The Devil: Modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
‘KEY XV: The Devil’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
The Devil Upright
Keywords
Vice, materialism, bondage, deceit, ignorance, taboo, extremes.
Manifests in different ways throughout the Major Arcana.
Generally
Bondage to negative patterns, addiction, materialism. An unhealthy obsession, feeling trapped in a bad situation, a focus on superficial desires, giving in to temptation.
In a Love Context
A toxic or co-dependent relationship. An obsessive love affair, jealousy and control, a relationship based purely on lust, staying with a partner out of a sense of bondage. Like The Lovers reversed.
In a Money/Career Context
Being trapped in a job you hate for the money. A crippling debt, a ruthless and materialistic work environment, an addiction to work, a business deal that feels like a trap.
In a Spiritual Context
Bondage to the lower self. A spiritual path that is focused on material gain, a fall from grace, a pact with a lower entity, the illusion that you are separate from the Divine.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Acknowledge your chains. Confront your addictions. Look at the illusions that are holding you back.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A situation of bondage and illusion. A trap of your own making. A period of addiction.
As Obstacles
A toxic person is blocking your progress. Your own addictions are the primary hindrance. A deep-seated fear is preventing you from moving forward.
As Hidden Energy
A hidden addiction is driving the situation. An unacknowledged fear is the true source of the problem. A secret obsession.
As Resources/Alliances
Help comes from confronting a taboo. Embracing your shadow side. A powerful but dangerous ally.
The Devil Reversed
Reversed Keywords
Redemption, acquittal, purification, awareness, detachment, freedom. Consider the Judgement card.
General Or Open Reading’ Context
Breaking free from bondage, release, awareness. The moment you realise you have a choice, escaping a toxic situation, a successful detox, a shift from materialism to spiritual values.
In a Love Or Relationships Context
Leaving a toxic relationship. Breaking a co-dependent pattern, seeing a partner for who they truly are, a release from obsession, a newfound sense of freedom.
In a Money Or Career Context
Quitting a soul-crushing job. Paying off a major debt, escaping a toxic work environment, a release from a bad business contract.
In a Spiritual Context
A release from spiritual bondage. Breaking free from a cult, overcoming a major temptation, a moment of spiritual liberation where you realise your own power.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
It is time to break the chains. Release yourself from this situation. Confront your fears and claim your freedom. Embrace The Tower.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A successful escape. A release from bondage. A moment of profound awareness and liberation.
As Obstacles
A fear of freedom is holding you back. An attachment to your own suffering. A refusal to see that you have a choice. Like The World reversed.
As Hidden Energy
A secret desire for freedom. An unacknowledged opportunity to escape. Like The Fool reversed.
As Resources/Alliances
The key to your own prison. The awareness that you have a choice. A dramatic break with the past is your path forward.
The RWS Devil in Key Card Combinations
Combinations with Major Arcana
The Devil & The Lovers
The Devil (↑) & The Lovers (↑): A passionate but obsessive relationship. A choice that leads to addiction or bondage. A soulmate connection with a toxic element.
The Devil (↓) & The Lovers (↑): A harmonious relationship that helps you break free from an addiction. A choice to leave a toxic situation.
The Devil (↑) & The Lovers (↓): A relationship breaking apart due to addiction or jealousy. A choice that leads to a toxic situation.
The Devil (↓) & The Lovers (↓): A relationship that is both disharmonious and free from addiction. A poor choice that helps you see a deeper truth.
The Devil & The Tower
The Devil (↑) & The Tower (↑): A sudden and catastrophic event that shatters an illusion. A painful rock bottom that forces you to confront an addiction.
The Devil (↓) & The Tower (↑): A sudden event that frees you from a toxic situation. A crisis that breaks your chains.
The Devil (↑) & The Tower (↓): A situation where you are trapped in an ongoing crisis, unable to escape. A refusal to leave a toxic situation, leading to its slow collapse.
The Devil (↓) & The Tower (↓): A narrow escape from a disaster. The awareness to leave a toxic situation just before it collapses.
Combinations with the Suit of Pentacles
The Devil & The Six of Pentacles
The Devil (↑) & The Six of Pentacles (↑): A charitable act that creates a dynamic of dependency. A loan with predatory interest rates. A gift with strings attached.
The Devil (↓) & The Six of Pentacles (↑): A genuine act of charity that helps someone break free from bondage. A fair and balanced act of giving.
The Devil (↑) & The Six of Pentacles (↓): A refusal to share wealth due to materialism. A loan that is called in, creating a crisis.
The Devil (↓) & The Six of Pentacles (↓): Breaking free from a situation of financial dependency. A refusal to accept a gift with strings attached.
Additional Notes On The Devil
A.E Waite’s Original ‘Devil’ Card Meanings
Upright: "Ravage, violence, vehemence, extraordinary efforts, force, fatality; that which is predestined but is not for this reason evil. Reversed: Evil fatality, weakness, pettiness, blindness." -Pictorial Key To The Tarot (1911).
Question: Is The Devil always a negative card?
While it almost always points to a difficult or challenging situation, The Devil is not necessarily "evil." It represents the powerful forces (and people) of materialism, abuse, temptation and addiction that are a part of life. The card's key lesson is that the chains can be broken. Although this does often come at great personal cost, it is always far less costly in the long term than remaining in error.
Meditations On The RWS ‘Devil’
Where in life am I giving in to temptation? How can I answer wisely to my passions and desires? How can I overcome temptation to sin? How can I protect myself from external evil?
