily routines and coping mechanisms you can't seem to quit, even when you know they're hurting you. It’s the hard truth that your worst enemy might be the thing you keep choosing.

The Habit You Can’t Quit

Here, The Devil is painfully straightforward. It's the habit you know is destroying you, but you can't stop. This could be substance abuse, yes, but it's also the junk food you eat when you're stressed, the insomnia from late-night worry, or the gym routine you punish your body with to meet an impossible standard.

It points to using something — food, alcohol, shopping, work — to numb out instead of dealing with your life. The card is a wake-up call. It says your daily choices are chaining you to poor health, and that the only way out is to confront the discomfort you're trying to avoid.

The Devil card gets a bad rap. But its core message is one of the most empowering in the tarot. It says "You are not a victim of circumstance. You are complicit". Once you see that, everything changes. You realize the power to change the situation was yours all along. The Devil isn't a curse. It's the first, honest step toward getting your freedom back.

Are you ready to challenge the devil and face your greatest fear? Advanced Tarot Online is an app for personalized online tarot readings that will help you get to know yourself better.