So lately I kept seeing Devil cards pop up in my readings – always freaked me out honestly. That scary picture, chains, the horns… looked straight outta nightmare fuel. Felt like the deck was screaming at me “bad stuff’s coming!” Figured I should actually understand this thing instead of just panicking.
Step 1: Actually Looking at the Damn Card
Grabbed my Rider-Waite deck off the shelf – the classic one everyone knows. Stared hard at The Devil card. Yeah, the dude looks awful with bat wings and horns. But those two naked people chained up near him? That got me thinking. Are those chains tight? Can they slip out? Leaned in close, squinting. Turns out… those chains around their necks are loose as hell. They could totally lift ’em off! Blew my mind. Maybe this card ain’t just about being trapped by outside stuff?
Step 2: Drowning in Weird Meanings Online
Hopped online to look for meanings. Holy crap, so much info! Fancy words like bondage, materialism, shadows, addiction… Felt like wading through mud. Tried a few tarot sites. One page needed a dictionary just to read it. Felt totally lost. Needed to cut through the noise. Remembered the loose chains. Decided to keep it stupid simple for myself.
- Obsessive Thoughts – That nagging voice saying you’re not good enough, replaying awkward moments on loop.
- Feeling Trapped – Stuck in a job you hate? Crushing debts? Bad habit you can’t shake? Like you HAVE to keep doing something.
- Self-Limits – Convinced you CAN’T leave that relationship, CAN’T try something new. Basically chains you put on yourself.
Step 3: Reading It for My Grumpy Morning
Woke up feeling like garbage. Felt stuck in a rut. My dumb ritual: grabbed coffee and pulled a card. Guess what? The frickin’ Devil again. Grumbled at first. Then remembered Step 2. Why did I feel stuck? Realized I was obsessing over a failed project (“not good enough” voice yelling), ignoring emails I thought were too hard (self-limits), and doom-scrolling instead of starting work (feeling trapped in the cycle). Bam. The card wasn’t yelling doom; it was telling me my own crap was holding me down. And just like those chains… I could choose to lift it off.
What Actually Works For Me Now
Don’t get me wrong, it still looks scary. But when The Devil shows up now, I skip the panic. I ask myself straight up:
- What’s tying me down RIGHT NOW? (Usually some dumb mental loop or habit)
- How am I CHOOSING to stay trapped? (Avoiding the hard task? Believing I can’t?)
- What LITTLE thing can I do to loosen the chain? (Close social media? Reply to ONE email?)
Forget deep spiritual jargon. For me, this card screams: “You’re holding yourself back, idiot. See the chain? You can lift it.” Makes a lot more sense than thinking the underworld is paying me a visit. Practice makes the devil less scary.
