Major Arcana · Card XV
The Devil
The attachments that hold us, and the freedom to let them go.
- Yes or no: No
- Western astrology: Capricorn
The Devil tarot card description
A horned, winged shadowy figure crouches on a dark pedestal, holding a torch pointed downwards. Two small figures stand chained to the pedestal, but their chains hang loose enough to lift off.
The figure is the pull of fear, craving and excess; the downward torch is desire that burns rather than lights. The loose chains are the heart of the card: the bondage is real, but it can be removed.
The Devil upright
The Devil points to what holds us: habits, cravings, fears, materialism or relationships that no longer do us good.
Its message is not doom but awareness. Recognising the chain is the first step to taking it off.
Love and relationships
Intense attraction, possessiveness, or a relationship that feels binding. Ask whether it is good for you.
Finances
Overspending, debt or materialism; money controlling you rather than the other way round.
Career
Feeling trapped in a job for money or status.
Health and wellbeing
Unhealthy habits or dependencies; seek support to change them.
The Devil reversed
Reversed, the Devil often means breaking free: reclaiming your power and letting go of a habit, a fear or a pattern.
It is a hopeful card in this position.
Love and relationships
Freedom from an unhealthy pattern; a more honest relationship.
Finances
Taking control of debts or spending.
Career
Leaving a job that held you back, or setting better boundaries.
Health and wellbeing
Breaking a habit and regaining control.
Health readings describe wellbeing within the tradition. They are not medical advice; for any health concern, see a doctor.
The Devil: one-card pull, yes or no
Drawn as a single card for a yes-or-no question, The Devil is usually read like this:
Upright
No
this may not be good for you.
Reversed
Yes
once you break free of what held you.
The Devil for timing
Linked with Capricorn, whose Western season runs from about 22 December to 19 January. In timing it suggests a delay until you free yourself from what binds the situation.
These correspondences come from the Western tarot tradition, which uses the tropical zodiac. They are not part of Vedic astrology, whose signs are counted differently.
The card’s adviceNotice what holds you, and whether you are holding it too.
The Major Arcana tarot card meanings
Want a reading about your own question?
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Tarot is a tool for reflection. No card fixes an outcome, and a reading is not medical, legal or financial advice. Card images: the Rider–Waite–Smith tarot, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith (1909), public domain.