Shade and light symbolises the human dichotomy of good and evil. The character in this painting is a depiction of Carl Jungs integrated human, one who embraces and balances both the light and dark of the human experience.

'People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.' ~Carl Jung, Psychology and Alchemy, Page 99

Red is a very powerful colour and was chosen with the intention to symbolise energy, passion, ambition, determination, desire, fire and love.

Both the title of the painting and the pose of the character are inspired by a powerful lyric from TOOL, in a song named 'Descending'. The hand of the character reaches out toward the viewer and gestures a grip to help you 'rise' upward, toward the center of the image and toward the light.