The Devil

“The card of shadow, reflecting the chains you fasten yourself and the attachments you cannot escape”

Keywords

• Attachment
• Bondage
• Temptation
• Addiction
• Desire
• Materialism
• Shadow
• Dependence
• Pleasure
• Confinement
• Fear
• Greed
• Self-deception
• Shackles

Symbols in the picture

1. 1
   Golden crown with goat horns

   A crown with thick golden goat horns is placed on the Devil’s head, with a star medallion set at its center. It symbolizes a state in which instinct and animal energy have risen above the mind. It represents a heart that has lost its direction, led by the desires in front of it.

2. 2
   Loose neck chains

   Chains hang around the necks of the two rabbits at the Devil’s feet, but the links are loose enough to slip free at any time. They teach that the bonds holding us are, in truth, shackles we choose to remain within ourselves. They also hold the hope that you can break free if you make up your mind.

3. 3
   Outstretched palm

   The Devil raises one hand high with its palm spread wide. It imitates a gesture of blessing, but in reality the pose reveals intimidation and domination. It symbolizes the dual nature of temptation that appears convincing on the surface.

4. 4
   Flaming star-tipped staff

   In the other hand, the Devil holds a long staff topped with a star, its tip blazing fiercely with flame. It signifies the heat of desire that rises upward without knowing how to cool itself. It warns of the danger that misused energy ultimately burns its own source.

5. 5
   Bat wings

   Broad black bat wings spread behind the back. They symbolize the ignorance and fear of turning away from the light and remaining in darkness. They represent the wish to ignore the truth and settle into the shadows.

6. 6
   Grapes and flames on the ground

   At the feet of the two bound rabbits lie a bunch of grapes and a pearl necklace on one side, and gold coins and blazing flames on the other. They show that the desire for sensual pleasure and material things can serve as bait that keeps people trapped. They symbolize how indulgence without moderation becomes a shackle.

7. 7
   Star-carved stone altar

   The two rabbits are bound together by chains descending from the stone altar where the Devil sits, and a large star is carved into the front of the altar. It signifies a low-level foundation that upholds material things and desire. It symbolizes the weight of relationships or habits with which you have bound yourself.