Interpretation of the tower tarot card upright position
Collapse, suffering, depression, breakup, financial fire, illness. Crash of plans, change of job. Your life will completely change, the existing order of things will fall apart. There is a danger of betrayal by people around you, leading to collapse and shame. If you want to avoid disaster, exercise maximum vigilance and caution.
- abrupt changes, unexpected events, sudden catastrophe, unforeseen collapse, complete failure, destruction, misfortune, disaster, shame, poverty, deception
- financial or personal loss, such as the destruction of your home or business, the end of a marriage or intimate relationship, any catastrophic change in your personal or financial affairs
The Tarot Tower signifies ruin, trauma and conflict. For a person, it promises troubles, most likely unexpected: accidents, illnesses, loss of a job, home or faith. But no matter how bad this card may seem, there is an opportunity to soften its interpretation: with a decisive and optimistic attitude towards events, a person can use unpleasant changes for new beginnings and self-improvement.
The Tower Tarot card foreshadows the collapse of the existing order of life. It can also mean abandoning a previous relationship or a very severe test of love or friendship, after which your opinion of people close to you changes dramatically. As a rule, an unlucky card, foreshadowing failures, disasters, collapse of plans and hopes. It can also mean destruction, ruin, addiction, illness, death. In general, it means a change, a collapse, a sudden end to an existing situation under the influence of external forces.
Interpretation of the tower tarot card in an inverted position
Same meaning as for a direct card, but without extenuating circumstances. And this is truly a black card. If possible, give up everything that brought you to this situation.
- oppression, imprisonment, long hardship, oppression, misfortune, disgrace, tyranny
- the inverted tarot tower predicts everything that the upright tower does, but to a much greater extent and with more dramatic consequences
An inverted Tarot Tower also promises unpleasant experiences. However, these injuries and their consequences can be longer lasting, because... there will be no mitigating circumstances.
Dependence on existing circumstances that cannot be changed. Failures, disasters, collapse of plans and hopes. Means destruction, ruin, disease, death.
Description of the map
Stone fortress or tower. Its dome is sometimes depicted as a crown. The tower is struck by lightning from heaven, symbolizing God's wrath. The Dome is knocked down, and the Tower itself falls to pieces. It rains fragments and sparks. The card also features two human figures, both male, flying to their death from the top of the Tower.
Allegory: a structure symbolizing human vanity is destroyed by God's wrath.
Inner meaning. Given to understand the straight position of the map
Everything you have achieved has collapsed. In many cases, this disaster would not have happened if you had acted more wisely from the beginning. If you act wisely now, you can avoid at least some problems.
You have gone too far and must pay. This disaster is the result of the fact that you believed in your power, which is not there, or used your power not very wisely or for the wrong purposes. In other words, you've played it out and the fall is your fault.
The most familiar story that matches the symbolism of this card is the Tower of Babel. The Babylonians came very close to achieving what would be the greatest goal of mankind: the complete unity of nations. They spoke the same language and worked together to achieve a common goal. The result of their labors was destroyed, their languages were confused, and they were all scattered to the four corners of the world.
It is important to understand that it was not the building of the tower itself that was a mistake, nor the fact that they worked together. The reason they built the tower was a mistake. Instead of using their combined power to unleash the divine within themselves, they defied God and attempted to rule the Earth in God's place.
The Tower Tarot card follows the Devil Arcana. The goal of your spiritual improvement is to become like God. But, says the Tarot, you will not become like God simply by gaining material power. Seduced by the opportunity to rule this world instead of the pursuit of wisdom and spiritual growth, you will lose everything you have gained. The cause of disaster is not that you gained too much power, but that you misused it. Destruction is a direct result of your own misunderstanding of poor judgment and/or abuse of your free will. The Falling Tarot Tower also symbolizes actual material losses: in finances, relationships, prestige or personal influence. It can also be understood as a warning that your powers are not as great and your understanding is not as complete as you think. In this sense, the Tower of Tarot illustrates the disaster that can and will happen to those who use magic without understanding its true purpose; the downfall of a man who plays with forces beyond his power and understanding.
In a spiritual sense, the Tarot Tower symbolizes the result of the quest, if you accepted the Devil's offer, even if you try to deny it.
Although there have been hints of this throughout the Tarot path, this is the first direct statement of how you should see your final goal. This is not the world you are trying to conquer.
At this point in the quest, there still remains the temptation to evaluate oneself in terms of this world, by one’s impression on others, by one’s earthly position. Now the temptation is even greater, because you have achieved the power, at least for a while, to turn the world according to your own will. But your goal is much greater.
You must learn to see beyond the obvious high level achievements. If you trade your spiritual growth for material power, you will lose everything you have gained.
For the Tower, which is traditionally considered the most severe card of the Major Arcana, oddly enough, you can search for your keyword for a long time. “Changes” in the Tarot deck are heralded by many cards. Jester, Wheel of Fortune, Death... And the same Six of Swords? Don't they all promise change? In short, this is not “change.”
Are these changes unexpected? The strangest thing is that the Tower may not be unexpected at all! The situation, like an abscess, has been brewing for a long time. This is the “end of the world” that we have been waiting for. Maybe they were even really looking forward to it! So it's not a "surprise".
Liberation? Again, the Tower will not be the exclusive bearer of this meaning. Liberation is brought by Judgment, the Sun, the Star... and a number of other cards.
And it turns out that the key word is “crisis”. Or even a “crisis”. Explosion or breakdown after previous injection. In a certain sense, this is punishment for what happened before. It is used to drive out the Devil (the previous Arcanum). The ancient name of the Tower is the House of God. It's worth thinking about. This is the House of the Devil (as the map was called in medieval Italy), which, under the strike of heavenly lightning, turns into the place of the presence of God. Along the Tower there is liberation from false aspirations that do not contribute to development, through the destruction of what a person believed in and what he strongly strived for. There is a loss of the achieved balance, based on false foundations. The Tower is the orderly of evolution, it heals our life from everything that poisons it, destroys stagnant situations that hinder growth. At the same time, the blows of fate may seem as tragic and incomprehensible as it seems to a child who is dragged to the doctor to have a sore tooth removed. Few people perceive these cleansing operations with enthusiasm, but they are still needed.
The tower shows that the walls behind which we were hiding (or hiding something) are crumbling. One period of life gives way to another, and this happens very quickly, and therefore not painlessly. In the very in a simple sense the card symbolizes the end of the existing situation under the influence of external forces, and unexpected and very fast. This could be either simply a reactive establishment of order, like a purge, or a total collapse of the current situation (at least in the area of the question being asked). The tower pulls a person out of the circumstances that limit him, disrupts the long-existing state of affairs. Sometimes this completely corresponds to the expectations and even desires of the questioner, so the Tower is not always so bad. Next to positive cards, it reports the collapse of existing evil, foreshadowing the end of a dark streak in life and getting rid of a heavy load. It's time to enter the future amid the roar of the wreckage of the past.
It’s another matter if all this does not at all correspond to either expectations or desires. Then this is a bolt from the blue, a kind of painful revelation that undermines the very foundations on which we stood, a radical breakdown of previous views on life. It is important that the “blow” itself is inflicted by forces that are not worth trying to control. Another significant point - there is no point in restoring the deceased in the Tower, it is useless.
At different positions of the layout and depending on the situation, the Tower changes its scale and meaning. This can be both external destruction and internal shocks. For the future, it rather serves as a warning that what we have long considered stable and safe may suddenly be shaken. Radical changes are brewing, there is a smell of thunder in the air. As an indicator of the past, she says that what has become obsolete has collapsed and will not be revived. Sometimes we're talking about about internal things - hardened beliefs or life principles, and sometimes the target becomes something more tangible, but in any case, it is precisely those structures and conventions that we have already surpassed that are falling apart throughout the Tower. In fact, the old breaks down because the time has come, something new is already ripening, something more creative, alive and vital, but the old has already become obsolete, and resuscitating it is a waste of time and effort. When the shock wears off, we find that we have gotten rid of the ballast.
Throughout the Tower we clear away trash, throw out old and unnecessary things, and destroy obstacles. Sometimes she says that we are in an extremely intense process of transformation, something shook us and shocked us, we felt a breakthrough to something important, space was freed up in us for something new. We are burning with some idea, feeling, desire, breaking one thing, striving for another, experiencing shock and liberation. This is the discovery of inner truth, which for a long time languished in us under a bushel. This process is like a bolt from the blue or a river breaking through a dam. This can be such a powerful and vivid experience that it is almost impossible to “pull yourself together” and return to everyday routine (the notorious “tower demolition”).
Traditional meanings Towers - an unexpected disorder and collapse of plans, in the worst case - complete failure, troubles, suffering. Catastrophic changes in the affairs of the questioner, destruction of a home, business, marriage (depending on the topic of the question and surrounding cards), sometimes imprisonment. In a purely everyday sense, the Tower often means conflict, even scandal, but it is a thunderstorm, after which the air becomes cleaner. It is possible to be involved in some actions of an aggressive nature, in difficult and/or dangerous situations.
In rare cases, the Tower portends a triumph, but even then it is rather a “Pyrrhic victory”, which is won at too high a price.
Unforeseen destruction, accidents, breakdowns, accidents, and sometimes attacks occur throughout the Tower. On a global scale, it reflects wars, natural disasters, explosions, terrorist attacks, revolutions, regime collapse, and destruction of the existing order. Plane crashes, shipwrecks.
It is believed that the Tower, appearing in a layout, determines the meaning of other cards in a negative direction.
“As if struck by thunder.”
Most likely, the person is in shock. He is struck on the spot by some news or event, and everything he had previously planned and hoped for suddenly changed. Maybe he is determined to free himself from something and acts as a destroyer, but again, there is some reason for this.
The Tower is a stress test that reveals all our weak points. The fall of erroneous beliefs under the pressure of reality, the overthrow of values that provided us with confidence in the future and a sense of security (in the emotional sphere, professional, financial...spiritual, finally). The image of the Tower can mean structures with the help of which a person tries to protect himself from growth, from the world, from the activity and diversity of life. In a certain sense, the XVI Arcana depicts a prison consisting of rigid, impenetrable to change and at the same time highly exalted ideas. Unused forces, undisclosed emotions, paralyzed energy are locked within its gloomy walls. They accumulate and press harder and harder. A person becomes cramped in himself, but he stubbornly forces himself to curl up, just so as not to grow out of fear of pain (and life). In fact, this entire structure is a vain attempt to stop the process of growth, change, transition from one state to another. And so, reality, conditioned by a limited outlook, is destroyed. The Tower of Views, piling up towards the sky (and that area of life where a person believed himself to be reliably protected) suddenly staggered and scattered along with the old picture of the world. This is often perceived as a disaster, since the very structures that formed the very basis of our confidence are collapsing, but in fact it is a well-deserved crisis, the impossibility of remaining in outdated positions. Nothing more is happening in the Tower than creating the conditions for further growth. This is the pain that stands in the way of rebirth.
We all go through the Tower experience many times. Man is imperfect, and his knowledge of the world is always only partial. We all, to some extent, protect ourselves from our surroundings in order to gain stability and tranquility. No one can escape disappointment in their illusions, hopes and rational constructions; the only question is how often positions are revised (here main role plays openness and interaction with the outside world, in general with forces that exceed one’s own “I”). If a person does not do this for a long time (and we lay the bricks of ideas in one way or another every day), then he manages to pile up a very high structure, and then he risks being simply “buried” under its rubble - it will take a long time to dig out, and this experience will leave its scars. This is a special wisdom in life - the understanding that the walls of your tower are more likely to be your enemies than your friends. Still, the feeling of falling can be downright terrifying. Sometimes it experiences “righteous anger” and the fury of destruction and liberation, but more often it experiences loss of orientation, existential horror, a stunning realization that you are not the person you thought you were, that you are grasping for air, like falling figures on a map.
It is important for a person suffering from acute Tower pain to remember that they are not alone. There, from above, Someone is looking at him, seeing everything (that’s why he fucked up because he sees...) and will not leave him under any circumstances. Even obvious losses are valuable gifts from the Universe, and times of crisis and despair often become the most fruitful phases of growth. By taking an honest look at yourself, you can truly free yourself and move on. As one of the modern Western tarot readers noted, “By accepting shock, you will be able to move along your true path, and sooner or later the Star of Hope will shine on you. The alternative is to trudge through the mud as a passive victim, wondering where you are and how you got here.” The action of the Tower can be seen very clearly in Priestley’s “Dangerous Turn”, where main character discovers that the entire edifice of his life was an illusion, and where the issues of deception and self-deception are shown ingeniously. And one more thing that must be remembered in “tower” times is that the most important, the most valuable and essential cannot be destroyed. This is not what the tower destroys. She burns garbage (even if we are ready to pull it out of the fire with bare hands on that moment).
The Tower man has an extremely restless character, he is simply a powder keg. He suddenly bursts onto the stage like lightning and hits just as suddenly, which also leaves the feeling of thunder from a clear sky. He is always thirsting for change (at least unconsciously), he is cramped within the framework defined by life, and therefore something happens to him all the time, he himself and the people around him receive regular “shocks”. He is dynamic, confident, excitingly unpredictable and always ready to take risks. The tower brings shock and confusion into the lives of those with whom fate confronts him (her), it is living rock. At the same time, a person’s spirit is unbending, it is difficult to break it, and his own life, full of sharp turns, serves him, if not as a lesson, then as a strengthening. A tower of either gender is often characterized by an explosive temperament and an inability to maintain a good relationship with others. This is a born duelist who always gets into trouble. In the worst case, he is a rowdy, a brawler and a rude person, or even a criminal. Historically, the Tower corresponds to tyrants and dictators (who are sooner or later overthrown if they do not die before that). Both megalomania and punishment for pride pass through the Tower. Anyone would have lost their nerve ten times over, “but he, the rebellious one, asks for storms, as if there is peace in storms.” However, he has the gift of freeing other, less cool and radical people from what oppresses them - once or twice, the doors are knocked down, the phones are torn off, the suitcases are packed, and in general, he’s a joke with them, with things, and now you’re flying “ hare" in an unknown direction, without even trying to guess how it will all end. With the Tower, the phrase “see Paris and die” ceases to be a literary phrase.
In a spiritual sense, the Tower symbolizes the consequences of a person being “confused by a demon”; he accepted the Devil’s offer, even if he tries to deny it. The Sixteenth Arcana describes the destruction of the vibrations of the Fifteenth. The tower is something sent by God (blow, punishment, revelation, collapse of illusions). Contrary to modern interpretations, in a deep sense, according to the Tower, it is not so much “demolishes the tower”, but strictly the opposite - “sets the brains straight”. We receive a reminder from the Universe that we are not omnipotent (even if we have gained power), that the will of man, no matter how strong it may be, compared to the Will of God, is secondary and limited. The tower warns - do not imagine yourself as the Lord God, do not imagine that “man himself controls.” What you are striving for now is not conducive to evolution and is not part of God's plans. Therefore, you will be guided on the true path, the constructions of your limited mind will be overturned. The Sixteenth Arcanum is the mystery of the overthrow of everything false and unviable. Symbolically, it depicts the fall of Lucifer, Lucifer, cast down from heaven “like lightning” by the army of Archangel Michael. Sometimes it is also associated with the fall of man and his expulsion from paradise, although in general this whole structure bears little resemblance to paradise... Probably, the closest thing to the Sixteenth Arcanum is the famous myth about the Tower of Babel, a symbol of vanity, which the Lord did not allow proud people to complete. Allegory: something not quite real falls under the pressure of Divine intervention. Therefore, the Tower addresses a person with a warning: the task you set cannot but destroy the one who solves it. And does it make sense? What you are building at least ignores the laws of God, and maybe even violates them. It is the fall of sin, so expulsion from paradise will certainly follow. This construction will not be completed, although much has already been done. A uranic blow will follow, putting an end to this matter. From this uranic lightning the sun of new truth can shine. Divine revelation destroys all delusions at once, leaving nothing of them.
Astrologically in the Tower, the influence of Mars (cosmic energy in its crude materialistic form), as well as such planets as Pluto (globalism and mass character, “nowhere to hide”), Uranus and Saturn (sudden destruction and renewal) is noticeable. The tower can mean either the blind destruction of forms or the fall of the dilapidated. Mars is the personal moral principle of a person, dominating fate, giving physical strength, spiritual impulses and hope for immortality. But hope for immortality comes to a person only when he “falls from his Tower of Babel” and there is nothing left for him except this hope. In a mystical sense, the Tower corresponds to astral battles, magical wars, and exorcism.
The tower also corresponds to the mystery of the Phoenix, rising from the ashes renewed. This is the ability to be reborn, to change radically after cleansing crises (from the seductions of the Devil moving to the Star). The map often depicts a stream of golden light or other substance bursting out of the gap created by the blow, symbolizing the potential forces being released. In the Masonic tradition, the tower symbolizes the column of Jachin and the first fire, “with which everything begins and with which everything ends.” Also, the stones of the Tower symbolize the callousness and rigidity of the human soul, the inertia of consciousness.
The images of the figures falling from the Tower vary in different decks. Sometimes one is a king losing his crown in the air, and the other is a poor man in rags. This is a hint that no one will escape cleansing crises and revision of ideas in life. Almighty Fate is completely indifferent to what place a person occupies in the hierarchy of this world. Sometimes it is a man and a woman, then what is meant is rather an association with the fall of man and retribution for yielding to the temptations of the previous Arcana. Sometimes the Tower is associated with the “fiery sword” at the entrance to Eden. Exile here is reflected in the form that a person falls into the lower world and incurs the illusion of materiality.
The tower is the axis mundi, which embodies spiritual evolution towards divine heights. Esoterically, this Arcana also depicts the secret of the interaction of thought (idea) and words. The human soul, in order for what is created inside to be manifested outward (the word is spoken), turns inward. But the spoken word destroys the previous internal integrity, and when speaking, a person ceases to understand the meaning of what was said and creatively touch the essence of things. Hence the seemingly paradoxical phrase “A thought expressed is a lie.” When a person comprehends the true power of the word, he is mostly silent (an example of this is the silent ascetics).
The card can only warn that the structure is shaky, the strength is not as great and the understanding is not as complete as it seems, and misfortune may occur as a result of misuse of God's gift. A typical example: a person’s catastrophe, which plays with magical forces beyond his power and understanding, or a psychic who exaggerates his capabilities and (semi-unconsciously) profits from people’s misfortunes. The Tower has long been considered a map of edification for those seeking occult knowledge. She says that if you are seduced by the opportunity to rule this world instead of striving for wisdom and spiritual growth, you will lose everything you have gained. The reason is the incorrect use of force. It’s not that you manifested it in principle, but where you directed it. Walking the spiritual path, it is not THIS world that a person should try to conquer. At this point in the quest, there is still a temptation to evaluate oneself in terms of this world - by the impression made on others, by earthly position and status. But if you exchange spiritual growth for obvious material achievements, you will lose everything, and in the hermetic sense, the XVI Arcanum is about this. YOU EITHER ASSIGNED POWER THAT YOU DID NOT HAVE, OR YOU STRIVED TOWARDS A GOAL TO WHICH YOU DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT. It symbolizes the collapse of the arrogant intellect, which has encroached on the mastery of the Secret Knowledge.
Shocking changes. Suddenly decision about changing jobs (or even professions). Dismissal “like a bolt from the blue”, leaving with noise and roar, “slamming the door.” Quarrels, stress, destruction of business relationships.
Professional failures. Defeat in competition. A huge collapse. Sudden closure of the project. Company bankruptcy.
Suddenly it turns out that the plans are unrealistic, not designed for human strength, and therefore doomed to failure.
Fiasco. Situations in which a person feels that all his work has been in vain, and the meaning of life has also disappeared somewhere. Loss of prestige and influence, career collapse, removal from office, suspension. A disaster resulting from abuse of power.
A risky endeavor, an uncertain business, an unsustainable enterprise.
Mostly military personnel and athletes pass through the Tower professionally. It can also be an indicator of professions associated with clearing space, destroying the old (and this could be radical psychotherapy).
A tower can literally indicate a house or building, as well as the danger emanating from it. Fire, destruction, robbery. A sudden decision to change your place of residence.
Financial structures built on the principle of a house of cards. The basis of the case is dubious; if the past comes to light, all sorts of upheavals will begin (“Don’t worry, Kozlodoev, we’ll all sit down!”)
Bankruptcy, financial collapse, economic crisis. Business destruction, financial losses. Need, poverty, deprivation, misery.
Deal failure.
Here, as in everything else, the Tower brings destruction and liberation. Whether a person feels more “breakdown” or more “liberation” is another question.
Sometimes there is simply a conflict running through the Tower, and sometimes an uncontrollable sexual impulse, sometimes one turns into the other... but in any case, it is an explosion and the release of feelings that have been accumulated and suppressed for a long time. If only something was kept under wraps, curbed, tolerated, silent, waited, then the Tower is the hour of explosion. The bonds are collapsing, the reins are breaking, patience is running out, in a word, the margin of safety is running out, sometimes completely treacherously. The direction of interpretation of the Tower can sometimes be guessed precisely by whether it was preceded by this period of “nuclear deterrence,” or whether the clockwork was ticking. The previous nature of the relationship may also provide a clue. If the situation felt like a dead end, and the relationship (or lack thereof) was of a nature that strongly reminded the person himself of prison, the Tower is “knock down the door and walk out.” Sometimes it is experienced positively, much like a man doomed to life imprisonment experiences the unexpected destruction of his prison during an earthquake - he gets out without feeling any nostalgia for the rubble.
The tower can mean the collapse of previous relationships that seemed stable and unchanging, or a very severe test of love or friendship, after which the opinion of loved ones changes. The old words “collapse as a result of incorrect judgment and abuse of free will” are absolutely accurate, and the extent to which this is true can only be felt by going through all the drinkings of the Tower. Another meaning is “cleansing storm.” And one more thing - “ashes”. Which one is closer to the truth in in this case remains to be seen.
Marriage crisis, divorce. Throughout the Tower, certain “revelations” often occur - the long-hidden truth breaks out, and a sudden understanding of the true essence of events arises. This could be an awareness of one’s own dissatisfaction with the marriage, or the fact of betrayal, or other unexpected blows (“everything was mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house”). Throughout the Tower, secrets are revealed and illusions are dispelled.
The sudden loss of a spouse, knocking the rug out from under your feet. In practice, there was a case when the Tower indicated sudden widowhood, the death of a wife, and a person, in a stunning awareness of his vulnerability, was left with a small child in his arms, he had to build a completely new life.
In part, the card indicates tyranny and oppression (the context of the alignment is important), the situation can also be dangerous, threatening, and fraught with violence.
The tower carries considerable sexual energy. Lightning sometimes takes the form of the zodiac sign Scorpio, and the tower itself is seen as a phallic symbol. It symbolizes the powerful orgasmic power of emotions that have been suppressed for a long time, but have finally received freedom. Therefore, sometimes a sudden love passes through the Tower, which “jumped out in front of us, like a killer jumps out of the ground in an alley, and struck us both at once! That’s how lightning strikes, that’s how a Finnish knife strikes!” The upright card is associated with erection and ejaculation (reversed, respectively, with problems in this area; it is also believed that it may indicate the secret birth of a child). According to the Tower, sex is spontaneous, very passionate, unexpected for the person himself, and sometimes violent. Sometimes passion runs through her, which completely destroys the lives of the people captured by it. “Everything happened” - but open your eyes and look around after that atomic explosion they're just scared...
For a lonely person living with a feeling of complete stagnation and tired of loneliness, the Tower is an almost optimistic card. She says something will happen! It is not a fact that this will be great happiness, but in any case, a boring and calm existence will end, and it will be possible to escape from the prison of stupor. It happens that a person is ready to take risks just to overcome inertia, and he is not very frightened even by the prospect of being left with a broken trough (however, the energy of the Tower is such that the other trough is also unlikely to remain intact).
A modern tarot reader, writing under the pseudonym AlmaZ, says the following about the Tower: “The card can represent a period when a person decides to do something that he has never done, following the principle: now or never. Those who marry the wrong person leave; singles fall in love and tie the knot; women who have never had children are taking their last chance to conceive, and those who have worked for years in boring jobs quit and walk to the Himalayas. For the sake of happiness and growth, everything standard must go, so that in its place what has been dormant for so long in the depths of our being awakens.”
Diseases of the “like a bolt from the blue” type. Fractures, injuries accompanied acute pain. Accidents, injuries. Burns. Shock. Sometimes sudden healings take place throughout the Tower, the disease can be “expelled” and “eradicated”, but as a rule this also shakes the body to its core. Surgical operations. Radiation and chemotherapy.
Symptoms of releasing the body from toxins pass through the Tower - heat, vomiting, all kinds of skin rashes. Hemorrhages, abscesses, suppurations, an attack of appendicitis, rupture of a cyst.
Heart attack, heart attack, stroke.
Age crisis.
Nervous breakdown, severe frustration. Panic attacks.
Mental disorders, rather psychopathic than neurotic (an old joke definition: a neurotic is one who does not give life to himself, a psychopath is one who does not give life to others). The heat of passion.
Poor health (for example, as a result of radiation damage).
In exceptional cases - death (catastrophe, accident).
There is an opinion that the inverted position softens the effect of the Tower: what was built will not be destroyed to the ground. It becomes less ominous and catastrophic. The chaos may not be so strong, but it will last longer. Or is it simply postponing a change that has yet to be faced. It could also be a misfortune fortunately avoided at the last moment. But still, usually an inverted Tower also brings anxiety and pain.
In an inverted position, the card speaks of a strong dependence on existing circumstances that cannot be changed at the moment - opportunities are limited, individuality is oppressed. The man is walking following in its own footsteps along the same road, living in the old rut, ripening towards a fundamental development crisis, ignoring alarming signals and clinging to the status quo. He postpones the necessary changes, softening a situation ready to explode. Sometimes, according to the inverted Tower, a person persistently denies a crisis, friction in a relationship, or even the violence being committed, as if it does not exist.
The card also does not advise rushing to destroy old relationships and connections; it is better to resolve the matter peacefully, avoiding scandals and conflicts.
It is traditionally believed to have a narrow meaning: tyranny, oppression, bondage. Deception. A shame. Harassment, persecution, persecution. In the French tradition, the inverted Tower symbolizes imprisonment, since according to legend, it was Napoleon who pulled it out on the day of his departure to St. Helena.
With the Jester - danger due to inattention, carelessness
With the Magician - retribution for permissiveness
With the Empress - selfishness and the risk of being alone; danger of bankruptcy
With the Emperor - the need to defend one’s interests, to defend one’s conquests with difficulty
With the Hierophant - spiritual quests have gone down the wrong path; crisis of faith, possible involvement in a sect or falling under the power of a home-grown “guru”
With Lovers - the need to quickly make the most important decision
With the Chariot - a formidable warning about an accident, an accident on the way. If there is no road in sight, then cards of control, victory, triumph in the struggle.
With the Hermit - loneliness due to unjustifiably high conceit
With the Wheel of Fortune - major and unexpected changes will occur in life
With Strength - extremely strong and not particularly friendly people will appear around you
With Death - “the rapid impact of powerful forces.” Accidents, injuries, painful incidents. Traditionally, this combination is a harbinger of an imminent disaster, literally or figuratively.
Moderation - weakens the effect of the Tower.
With the Star - no matter what the shocks are, there is no need to be sad, everything is for the better. The serenity and peace of the Star calm the storm of the Tower.
With the Sun - health problems, depression. This combination is also considered a warning not to borrow or invest money. Another meaning is bright insight, revelation.
With the Six of Wands - approval, pride, success.
With the Five of Pentacles, times are very difficult, especially in terms of money.
With the Nine of Pentacles - “a heap of problems” (according to Guggenheim)
Finger of God
Descent of the Holy Spirit
Ragnerok (fiery end of the world in Germanic and Scandinavian mythology)
Fall of Sodom and Gomorrah
Ruins of Babylon
Dance of Shiva
“To suffer is to be clothed with immortality.”
“Truly the Lord is present in this place, but I did not know it! What a scary place! This is none other than the house of God, this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:16-17).
The Major Arcana Tarot card, The Tower, is almost the exact opposite of most cards in the deck. It's all about its negative interpretation and warning nature. In the map image you can see a tall tower with a storm raging around it. In some interpretations, the picture shows how a storm strikes the tower with lightning, causing great destruction.
Arcana Tower is one of the few cards that, in an upright position, speaks of impending troubles or negative changes. But it is quite possible to change the interpretation if the card is in combination with other, more favorable cards. So in the upright position of the Tarot card the Tower means:
It's a triumph, but it comes at too great a cost.
Completion life stage, which is worth stepping over.
Disruption of the normal flow of things.
Internal shocks.
External damage.
In the case of its inverted position, the Tower lasso is not as terrible and catastrophic as in the standard one. In this option, only positive interpretations are taken into account, that is, a certain symbol that misfortunes will finally recede. Often, in the case of a “changeover”, it can be determined that a person has already gone through a certain life crisis and is now only cleaning up the remaining difficulties. An inverted Tower when answering a work question is a symbol of imminent dismissal, but at the same time receiving relief from this decision is possible career when changing jobs.
Fortune telling
Tarot card Tower and work schedule
When the Tower Tarot card comes out, you should expect either a change in activity or dismissal. Moreover, a change of place of work may be accompanied by conflict situation. Bankruptcy or the impossibility of implementing important projects cannot be ruled out. Moreover, if a fortuneteller has some power, then you should not abuse it.
The financial situation when the Tower Arcana is released is extremely unstable, theft or loss of funds is possible.
Tarot card The Tower and its meaning in relationships
In relationships between lovers, the Tower Tarot card means the imminent onset of change. They will not be easy; you may have to go through a series of conflicts, quarrels, and possible violence of both a psychological and physical nature. Combinations with other cards can either aggravate or even out the situation, but, as a rule, when the Tower Tarot card comes out, the relationship comes to an end.
A direct card means that there will be an inevitable showdown, which will be difficult for both partners. It may be necessary to separate for a while, or move away from each other, but such separation will make the relationship even stronger. In addition, this card means that it is time to develop and renew yourself internally, getting rid of old habits and attitudes.
An inverted Tower card means a painful breakup, emotional breakdowns, quarrels. The period after the end of the relationship will be emotionally difficult, with a hint of deep disappointment. But it should be remembered that nature does not tolerate emptiness, and fate is clearing space for a new, more solid foundation.
Tarot card Tower in combination with other cards
For a complete picture of the interpretation of fortune telling, you do not need to see only the negative meaning of the Tower lasso. It is worth paying attention to the couples who go with her. So some cards soften circumstances or transfer actions to different areas human life activity.
Tarot card The Tower in combination with the Major Arcana
With “The Jester” - start over;
With "The Magician" - start from scratch;
With the “High Priestess” - reveal the secret, gaining the necessary knowledge;
With “The Empress” - build your happiness on someone else’s misfortune;
With “Emperor” - destruction in relationships or business;
With “Papa” - the collapse of principles and ideals;
With “Lovers” - parting;
With “Chariot” there is danger on the way;
With “Strength” - to withstand changes;
With “Hermit” - being alone after the end of a relationship;
With the "Wheel of Fortune" - unexpected changes;
With “Justice” - a court decision;
With “The Hanged Man” - accident, change;
With “Death” - a complete change in all areas of life, renewal;
With “Moderation” - successful recovery from destructive events;
With the “Devil” - fraud, losses;
With “Star” - confusion in thoughts and actions;
With “Luna” - trouble;
With the “Sun” - clarity;
With “Court” - opportunities to make changes in your life;
With “Mir” there is complete restoration.
The Tower Tarot card combined with some of the minor arcana
With the “Ace of Wands” - fire;
With the “Two of Wands” there is a dead end;
With the “Four of Wands” - problems in the family;
With the Five of Wands - betrayal;
With the “Nine of Wands” - a wounded ego;
With the Ten of Wands - a difficult event;
With the “Page of Wands” - bad news;
With the “Knight of Wands” - unexpected results;
With the “Queen of Wands” - destroyed goals;
With the “King of Wands” - pessimism.
With the “Ace of Cups” - a difficult end to a relationship;
With the “Four of Cups” - melancholy;
With the “Five of Cups” - loss;
With the “Seven of Cups” - the collapse of illusions;
With the Ten of Cups - meaning in relationships - nothing will be the same as before;
With the “Page of Cups” there is a danger of miscarriage; collapse of plans;
With the “Knight of Cups” - destroyed ideals;
With the “Queen of Cups” - unpleasant events concerning a woman;
With the “King of Cups” - unpleasant events concerning a man.
With the “Ace of Swords” - the impossibility of realizing an idea;
With the Three of Swords - destructive events;
With the Five of Swords - broken pride;
With the “Six of Swords” - avoid danger;
With the Eight of Swords - punishment;
With the “Nine of Swords” - a difficult experience;
With the “Page of Swords” - break your word;
There is a conflict with the “Knight of Swords”;
With the “Queen of Swords” - loss;
With the “King of Swords” the situation will get out of control;
With the “Ace of Pentacles” - material losses;
With the Five of Pentacles - problems with real estate;
With the Eight of Pentacles - loss of position;
With the “Nine of Pentacles” - a bad investment;
With the Ten of Pentacles - problems in the family;
With the “Page of Pentacles” - troubles in learning;
With the “Knight of Pentacles” - passive existence;
With the “Queen of Pentacles” - material dependence;
The “King of Pentacles” is a failed affair.
The Tower Tarot card can show life not in a rosy light, but such changes always provide a full-fledged experience of getting out of the current situation. And the faster the problems are solved without dwelling on them, the faster the stage of joy will come. The main thing is not to perceive the problems that come as inevitable; there is always light at the end of the tunnel. And no cards can stop this.
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On the Arcana Tarot Tower we see a tower that was struck by lightning. The sky above the tower is clear, does not foretell any troubles. The air is quiet and calm. Around the tower sown field, shows that once the seeds were thrown into the ground, they sprouted - a symbol of prosperity and stability. There is only one small cloud in the sky from which lightning struck.
This one is small cloud indicates circumstances that were not taken into account at the time, false beliefs, blunders and mistakes, which led to the inevitable catastrophe. Lightning- this is a strong blow of fate, pointing out the finger of God, which, at first glance, does not have any reasons for the catastrophe. Tower- this is a symbol of any achievement of a person, it can be housing, career, relationships, a person’s source of pride or the meaning of his actions and way of life. The tower was destroyed by a lightning strike, This means that what a person valued and considered stable was destroyed. Two people fall from the Tower. One person is wearing a crown and expensive clothes, the other is in simple clothes.
This suggests that the onslaught of the elements can turn both great and small, both kings and subjects, into dust. Both a person’s material and spiritual well-being can collapse. Perhaps this Tower belonged to a rich man, it is the fruit of his efforts and efforts, his power and glory. And the higher this Tower was built, the harder it would hit the ground. A man in simple white clothes symbolizes our worldview, our spiritual principles, which can also collapse at any moment. The tower collapses, people die, but around this tragedy there is quite calm, favorable environment clear sky, sown field), this suggests that no one expected the blow, that it happened unexpectedly - “like a bolt from the blue.”
If suddenly the action of the Arcanum Tower touches you, the question will immediately arise: “Why?” Instead of this question, when you lose the most precious thing and suffer from it, you must learn to ask another question: “For what?” To survive the suffering that the action of this Arcana can bring, wisdom and courage are needed. And one must be able to comprehend one’s own experience of suffering and use it as the basis for compassion and empathy for others.
Meaning 16 Arcana Tarot Tower in upright position:
Key meanings of the Arcana Tarot Tower in an upright position: Destruction. The end of the current situation under the influence of external forces, suddenly and very soon. Symbolizes events that we do not expect, but their results can turn our lives around, both for the better and for the worse. With bad neighboring cards it means loss, chaos, misfortune. Near good cards shows that the time of the “dark streak” in life is coming to an end.
Arcana Tarot Tower on Relationships in the upright position: outdated relationships collapse forever. A sudden “I don’t love” will be a Tower for a person in love who has already dreamed a lot about developing a relationship, here the Tower relieves you of illusions. With favorable neighboring cards - liberation from limiting and oppressive relationships, an end to suffering.
Arcana Tarot Tower for Work in the upright position: often, dismissal from a previous job. Collapse of the company, downsizing of the enterprise. Loss of stability and calm. The failure of plans that seemed quite reliable.
Arcana Tarot Tower for Health in an upright position: sudden complications, fractures, accidents. Surrounded by only favorable Arcana, unexpected healing occurs.
Arcana Tower advice in upright position: something has changed dramatically in your life, you have lost something dear. Don't try to bring back the past, but learn a lesson from this life situation. Time will pass, and you will understand that today's loss was a deliverance.
Meaning 16 Arcana Tarot Tower in reversed position:
Key meanings of the Arcana Tarot Tower in an inverted position: internal crisis, dependence on existing circumstances that cannot currently be changed, limited opportunities. There is no opportunity or desire to decide on something. Feels like I'm in prison. Long-term oppression. Hopeless situations. Unforeseen cases.
Arcana Tarot Tower for Relationships in an inverted position: reluctance to break off a crumbling relationship, to let go of a partner. Perhaps you realize that the relationship does not suit you, but you cannot decide to break it off. Crisis in relationships. You feel backed into a corner.
Arcana Tarot Tower for Work in an inverted position: troubles, stagnation, crisis, obstacles.
Arcana Tarot Tower for Health in an inverted position: depression, nervous disorder, psychosomatic diseases.
Advice from the Arcana Tarot Tower in an inverted position: Your options at this time are limited. Now it’s best to turn to yourself and decide what your soul asks for, so as not to make yourself ill. nervous soil. In such a situation, repeat to yourself many times: I know, I know what I want!
Tarot cards cannot be interpreted unambiguously. Much depends on the question and the layout used. Some arcana carry a negative meaning. The tower in this regard literally translates as “the collapse of everything around.” Many tarot readers are afraid of the appearance of this card in a reading, as it does not bode well. Most often it has the meaning of a destructive beginning.
Keywords:
- Death.
- Destruction.
- War.
- Mars.
- Warrior.
- Linguists.
- Rising from the ashes.
- Building.
- False beliefs.
- Lies.
- The walls are falling.
- Enemies.
- Broken dreams.
- Unrealistic dreams are destroyed.
Main plot
Each detail of the map has its own meaning. The tower itself and the people in it symbolize several things:
- people held a high position in society;
- they had high social status;
- they had high self-esteem;
- they appreciated what they were able to get.
The tower itself is not only a symbol of achievement, but also the embodiment of arrogance, pride, social hierarchy, and arrogance. This is the embodiment of all human achievements.
Important:
The destruction of a structure is a symbol of the collapse of everything.
Some sources mention a temple instead of a tower. This is the Jerusalem Temple, which was the last refuge of the Jewish faith. It was destroyed by Emperor Titus.
Lightning itself is a symbol of God's wrath. Some sources interpret it as a catastrophe or destruction.
At the top of the tower is a crown. This is no coincidence, because it is a sign of privilege and power. This is the embodiment of what its wearer strives for. Therefore, the knocked-down crown becomes a symbol of the violent deprivation of privileges. Therefore, in some sources, lightning is interpreted as an action by authorities.
The crown can be interpreted as the wearer's connection with the divine essence. Therefore, the destruction of the tower can be interpreted as a violation of cosmic laws. Perhaps the person has illegally arrogated rights and privileges to himself.
The rock makes the tower inaccessible to other people. The inhabitants living there isolate themselves from most of society. The building is protected from intrusion. It stops unwanted contacts with the outside world. This is an indicator of closedness and isolation.
General interpretation
In fact, the Tower is not such a negative lasso. She is rather the embodiment of the crisis. The situation does not come as a surprise, since it has been brewing for a very long time. In a sense, this is punishment for something.
Attention:
The querent must go through the destruction of what he believed in. This is the only way he will get rid of the false.
Previously, the balance was based on false foundations. Therefore, the Tower in a certain sense is the savior of life. It gets rid of all stagnant situations that interfere with life and clears away toxic beliefs. But the querent is unlikely to accept what is happening with joy. The blows of fate can be very sensitive.
Periods of life begin to change rapidly, which causes very noticeable discomfort. Man hid behind impenetrable walls for a long time and now they are crumbling. Such a process is clearly not included in the concept of comfort
The tower can be interpreted:
- stripping;
- camber;
- violation of the existing order.
The card does not always mean a negative stripe. In some scenarios, it foreshadows changes in life for the better. But the questioner does not always perceive what is happening well. In a sense, for him this comes as a bolt from the blue, a complete surprise. He is broken and distorted by the need to change his outlook on life.
The peculiarity of the map is that you cannot try to restore what was destroyed.
Sometimes the lasso only indicates internal changes. In some sources you can find such an interpretation as a warning that everything that is stable in our lives can be destroyed. This is getting rid of rigid beliefs, changing principles.
Classic interpretations of the card are the collapse of plans, frustrations, troubles, suffering, failures. In the everyday sense, conflicts and quarrels. But all these shocks ultimately bring only relief. In some cases, a card can be played as a victory, but it will be obtained at too great a cost.
Personal sphere
A person is shocked by some news or event. All his plans have collapsed, he no longer hopes for anything. The tower is the embodiment of stress and a person will have to go through it. False beliefs fall under the influence of reality. This transformation allows you to identify all the weak points.
To some extent, the tower itself becomes the embodiment of isolation from the world. But along with this comes a separation from activity and growth. This is a prison that is built from unchangeable and exalted ideas. Her walls hold back energy and emotions. The tower can be perceived as an attempt to slow down the process of growth.
The destroyed Tower becomes a condition for rebirth through pain.
In fact, a person goes through this lasso more than once. Everyone strives to stay in stability and tranquility. Many of us are sometimes disappointed in our beliefs and hopes. It is important to regularly review your position. Without this process, the querent manages to build a very tall tower. If it is destroyed, he will be buried under the rubble.
A person who feels pain about what is happening in the lasso will be helped by the realization that he is not alone in the Universe. Somewhere they are waiting for him, and someone from above will never leave him. Even losses can be beneficial. Crisis and despair are great for stimulating growth processes.
Some tarot readers interpret the lasso as follows: the querent can move along his own path, accepting all the trials and losses, which sooner or later leads to the star of hope. Or he can drag himself through the mud, lamenting why he has all this and be in the role of a passive victim.
Arkan describes a person:
- restless;
- fussy;
- self-confident;
- loving change.
Most often, such individuals have an explosive character and are almost ready to get into a barrel. These are all kinds of rowdies and hooligans. Pride and delusions of grandeur often contribute to the emergence of tyrants. Only their scale may be different.
Deep level
Despite the belief that some kind of retribution for sins takes place through the lasso, in a broader sense it is rather a realignment of the brain. The card seems to remind a person that he does not have power in all areas of life and he should not try to classify himself as a person mystical creatures. Everything that the querent is striving for now does not correlate with development.
To some extent, the lasso allows you to be reborn literally from the ashes. After purification by fire and destruction of the walls, the person is resurrected as a Phoenix. It’s not for nothing that the map shows flames escaping from the tower.
In some decks, a beggar falls from a window, in others, an emperor. All this only indicates that no one will be protected from heavenly punishment. Therefore, the map becomes a warning that not everything in the world is stable, any structure can be destroyed. You can lose everything if you exchange spiritual growth for material goals.
A person should give up ambitions and selfish beliefs. There is no need to be sad about a collapsed structure; it’s time to make a solid foundation for it, and for this you need to choose a spiritual basis.
Work issues
Crises concern not only personal growth. For those working, the Tower can be played in different meanings. A person may suddenly have the idea of changing jobs or quitting. In radical cases, up to changing profession.
Sometimes the Tower means a crisis at work. Dismissal will occur with a scandal, showdowns and other unpleasant events. Moreover, for the querent this will be a very unexpected action. In a less global sense, these are failures in professionally, bankruptcy of the company, closure of the project and loss in competition.
Attention:
The questioner realizes that his plans cannot be realized real life. Attempts to do this will lead to a huge failure.
In some cases, there is removal from office, loss of prestige, and a decrease in the level of influence. In this situation, a person feels like all his efforts were in vain, and he loses the meaning of existence. To some extent, the lasso shows that the undertaking is risky, the business is unreliable, and the enterprise is not sustainable.
The tower forcibly expels the querent from the usual boundaries of existence. Thus, a huge scope for activity opens up before him. But despite all the shocks, as soon as a person crawls out from under a destroyed building, he understands: here it is, freedom.
For job seekers, the lasso does not bode well. Rather, he is the embodiment of the fact that everything around is flimsy, ready to collapse. High risk of becoming a victim of inadequate management or team.
IN financially everything is also unstable. Possible bankruptcy or crisis. In severe cases, poverty or destitution.
Love sphere
In short, the Tower in love scenarios brings breaking and liberation. Which of these will manifest itself more clearly depends on the person. In some cases, it is just a normal conflict. But much more often it is a strong impulse that brings release to emotions.
This card is a blast. Everything collapses, patience runs out, silence gets boring. If in previous relationships there was a feeling of impasse, then the card gives you the strength to literally knock out the wall and free yourself from imprisonment. For some, this literally becomes salvation; the person is glad that he has finally been released and does not care about the fate of the bricks.
For an established union, the appearance of lassos means a test or collapse.
Some tarot readers interpret the card as cleansing, others as ashes. This is a crisis that everyone in a stable relationship experiences. To some extent, the truth comes to light. It is not necessarily associated with betrayal. Perhaps the questioner realized that he was dissatisfied with the union, or he realized that he was surrounded by illusions.
In some cases, the card indicates violence and tyranny.
The tower is the embodiment of sexual energy. These are emotions that were held back for a long time, and then were released into the wild and it blows your mind. This is an unexpected crush, sex on the first date, etc. But in some cases, the card plays out like rape or passion, which destroys more than it heals.
But for those looking for love, the Tower is a good sign. More likely, something will happen in a person’s life. It’s not a fact that it will be love until the end of time, but it will be possible to break out of the golden cage. The querent agrees to take any risk, even if it involves various losses, just to break out of the shackles of boredom.
Some tarot readers interpret the card as a case when a person begins to do something that he would never agree to. It’s as if he chooses now, he will do it, or never again. For example, a confirmed bachelor gets married, an old maid gives birth to a child, etc.
Reversed position
The reverse position of the card reduces the degree of its destructive influence. A catastrophe will not bring such losses, and the structure will not collapse to the foundation. Its evil manifestation decreases. In some sources you can find such an interpretation as postponing the test. It will definitely happen, but later. In some cases, a person hides from trouble at the last moment. But even in an inverted position, the Tower brings pain and suffering.
A person is in circumstances that he cannot change. He is heavily dependent on them and this brings a number of inconveniences. His individuality is oppressed and suppressed, and his opportunities are limited. This is the very case when the querent prefers the beaten track. He doesn’t want to change anything, preferring to follow the usual path. He habitually clings to his status, not seeing the prerequisites for changes in life. Meanwhile, a crisis is brewing.
Subconsciously, the questioner feels the need for change, but keeps putting off their implementation. To some extent, this helps mitigate the destruction. In some cases, the person stubbornly denies any negative manifestations - be it violence or other losses.
The literal advice of the arcana is that you should not succumb to conflicts and quarrels, or destroy old alliances. Try to solve all problems peacefully.
In a positive sense, the Tower marks the end of a dark period and the resolution of all scandalous situations. Yes, life after all this will never be the same, but why strive for this? It's time to start all over again.
In health readings, the card often means unexpected problems. They usually appear due to an accident. These include various household injuries, wounds and burns.
But in some cases, the lasso manifests itself in a completely unexpected way. It is literally a healing or a quick recovery. The man did not expect to be cured so quickly. Such an event literally shocks him.
The tower promotes cleansing of waste and toxins. This leads to local allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems. Sometimes it is a symbol of crises of certain ages or panic attacks. It often becomes a mental disorder when a person interferes with others’ lives.
- Relationships that are not based on love, but are built on security and money.
