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The Devil XV in the 5-Card Spread with the Rider Waite Tarot
Table of contents
Table of contents
See another cardin 5-card spread
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor VI
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
The Devil 5-cards Cross Draw
The Devil, in the five positions of the cross spread, evokes a dynamic of dependence, power, temptation and lucidity to be regained. In the current situation, it shows a strong attachment or an oppressive bond; in opposition, it reveals an unrecognised hold or a sustained illusion; in advice, it invites us to shed light on our impulses and regain our power; in outcome, it heralds a trap or liberation depending on the degree of awareness; in summary, it encapsulates a necessary confrontation with our shadows. A demanding card, but deeply transformative when one dares to face it honestly.
The Devil : Positions in the RWS Tarot 5-Card spread
The Devil as first card : Current situation
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the current situation, The Devil indicates that the consultant is under the influence of internal or external forces that dominate them, consciously or unconsciously.
This may be an excessive attachment to a situation, a person, a belief, or an emotional, material or behavioural dependency. The consultant may feel ‘trapped’, caught in a cycle from which they cannot escape, or fascinated by something that disturbs them or pushes them to act against their core values.
This card also speaks of temptations, powerful desires and heightened emotions that take over reason. We are in a dynamic of power, control or submission, often tinged with guilty pleasure, fear or shame.
The Devil can also reveal a toxic environment, a dominant/submissive relationship, or a tension between freedom and impulse. It can also evoke a side of oneself that the consultant refuses to see: fears, anger, repressed instincts. Here, the situation calls for awareness: what is holding me back? What attracts me despite myself? This is a time when we can see clearly into our shadows… or continue to wallow in them.
The Devil as second card : Challenge / Obstacle
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In opposition, The Devil highlights a blockage linked to loss of control, unconscious fears, or unacknowledged dependencies.
This may be a toxic relationship, compulsive behaviour, or an unhealthy attachment that prevents growth.
The consultant may be under the influence of an illusion, a fantasy, or a need for security that is holding them back.
This card in opposition often signals a disconnect between will and action: we know that something is not healthy, but we continue to cling to it. It can also be about guilt, taboo, or an unbalanced relationship with pleasure, power, or money.
In some cases, The Devil in opposition represents inner resistance: a fear of confronting one’s instincts, desires, or ‘dark’ side. It invites us to stop running away from what disturbs us, to stop telling ourselves a reassuring story to avoid looking at what really holds us back.
The blockage here is not always visible on the surface: it can be psychological, emotional or energetic. The card indicates an invisible trap, a shadow game that the consultant must identify in order to escape. It is an invitation to regain power, not by imposing it, but by freeing oneself from what distracts or dilutes it.
The Devil as third card : Advice
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the Council position, The Devil does not tell you to sink into the shadows, but rather to dare to face them head on. He invites you to become aware of your chains, to explore what attracts you, hypnotises you or prevents you from feeling free.
The advice here is to stop denying the existence of your impulses, desires or dark side: accept them, shed light on them, channel them. This card calls for you to take back control of yourself, not by dominating yourself, but by loving yourself completely — including your contradictions.
It may also suggest that you question a situation or relationship where there is a power imbalance: who is manipulating whom? Am I giving my energy to something that is destroying or weakening me?
This may involve taking a step back, saying no, cutting ties or asserting your boundaries.
The Devil also advises you not to judge yourself: explore what attracts you to excess and temptation in order to gain a clear understanding, not condemnation.
Finally, this card can also, in a more neutral way, recommend that you dare to desire, embrace material things, instincts and pleasure — but consciously. The advice is simple: see clearly into your grey areas so that you can truly choose.
The Devil as fourth card : Outcome
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the outcome position, The Devil announces an outcome marked by a power struggle, intense awareness, or a persistent chain of events, depending on how the consultant acts.
If the situation is unclear and the dynamics remain unconscious, the result may be confirmed dependence, loss of control, or a relationship where one person takes control over the other.
It may be a repeating cycle, a trap that closes slowly but surely.
However, if the person seeking advice has done the work of self-awareness and inner empowerment, the Devil can also indicate a powerful awakening: an ability to regain personal power, to transform an impulse into creative force, or to break free from a long-held illusion. The outcome will therefore depend on the ability to identify the chains and choose to remove them.
In some cases, this card can also herald material success, a concrete achievement, but accompanied by a psychological or moral price that must be carefully evaluated. There may be power, seduction, magnetism… but these must be handled responsibly.
In short, the Devil as a result speaks of a potential for liberation, but only if one dares to face the trial of the mirror.
The Devil as fifth card : Synthesis / Future
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread
In the synthesis position, The Devil brings together all the dynamics of the spread around the confrontation with the forces of attachment, control and desire. It shows that the heart of the current process lies in the need to see clearly what binds us, whether it be fear, a relationship, a belief or a relationship with ourselves.
The card reminds us that as long as certain things are not looked at, they dominate.
The Devil summarises a moment when we must face our inner truth without embellishment, including what disturbs us, what we are ashamed of or what we do not want to show. It highlights a raw energy — powerful and instinctive — which can be destructive if denied, but liberating if integrated.
This synthesis evokes a taking of power, not over the outside world, but over one’s own life energy, one’s own responsibility.
It can also mark an initiation, an intense and transformative passage. The card calls us to step out of fear or flight and fully embrace who we are — body, soul, shadow and light combined.
See another cardin 5-card spread
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor VI
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
1 card spread
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