15 – The Devil
Most tarot cards depict the Devil as a grotesque beast with two chained figures at his feet. This imagery is visually compelling, but it reflects the worldview of an earlier age. For many modern readers, focusing on the literal figure of the Devil can obscure the psychological and ethical questions at the heart of this card.
At the time tarot cards first appeared in Europe, depictions of the Devil were common. To the people in the 15th century, the Devil was an actual physical being who interfered in human life on a daily basis. They believed that he could appear in many forms and was directly responsible for death, disease, and misfortune.
Although people in many cultures and religions around the world continue to regard the Devil as a present source of temptation and evil, others see him as a symbol or metaphor for human suffering rather than its cause.
Regardless of personal belief, I believe that the figure of the Devil in the tarot was always intended as a metaphor for human weakness, rather than a reminder or warning of an external threat.
This card is not about the effect of an external influence acting upon us, but about the damage we do to ourselves. Whether we are tempted by outside forces or suffer the consequences of our own mistakes doesn’t matter in the context of this card. What matters is that we recognize the destructive influences impacting us and regain control over our lives.
In our modern era we face social and personal problems that largely did not exist in medieval times. Substance abuse, addiction, and dependency destroy lives and tear families apart. Violence and poverty chain people into generational cycles that are difficult to break free of. The constant barrage of advertising and social media content fragment our attention and reinforce patterns of behavior that offer instant gratification while leaving us feeling empty. Our weaknesses are exploited and our trust is used against us. Our polarized political climate casts our neighbors as our enemies. Our advanced technology has brought us great benefits, but has also presented existential threats unimaginable to past generations. We are under constant pressure.
When interpreting the Devil in a reading, I think it is less important to identify the cause of the misfortune it represents, but rather to acknowledge that all human beings are subject to weakness, failure, and loss of self-control. We sometimes choose what is convenient in the moment, favoring short-term pleasure or relief without giving sufficient thought to the long-term consequences of our decisions. We chain ourselves with destructive habits and self-defeating behaviors.
That is the idea I wanted to convey in my interpretation of this card. The figure is locked in a struggle, not with the Devil, but with the duality within himself. He pulls himself down even as he fights to break free. The bindings that encircle him are not chains, but wisps of smoke that coil around him like a serpent.
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