Keywords

Upright: Disaster, turmoil, abrupt change, vision.

Reversed: Prevention of crisis, anxiety because of change.

Archetype: Destruction: failure.

Astrological Association: Mars 

Overview

The Tower is a card that makes you feel uneasy. Fire, lightning, and plummeting on jagged rocks all scream danger! Those who despise change will not appreciate Card 16. It denotes an abrupt change in fortune or a rapid upheaval. Change is usually gradual, giving us time to adjust, but it can sometimes be sudden and explosive. This is how the Tower operates; in an unpredictable way.

In movies, the hero will occasionally slap someone who is drowsy or mumbling. After exhausting all other options, he stings him to jolt him awake. Sudden catastrophes serve as a wake-up call from life. There’s a problem, and you’re not reacting. Are you a puffed-up bragger? Expect to have your ego shattered. Are you repressing your rage, Dack? The dam will most likely burst. Do you find yourself in a rut? Expect a pleasant surprise.

A Closer Look at The Tower

Description

The Tower displays a lofty tower, perched atop a rugged mountain. Lightning struck the building, and flames erupted from the windows. People are seen leaping from the tower in desperation, attempting to flee the chaos and damage. On a physical level, the Tower represents darkness and destruction, as opposed to spiritually. The Tower reflects ambitions based on shaky foundations.

Existing forms are broken down by the lightning bolt to make place for new ones. It signifies a fleeting sight of truth, a burst of inspiration that shatters the frameworks of ignorance and deception. From the perspective of the card, the lightning bolt is oriented left to right, from heaven to earth, and from Spirit to matter. The chained inmates in the Devil card relate to the descending figures.

They hit the ground running, due to the sudden inflow of spiritual consciousness symbolized by the lightning flash upends all of our preconceived assumptions about the relationship between subconsciousness and self-consciousness. The flames are the Hebrew letter Yod. The 22 flames on the card represent the 22 Major Arcana. The grey clouds are clouds of misery that fall on everyone without exception. Mars is the governing planet of this card.

Meaning

For the individual, the Tower Arcana implies a possible violent upheaval. It’s a card of ‘tearing down’ and devastation, of things being ripped apart and washed away in preparation for new endeavors.

Upright

When this card occurs, it may indicate that we need to break free from our daily routines and that we should not place trust in our employment, ideology, or other edifices. It is matched by Kali, the Destroyer of Eastern Mythology, who creates space for fresh beginnings to grow.

Reversed

The Tower Reversed indicates that the current cycle of destruction and upheaval is about to come to an end, or that, depending on the surrounding cards, the devastation will be unfavorable and have few beneficial effects, pushing us to prepare to begin anew.

The Symbolism of The Tower

The Tower is another disturbing card, depicting figures struck by lightning and falling from a high tower. It can indicate unwelcome change, upheaval, or crisis that we have no control over.

• The position or poses of the figures: It’s possible that the two figures in the image aren’t just falling, but are actually flying. After all, parachuting and jumping from towers are popular activities as well.

• The Tower: It serves as a guardian and a watchtower, offering a panoramic view as well as height, power, and safety. An ivory tower, on the other hand, connotes arrogance and isolation, encapsulation, and a life of confinement.

• Between heaven and earth: We don’t see when the figures jumped or were pushed between heaven and earth. Also, they don’t know where they’re going to land or how they’ll get there. The condition of flying / falling, i.e. existence between heaven and earth, is the source of the image’s special energy.

• The Explosion: At first, the explosion appears to be caused by lightning. The tower with flashes and flames, on the other hand, is a symbol for orgasm, the epitome of the most powerful human energies in sex and in all walks of life.

• Drops of gold: 22 gold drops shaped like the Hebrew letter J (for fire). Whitsuntide’s remembrance (the Holy Ghost in the form of tongues of fire). The opposing extremes of energy are golden drops of grace or a destructive firestorm.

• The lightning: resembles a W because of its jagged shape. The W can represent we in the same way that the Magician’s magic wand can represent I (myself). The highest forms of life-energy are inextricably linked to others, for better or worse.

• The Flames: Flames of passion, that’s what they are. Negative: devastation, irrationality, unbridled aggression; summon the fire department. Positive: to be filled with zeal, a desire to help and devote oneself, the divine flame within man.

• The tilted crown: In both a positive and negative sense: loss of control, opening, and both pro- and con-tests become insignificant. Negative traits include a lack of self-defense and a vulnerable personality. Possibilities include a decrease in self-importance and a decrease in anxiety.

• Falling and flying: Humans have dreamed of flying for as long as they can remember. Flying and falling are important elements in our dreams as well. Positive practice can help you overcome your fear of flying (Erica Jong).

• The Black Sky: Negative: blindness, loss of orientation. Positive: a ray of hope in the midst of gloom. Strength for a fresh start, for a journey into the unknown, for illuminating the dark. The path that leads to the Star. 

What The Tower Means in a Reading

Meaning for Love and Relationships

Upright

If you’re looking for love, you might come across a turning point that compels you to reconsider your strategy to finding the proper partner. Unexpected circumstances may cause you to rethink your existing strategy and lead you in a different direction. You may discover that you’ve been chasing the wrong type of person, or that what you believed was vital to you is no longer so. There may be an occurrence that occurs outside of your relationship quest that temporarily diverts your attention and focus.

If you’re in a relationship, the Tower denotes an upcoming unexpected and substantial change that will have a tremendous impact on your relationship. It frequently indicates that relationship troubles will eventually bubble to the surface, culminating in an unexpected and sudden end to the relationship. It’s possible that an unpleasant fact about you or your spouse will be disclosed, and you’ll have to deal with it. At other times, the Tower may represent an external occurrence that will substantially alter the character of your connection, such as a job loss, a family member’s death, etc. This occurrence will cause you to reconsider your connection.

You’ll either choose to stick by your partner and help him or her through this difficult period, or you’ll opt to quit the relationship because it’s not what you want or can handle right now. It’s a make-or-break situation.

Reversed

In a romantic context, if you are in a relationship, The Tower inverted can indicate that you are resisting terminating your relationship because you are afraid of the grief it will bring. You might think you can cover up the flaws with paper, but that’s like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound. You must face reality and recognize that holding on to something broken prevents you from moving on to something better. If your relationship has recently gone through a Tower event and came out the other side intact, The Tower reversed is urging you not to try to restore it to its previous state. You can’t go back because your relationship has to alter. You must determine whether or not you want this new version of your relationship. 

If you’re single, The Tower reversed could mean you averted a bad relationship with someone who was potentially hazardous, abusive, or violent. It could also mean that you’re putting off or avoiding dealing with a terrible or unpleasant breakup. While you may believe that taking this method is easier than facing your past, it actually prevents you from going forward in your relationship. Stop and face whatever it is you’re running from, learn all you can from it, and then draw a line under it and send it back to the past. When you’re dragging a truckload of baggage behind you, it’s difficult to move on, so deal with it and let it go.

Meaning for Career

Upright

The Tower can typically represent a major organizational change or event that has a huge impact on you individually in a work-related reading. Your organization may be in the midst of a severe crisis, or it may be shrinking operations and slashing costs, putting your career in jeopardy.

 This isn’t a sign that you should be concerned. It is, however, a sign that “being forewarned is being forearmed.” Even if you believe you have the most secure job or money source in the world, what would you do if it disappeared tomorrow? If you needed to get job right now, where would you go? Planning ahead of time, when you are not in a crisis, can pay off significantly in the long run.

The Tower could also be a sign that you need to spice things up in your career and change how you spend your time. It may come as a shock or surprise to your coworkers, but you may have been considering a job change for some time and believe that now is as good a time as any.

If you’ve been looking for work but haven’t been successful, keep in mind that the job market is unpredictable, and the companies you’re applying to may be undergoing major change. It may be tough to find the job you want as a result of this.

Change champion or manager, management consultant, merger and acquisition consultant, therapist, demolitions specialist, professional organizer/declutterer, life coach, pyrotechnician, explosives expert, rescuer, outplacement advisor, and renovator are all possible career paths associated with the Tower.

Reversed

In a professional setting, The Tower reversed can imply that you are managing to keep your job despite adversity. This could simply be an indication that you’ve managed to avoid losing your job. However, if you’re avoiding what you believe to be a career disaster and instead of feeling relieved, you’re sad or dissatisfied, assess whether this conclusion is actually the greatest thing for you. Getting out of our comfort zones can sometimes motivate us to do incredible things we would never have attempted otherwise.

Meaning for Health and Well-Being

Upright

The Tower represents a dramatic change of events in a health reading. You may be more prone to accidents, or a sudden illness may strike. You might be having anxiety attacks or feeling a lot of stress and strain, especially if you’re going through a lot of changes in your life. When it comes to drugs and alcohol, be cautious because there is a considerable chance of overdosing or going too far.

Reversed

The Tower reversed in a health context can signify that you are ignoring a disease or a warning sign of an ailment in the hopes that it will go away. To offer yourself the best chance of healing, you must tackle this head on. It could also mean that a health fear turns out to be nothing serious, and you’ve avoided calamity as a result. In any event, burying your head in the sand will not help you with your health problems.

Meaning for Finances

Upright

In terms of finances, The Tower is a complete disaster. Right now, be as frugal as possible with your money. There’s going to be a tremendous upheaval, and you won’t be able to control or forecast it.

However, this adjustment is ultimately for the best, so don’t be discouraged. Things will work out, but not in the way you had hoped.

This is not the time to make any major investments, redistributions, or financial commitments.

It is your job to thoroughly comprehend all of your shared financials if you are in a partnership with anyone, whether personally or professionally. There could be something underhanded or devious going on, and you’ll be caught off guard when the treachery comes to light.

Protect yourself as much as possible by refusing to sign any paper you don’t completely comprehend and asking questions until you’re certain you understand the answer. Don’t be intimidated by someone who claims to “know more” about something. Nobody is born knowing how to manage money. This is a skill that may be learned via hard work and study.

Reversed

Financially, The Tower reversed is the same; it can suggest that you are on the verge of a financial meltdown, but it does not always imply that you should. Instead of constantly struggling to push a boulder up a steep hill, it could be worth contemplating allowing whatever this bad occurrence is to just happen so you can cope with it and go forward. For example, being laid off, while frightening, stressful, and tough, may provide you with the time and inspiration to start your own business.

 Alternatively, if you’ve been trying to make payments on a mortgage you can’t afford at the expense of everything else in your life, returning the keys to the bank and renting might be a difficult decision that will ultimately make you happier.

Timing

A significant event is expected to occur during the next 30 days.

Yes or No

The Tower is about life’s unexpected twists and turns. The alterations, on the other hand, are cataclysmic, disastrous, and all-around negative. It could be linked to an accident, natural disaster, or damage to another aspect of your life. This card’s response is a resounding “no.”

The way you react to the Tower’s transformation will determine how unpleasant the encounter will be. Recognize that the interruption was necessary. Accepting change may be too much to expect, but try to see the bright side. In fact, you might feel ecstatic that you’ve finally been forced to change your path. You might get a flash of insight into your circumstance and gain a new perspective on it.