THE DEVIL

This card shows the Devil represented in his most well-known satyr form, otherwise known as Baphomet. Along with being half goat and half man, the devil has bat wings and an inverted pentagram on his forehead. He is standing on a pedestal, to which are chained a nude man and woman, as if to show that he has dominion over them.

Both the man and the woman have horns, as if to show that the more time they spend with the Devil, the less human they become. The chains make it appear as though the devil has taken them captive. The man has a flame on his tail while a woman has a bowl of grapes on her tail, which symbolizes their addiction to power and finer things in life, respectively. 

Looking closely, both the man and the woman don’t look happy.  Their individual power has been taken from them, leaving them exposed and ashamed in their nakedness.

DIVINITORY MEANINGS: Lust and temptation are symbolized by the Devil in a love tarot reading. There can be a sense of hedonism and a selfish desire for gratification with this card. In less serious circumstances, it can also just simply mean a pursuit for all of life’s earthly pleasures.