The Devil
The Devil warns of bondage to destructive patterns such as sin, addiction, and self-imposed limitations. It shows how people may willingly accept chains, choosing ease or immediate pleasure over freedom and long-term wellbeing. The card's shadow side points to liberation—especially sexual or experiential—and suggests that giving in or releasing control can sometimes bring needed release. In readings it urges awareness of compulsions and offers the possibility of overcoming or transforming those ties.
Keywords
Poem: Stanza 1
You think you own what's before your eyes. You think you're too pure for greed and lies.
Poem: Stanza 2
So now laugh and drink you're sure to be merry, the weight of your sins you're later to carry.
Poem: Stanza 3
Falling further you'll think your splendor sublime while I wait in the shadows just biding my time.
Meaning
The Devil card is about sin, the path of least resistance, negative life cycles, and addiction or self-bondage. The figures below the dragon are in chains, but they are loose around their bodies, suggesting they are willingly imprisoned. This is because The Devil is about being intensely bound to something or to someone for better or worse.
Meaning: Shadow
The Devil's shadow is quite conversely about liberation - especially sexual liberation. It can also be a sign that you need to give in and live a little.
Upright Keywords
sin, addiction, self-indulgence, destructive habits, denial, adultery, dishonesty, self-imposed bondage, health issues, depression, materialism, powerlessness, lies, violence, obsession
Reversed Keywords
prudishness, sexual liberation, independence, revolution, assertiveness, overcoming addiction, facing your demons, need to indulge
Visual Description
A large horned, dragon-like Devil dominates the center of the image with bat-like wings, curled horns and a snarling, red-mouthed face. Two human figures in white draped garments are chained by collars and heavy chains that loop toward the creature; one stands on the left holding a goblet aloft, the other reclines on the right drinking from a cup. A vast mound of gold coins and treasure fills the background behind them, and the scene is framed by an oval border with the banner title 'The Devil' at the bottom and the Roman numeral XV at the top. The palette leans toward warm golds, browns and deep blacks, and the composition emphasizes the creature’s looming presence over the reveling figures.
Children of Litha tarot
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