Upright, The Devil card represents temptation and over-indulging in pleasures. You’ll often see this card as a warning against obsessions, compulsions, or addictions, or as a reminder not to become too invested in material possessions, greed, or over-indulgence. It encourages you to be wary of instant gratification and instead focus self-discovery and personal development.
This card can help you see your negative patterns and obsessions and inspire you to break free of them. Reversed, however, The Devil card can remind you to indulge in pleasure. Look for how you can be spontaneous, playful, and even a little impulsive.
When you see The Devil card reversed, it can help you recognize unhealthy patterns. To make progress, you must confront your negative thoughts and behaviors and make changes. This reversed card is also about liberating yourself from dangerous attachments and beliefs, looking clearly at your darkest desires, and breaking free from what may chain or imprison you to regain control over your life.
It might not be the easiest card to see when reversed, but it carries an important message.
Reading this reversed card using the “blocked/restricted” meaning
Okay, so let’s jump into the ways you can read your reversed Devil card. First, you can use the “blocked or restricted” card meaning. When you read reversed cards like this, you’re looking for an obstacle standing in front of the card’s upright meaning. So, for The Devil card, this could mean something is blocking your sensuality, or is holding you back in patterns of unhealthy behavior.
You might pull the reversed Devil card when thinking about your love life. Say you have interests or desires you want to explore with your partner, but they feel taboo. Here, the reversed Devil card tells you not to stand in the way of your pleasure.
Talk to your partner about how you’re feeling. Being interested in certain kinks or fetishes doesn’t mean anything negative. If you and your partner trust each other and both consent, there’s no reason to deny yourselves some fun! Here, this reversed card urges you to stop standing in the way of exploration and go for it!
Reading this reversed card using the “opposite” meaning
You can also read your reversed Devil card using the “opposite” card meaning. When you look at your reversed cards like this, you should think about the opposite of the card’s upright meaning. So, for The Devil card, instead of indulgence and obsession, this could mean distaste, or hatred. Something in your life is causing you a lot of negativity, and you need to make a change to start living the way you want.
Say you pull the reversed Devil card when thinking about your social media accounts. You scroll through your feed regularly and often find that you’re envious of others, or that seeing their accomplishments and lifestyle leaves you feeling bad about your own.
Here, the reversed Devil card can remind you not to get too hung up on your public image. Remember that people always post the best version of themselves on social media, and it’s destructive to draw comparisons.
Don’t get caught up in negative thoughts about yourself, and take a break from your social media accounts if you need to. It’s an excellent opportunity to clear your head and refocus yourself, and your friends will be there when you get back.
Reading this reversed card using the “worse” meaning
Another way to read your reversed cards is using the “worse” card meaning. This means you look at the card’s upright meaning in a negative light. So, for The Devil card, your indulgence or obsession is causing you harm, and it’s time to make a change. While it’s fun to celebrate your deepest truths and indulge in pleasure, if you go overboard, the rest of your life can be thrown out of balance.
Maybe you pull the reversed Devil card thinking about how you spend your money. You tend to rack up charges on credit cards and then scramble to pay the balance at the end of the month. Irresponsible spending can lead to debt, and even if you can afford the balance, you’re causing yourself a lot of stress every month.
Here, the reversed Devil card can help you see and confront unhealthy behaviors. Are you buying things you don’t need? Are you spending beyond your means? Try creating a budget for yourself and make small changes to start. You’ll feel less stressed each month, and you can save up for the things you really care about.
Reading this reversed card using the “no/not” meaning
Finally, you can use the “no/not” meaning to read reversed cards. For The Devil, this means “no indulgence,” “no sensuality,” or “no pleasure.” Maybe you’ve been neglecting your needs and desires because you’re working so hard and it may be time to rebalance your life to allow for some joy.
Say you pull the reversed Devil card when thinking about your health. Lately, you’ve been going hard at the gym and restricting your food. You don’t even enjoy meals out with friends anymore because you’re so caught up in your diet.
Here, the reversed Devil card can serve as a warning that you’re going overboard. You might be obsessing over this new lifestyle and need to take a step back to keep your balance. The reversed Devil card reminds you to enjoy life! Meet up with your friends and have that occasional dessert. You’re doing great, and a little indulgence can help to motivate you in the long run.