First is ignorance - not knowing the truth and not realizing that we do not know. Second is materialism - the belief that there is nothing but the physical. As spiritual beings, we long for the Divine, but we lose contact with this source of truth if we trust only our senses. There is also hopelessness, which robs us of our joy and movement toward the light.
Traditionally the Devil stands for evil, but it does not have this rather frightening meaning in a reading. This card lets you know that you are caught in an unhealthy, unproductive situation. You may be in the dark about something - ignorant of the truth and its implications. You may be obsessed by a person, idea, substance or pattern that is bad for you. Sometimes this card reflects back the negativity that has made you doubt yourself and your future. We are prone to many errors in life and this card lets us know when they are serious enough to require attention. Make sure you are not working from a false picture of yourself and the situation. Hold fast to the highest vision of who you are.
experiencing bondage:
accepting an unwanted situation, being obsessed, feeling tied down against your will, losing independence, allowing yourself to be controlled, being addicted and enslaved, submitting to anotherfocusing on the material:
being caught up in appearances, believing only in the physical, forgetting the spiritual, getting and spending, overindulging the sensesstaying in ignorance:
being unaware, operating within a narrow range, experiencing limitation, choosing to stay in the dark, fearing the unknown, being taken in by appearancesfeeling hopeless:
believing the worst, despairing, lacking faith, seeing a cold world, thinking negatively, foreseeing a bleak future, doubting