The Devil
A pale woman is chained, hands and feet together, and left on top of a huge horned skull. The horns are a sign of masculine virility, yet they adorn a dead skull. She, too, is crowned with horns as well as jewels. Both she and the skull are surrounded by flames, representing passion. She is, it appears, enslaved by her passions. She doesn’t act afraid or even interested in getting away. Her expression looks almost amused. It is easy to assume that she is here of her own free will. However, as time passes and the flames grow and perhaps other uncomfortable situations develop, she may find she no longer has a choice, that she cannot get out of the situation without help. A pentagram represents the four elements under the domination of the Spirit. However, the pentagram on the skull is inverted, signifying the dominance of the physical world over the spiritual one.
The Devil card is rarely a pleasant one. It suggests bondage or addiction to a dangerous practice, substance, situation, pr person. Less extreme and less dangerous, it can represent over-indulgences of any sort – eating, drinking, sexual activity, staying up late, etc. These may be unhealthy and the appearance of this card in a reading may remind you to adopt more moderate practices. Being held captive by your passions might feel like fun for a short time, but such imbalance is never a good long-term plan.
If reversed, this card can indicate a close call with resisting a temptation or eliminating certain pleasures from your life for fear of becoming addicted. Also, this can represent a recent release from a dangerous or destructive situation.
Use your intuition:
What is the raven doing here?
Could she, or would she, ask the raven to bring help?
What is the significance of the Moon in this image?
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