As tarot reader and founder of Magical Tarot Leah Vanderveldt explains to mbg, the Devil card is like a stand-in for our inner demons. “The things we give our power away to, the voices that keep us small or ashamed—essentially our shadowy parts,” she explains, adding this card often shows up around unhealthy patterns in our lives, be it in relationships, negative or harmful self-talk, and/or issues of addiction. “The good news is when the Devil comes around, you’re given the opportunity to dance with this energy and liberate yourself from any cycles or dependencies that are keeping you down and afraid,” Vanderveldt says, noting that this card can be an invitation to dive into some shadow work, as well. “The Devil is never a fun card to see, but it’s important to remember that it’s coming up to give you the awareness that you’re giving your power away in some form, which is valuable info,” she explains, adding, “You can always take your power back now by making a new/difficult choice or taking a new perspective.”
