The Devil Reimagined: New Interpretations of Tarot’s Card XV

The appearance of Baphomet in the spreads means getting caught in the grip of a complex situation, person, or behavior. Remaining in it means continuing to immerse yourself in vices and temptations. But the querent can break free. It all depends on their decision. The meaning of the card depends on the purpose of the divination, the spread, and its position. In this article, we will explain how to interpret this card in different spreads and combinations.

Traditional Symbolism and Meaning of The Devil Card

Evil has many names, but the most prominent ones are Lucifer, the Devil, and Satan. If something bad happens, you know who to blame. We have absorbed his image and “aura” through upbringing, religion, music, and films. The Devil is darkness, the absence of light. But it’s worth remembering that he is also the Morning Star, which shines brighter than all others.

The Devil card is specific. It is considered frightening, and its appearance is generally unwanted by anyone. However, even here, everything depends on perception and the ability to interpret. Depicted on the card, as you might guess, is the Devil (Lucifer). The Devil tarot advises fighting with internal frames – these are our fears, pride, inflated ego, cowardice, envy, aggression, and all other negative personality traits.

Satan sits on a cube, which symbolizes the material world. It is small and uncomfortable, but whether we make the Devil’s throne more comfortable is entirely our decision. It’s important to pay attention to the male devil’s tail, which either burns from the Devil’s torch or ignites it. The “feeding” of Satan is our work. Besides Lucifer himself, the card depicts people or devils, male and female, chained to the altar. They have horns and tails.

The chains that bind creatures to the altar represent the connection of humans to the material, our desires, and our passions. An important point: the shackles hang very loosely. A little desire and effort – and you are already free. But will you want to do this? Will you want to become free and not feed the Devil? The choice is yours.

The Devil in Modern Tarot Readings

In our modern times, interpreting the 15th Tarot Arcana is even easier than before, as this card often points out the “Superman complex,” the theme of primacy and pride, presumption, and arrogance. It tempts with “self-realization” in various areas – no matter where and how, as long as you are noticed, it instills the need to get ahead of someone, to win over someone, to prove your superiority.

Sometimes the meaning of excessive socialization, dependence on one’s ego, also works, and the ego – on the opinion of other people. The Devil is the “prince of this world.” And the world in many ways binds a person with chains. People become what this very “this world” accepts, forcing them to fight for their existence in the image and likeness of the jungle.

Some authors believe that the 15th card in the spread is a symbol of a test, a kind of exam that a person must pass to test their strength and rise to a new level of awareness of themselves and the world. Anything can become such an exam or test – a risky enterprise, a decision to aggravate a conflict, or, indeed, alcohol, drugs, or marital infidelity.

The trick is that the exam needs to be passed, one needs to go through it consciously – and, if the card is in the upright position, it will only contribute to growth and liberation from temptations in the future. If it is reversed, then the person will either not pass the exam (be a coward or fail), or will not be able to free themselves from the addiction they have fallen into, at least in the near future.

The Devil in Different Aspects of Life

If the XV Tarot card The Devil in the Spread symbolizes a partner, then this is a selfish, cruel, and unfaithful person who is consumed by lustful desires and is not interested in harmony. The described person may also have dependencies, and mental health problems that destroy love and hope for happiness. The Devil’s love advice is to seek help in overcoming difficulties. The relationship is not necessarily doomed, but healing it should be made the main priority. The reversed Devil means that there is not a hint of respect or love in the relationship. People are guided by passion, manipulation, and suppression of will.

XV The Devil tarot card meaning is the card of materialism, excessive ambition, and fixation on money. It may indicate bullying and harassment in the workplace. A reversed card in a career and work spread foretells liberation from illusion, deception, and manipulation. The work environment is cleansed of intrigues and gossip, and the querent gets a chance to think about further prospects for freedom from restrictions and career take off.

Working with The Devil Card in Tarot Practice

The Devil personifies the dark side of other cards (and especially those adjacent in the spread): for the Magician, it is black magic; for the Hierophant, hypocrisy, and acquisitiveness under the guise of a saint; for the Lovers, the struggle for power or the degeneration of partnership into lust without the slightest sign of love; for Justice, corruption or inability to admit one’s own wrongness. He personifies the reverse, dark side of Strength, immoderation as opposed to Temperance, and rules various areas of the Moon. But to the greatest extent, it is a dark parody of the Fifth Arcana (Hierophant, High Priest) – what, actually, do you worship and serve?