Tarot · Major Arcana · 15

The Devil

  • attachment
  • dependency
  • shadow
  • desire

Key facts

Arcana
Major Arcana
Suit
Major Arcana
Number
15
Numerology
15 = 1 + 5 = 6 (adjustment, collaboration)
Element
Capricorn
Keywords
attachment, dependency, shadow, desire

The Devil upright

The Devil shines a light on what binds us, sometimes for our pleasure, sometimes for our prison. He invites you to look at your desires and attachments without shame, because knowing them is already a small step toward freedom. Enjoying life, the body, pleasure has nothing shameful about it, as long as you stay at the controls. Just ask yourself who’s leading the dance: you, or the chain?

The Devil reversed

Reversed, the Devil often signals a moment of awakening, the instant you feel a chain loosen. Maybe a habit, a bond, or a fear was taking up more room than it should. The good news is that the bonds you tied, you can also untie. Go gently; every step toward your freedom counts.

A question to sit with

Which attachment weighs on you more than it nourishes you, and what could you start to loosen?

Frequently asked questions about The Devil

What does The Devil mean upright?
The Devil shines a light on what binds us, sometimes for our pleasure, sometimes for our prison. He invites you to look at your desires and attachments without shame, because knowing them is already a small step toward freedom. Enjoying life, the body, pleasure has nothing shameful about it, as long as you stay at the controls. Just ask yourself who’s leading the dance: you, or the chain?
What does The Devil mean reversed?
Reversed, the Devil often signals a moment of awakening, the instant you feel a chain loosen. Maybe a habit, a bond, or a fear was taking up more room than it should. The good news is that the bonds you tied, you can also untie. Go gently; every step toward your freedom counts.

Sources

  • Arthur Edward Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, William Rider & Son, 1911.
  • Rachel Pollack, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Weiser Books, 1980.