The Devil as an Outcome: A Pattern to Break

Written by Chaya the Medium.

The Devil as an outcome is a warning, not a curse. Here is what it says about where things are heading and how to change it.

The Devil as an outcome is a warning. If nothing changes, the situation is heading toward attachment, temptation or a pattern that holds you in place. The chains in the picture are loose, though. You can step out.

What the Devil means as an outcome upright

Tina Gong's the Devil guide at Labyrinthos associates the upright card with shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction and sexuality. In the outcome position I read those meanings as the likely direction of the situation if things carry on as they are now. An outcome card is not a fixed sentence. It shows where the current road leads, and roads can be changed. The Major Arcana overview at Biddy Tarot is a useful second reference.

Upright, the Devil shows the outcome shaped by something that has a grip on you: a habit, a desire, a debt or a dynamic. The result may be pleasurable in the moment and costly over time. Seeing the pattern clearly is the first step out of it.

The Devil reversed as an outcome

Reversed, the Devil as an outcome is often a release. Chains come off and you break free of something that has been controlling you. It can take effort, but the direction is toward freedom.

The Devil as a love outcome

As a love outcome, the Devil points to intense attraction, obsession or a relationship that is hard to leave even when it hurts. Reversed, it favours breaking an unhealthy bond.

The Devil as an outcome for work and money

For work and money, the Devil as an outcome warns of feeling trapped by a job, debt or materialism. Look for the practical exit, even a slow one. A card can describe a direction; for decisions with legal, medical or financial weight, take advice from someone qualified as well.

What helps this outcome along

Awareness helps this outcome. Name the pattern honestly, and take one small step that loosens its hold.

For comparison, the Lovers as an outcome and the Tower as an outcome point somewhere different. The the Devil card meaning page covers the card in full, and the Devil as advice, the Devil as feelings and the Devil as a yes or no cover the other questions people most often ask of it. You can draw a card for yourself with the free daily tarot tool. For a personal interpretation, my guide to an online psychic reading explains how readings work, and the three-card tarot listing and customer reviews are worth reading before deciding whether to order.