Leaning Tower map. XVI

The Tarot Tower, the meaning of which we will consider today, is one of the not most pleasant cards. Along with Death and the Devil, many classify it as a “bad” Arcana, symbolizing some difficult life period and unfavorable changes. But let’s take a closer look and find out whether the Tower always brings something crushing and inevitable, and whether its interpretation can be softened by clearly positive cards.

General description of the card, plot and meaning in the layout

The plot of the Arcana in the Waite deck, as indeed in almost all other decks, looks rather gloomy: a collapsing tower, engulfed in fiery flames, from the windows of which frightened people fly to the ground. Not a very optimistic picture, is it? And if you also take into account that the building caught fire suddenly - from a lightning strike, then the unpleasant impressions of Arkan intensify even more. Thus, we can say that the main meaning of the 16th Arcana of the Tarot is a sudden collapse that came as a complete surprise. Although, some researchers argue that the Tower's situations will not always be unexpected. Lightning never appears just like that; its appearance is preceded by the onset of a thunderstorm. If we observe a thunderstorm, we can expect that it will be accompanied by thunderclaps and lightning flashes. It’s just that it’s not always possible for a person to imagine that lightning will strike him or his house.

Key words and ideas of the card in the layout

Key expressions that can be used to describe the manifestation of the sixteenth Arcana:

End of the world
Crash, destruction
The crisis has broken out
Loss of balance
A quick end to the current situation
Internal turmoil
The old breaks down to make way for the new
Intense transformation

Meaning of the card in the upright position

In fact, all the situations that we described with key expressions fully reflect the essence of the direct Tower. In short, a turning point occurs under this Arcanum, which radically changes the usual routine of life. Some kind of energy has been accumulating for a long time - and now, like an explosion, it comes out. The action of the Tower is fast, but you can actually feel that it is already coming. So, for example, you can imagine this Arcanum in the following situation: there is a crisis in family life that has been going on for quite a long time. Partners do not look for a way out of it, do not try to improve relationships, but simply live out of habit, without changing anything. All the omissions, misunderstandings, cooling of feelings towards each other at one fine moment spill out - and then one of the spouses declares a desire for a divorce. And he doesn’t just declare, but does it already standing on the threshold with a packed suitcase of things. This moment will be the Tower for both partners: for one, everything exploded inside and he sees no way back - everything has already burned out, and for the second, the entire familiar world collapses, bringing confusion to the soul, although, in fact, premonitions of tragedy long ago - have been in the air for a long time. This is just one example reflecting the meaning of the Tower Tarot card - in fact, there are a huge number of them in any area of life.

The meaning of the card in an inverted position

The Reverse Tower can be read in different ways. Most tarot readers believe that the inverted card symbolizes incomplete destruction - the building collapsed, but not to the ground, while others interpret it as a misfortune that was miraculously avoided at the last moment, as a situation that “it’s about to happen, but luckily it passed! " There is also an opinion that the reverse 16th Arcana is a strong dependence on circumstances, when something happens in life, but a person has no opportunity to influence what is happening.

Video about the meaning of the Tower card

The meaning of the card in readings for relationships and love

Now let's talk about the meaning of the Tower Tarot card in love relationships, although, in fact, it is already clear without additional explanation.

Straight position

The Straight Tower is an acute crisis that breaks the usual course of things. This is a strong test of strength of feelings. Under this card, a situation can occur when a truth that has been silent for a long time breaks out, or a person’s desperate decision to do something that he has never done before. Sometimes the meaning of the Tarot Tower in a relationship can even be optimistic, for example, when one of the partners felt in a love union as if in prison, and after the collapse it seemed as if he had been freed from dependence and oppression. Sometimes the map also includes situations such as the sudden death of a loved one, or, conversely, a desperate jump into the “last carriage of a departing train,” when, for example, a middle-aged woman decides to give birth to a child, or an avid bachelor suddenly decides to get married . In a word, this is a radical change in the usual course of life.

Inverted position

The meaning of the reversed Tarot Tower in a relationship can be as follows:

A family crisis, which was miraculously avoided or which did not end in divorce, although everything was heading towards this
Circumstances that a person cannot influence in any way

The meaning of the card when divining health

Now let’s consider what significance the Tarot Tower card can take on for a person if we diagnose his health.

Straight position

The Straight Tower speaks of illnesses and injuries that fall on a person like thunder from a clear sky. These could be fractures, burns, sudden fever, vomiting, purulent abscesses, heart attacks, strokes, heart attacks, an attack of appendicitis, ruptured cysts and other unpleasant things. Sometimes - radiation damage, death or severe injuries in an accident or fire.

Inverted position

Situations of the direct Tower, but in a milder form, for example, a fracture, but not serious (not an arm, but a finger on a hand), an injury that should have been more severe, but the person was “lucky”, for example, he only broke his leg in a fall from a great height or escaped with bruises and contusions during a serious car accident, mild stroke, etc.

The meaning of the card in layouts for personality analysis and psychological state

If in the field of health the interpretation of the 16th Arcana usually does not raise many questions, then with the analysis of a person’s character things are usually more complicated, especially for novice tarot readers. Let's figure it out.

Straight position

Restless character, like a "powder keg". Something always happens to such a person. This is a very complex, explosive personality, always ready to take changes and risks. The Sixteenth Arcanum often describes rude people, rowdies, brawlers, criminals and those who always “get into trouble.” The meaning of the Tower Tarot card by date of birth (for example, in the method of Alicia Chrzanovskaya “Psychological portrait using Tarot cards”) most often speaks of dictators and tyrants. On the psychological plane, severe nervous breakdowns and mental disorders occur under the Tower map.

Inverted position

The Reverse Tower describes a person similar to what we examined under the direct Arcanum, but his “explosive” qualities most often appear much less frequently, or all these unpleasant character traits are expressed on an internal rather than external level. If we are talking about nervous breakdowns and mental disorders, then with proper treatment a person can successfully get rid of them.

The meaning of the card in matters of career and finance

Now let’s see what the threat of the appearance of the Tower in the scenario for professional activities is.

Straight position

Change of job, failure in the professional field, defeat in the fight against competitors, sudden bankruptcy of a company or collapse of a work project, loss of prestige, influence, removal from office, risky undertakings, unstable business, monetary losses, poverty that fell completely suddenly.

Inverted position

The meaning of the inverted Tarot Tower is similar to the upright one, but the situation improves at the last moment. For example, incomplete bankruptcy, in which the company somehow remains afloat and does not close, temporary removal from professional duties, loss of not all money, but only part of it.

Now let's discuss possible combinations of the Tower card with other Tarot cards. As always, we advise you to listen to your own intuition and consider our interpretations only as a hint. First the Major Arcana.

Jester: Dismissal
Mage: Burn bridges and start over
High Priestess: Find out an important secret, secret
Empress: Tower-Empress Tarot combination - build happiness on someone else's misfortune
Emperor: Collapse of family, business
The Hierophant: The Collapse of Ideals
Lovers: Separation, divorce, suddenly broken relationship
Chariot: accident, theft or serious breakdown of the car
Strength: Endurely bear the blows of fate
Hermit: Prison, nursing home
Wheel of Fortune: Unexpected changes that put a spoke in the wheels
Justice: Conviction
Hanged Man: An accident that causes a person to lose mobility, events that radically change one's life.
Death: Tarot combination Tower–Death - death in an accident, fire or from a fall from a height
Moderation: The consequences of the tragedy are reversible
Devil: Shady deals, life ruined by a scam
Star: Disorientation
Moon: Mental hospital, dubious reputation
Sun: Tower–Sun Tarot Combination - Life-Changing Insight
Court: A chance to change your life
World: Get out of prison, escape during a tragedy

The meaning of the card in combination with the Minor Arcana

Now let's look at the interpretation of combinations of the 16th Arcana with other cards of the suit of Wands, Cups, Pentacles and Swords.

With the suit of Staves

Ace: Arson, fire
Two: A hopeless situation
Troika: Breaking business ties
Four: Tragedy in the house
Five: Get stabbed in the back
Six: Dismissal, loss of authority
Seven: Bend under the weight of difficulties
Eight: Rapid Destruction
Nine: Worst fears come true
Ten: The blow of fate that breaks a person
Page: Tragic news
Knight: Unpredictable consequences
Queen: The collapse of creative ideas
King: Losing a foothold

With the suit of Cups

Ace: A blow to the senses
Two: Cancellation of engagement, wedding
Troika: Ruined Celebration
Four: Get depressed
Five: Meaning 16 Arcana Tarot with Five of Cups - serious losses
Six: Forgotten tragedy, misfortune that took place in the past
Seven: Collapse of Illusions
Eight: Get away from your usual life
Nine: The collapse of dreams
Ten: Losses within the family
Page: Miscarriage
Knight: Shattered Ideals
Queen: Shocks associated with a woman
King: Shocks associated with a man

With the suit of Swords

Ace: Bad thought, unfulfilled idea
Deuce: Fate challenges
Three: A tragedy that causes extreme emotional pain
Four: Hospital, punishment
Five: Wounded pride
Six: There is no turning back
Seven: Plans Failure
Eight: Imprisonment
Nine: Great suffering
Ten: Death from an accident or traffic accident
Page: Broken Promise
Knight: Raider Takeover
Queen: Losses
King: Losing control of your life

With the suit of Pentacles

Ace: Go bankrupt
Two: Decline, stagnation in business
Troika: Insolvency in the professional sphere
Four: Economic stagnation
Five: Loss of housing
Six: Fake
Seven: Unfinished construction
Eight: Meaning of the Tarot Tower with the Eight of Pentacles - dismissal
Nine: Bad Investments
Ten: Loss of stability
Page: Fail an exam, test, interview
Knight: Melancholy, apathy
Queen: Loss of financial independence
King: Failed business

Look for the positive side of the changes taking place. Remember that the collapse of the old makes room for something new.

Tower Warning

Be extremely careful - lightning is about to strike!

Questions answered by the 16th Arcana

Are you able to withstand the blow of fate?
Do you know how to let go of the past and embrace the future?
Are you delaying the resolution of some important issue?
Do you have a habit of letting things take their course?

So, we looked at what the Tower card means in Tarot. There is no need to be afraid of this Arcana, because sooner or later sudden changes occur in the lives of each of us. See them as an inevitable transformation leading to a new life.

Each Tarot sign has its own interpretation and points to events of the present and future. The Major Arcana Tower symbolizes breakthrough, life changes. However, the interpretation depends on the purpose of fortune telling. The special meaning of the Tarot Tower is in relationships and love.

General meaning of the card

The meaning of the Tower card will change depending on which major arcana fell along with it in the layout.

This lasso is a symbol of destruction, an incentive to develop, move forward, and overcome obstacles. It indicates enlightenment. However, there is also a negative side of the symbol, which is associated with conflicts, crises, internal imbalance, mental disorders and other unpleasant circumstances that cause insight.

Value in upright position

The appearance of a symbol in an upright position in the layout means dramatic changes.

This lasso prophesies victories for which you will have to pay. Stability will soon be disrupted, so you need to prepare for it. Sometimes the meaning of the lasso is deciphered as the end of an important life period.

The lasso also predicts a change in values, views, life principles and guidelines, and getting rid of a heavy burden. If you interpret the map on a large scale, it will indicate a disaster, a murder.

Reversed meaning

An inverted lasso speaks of injustice, stressful situations, serious health problems, financial difficulties, and natural disasters.

Such a difficult stage in life will drag on and bring suffering. Sometimes the lasso indicates denial of problems, such as alcohol addiction. The card advises making compromises, avoiding disputes and resolving all conflicts peacefully.

Also, the appearance of an inverted symbol in the layout means a person’s dependence on other people, on the opinions of society. This card signals that you should be more careful to notice the signs of fate. In a difficult situation, it is better to postpone important matters.

Meaning in love and relationships

When fortune telling for love, the lasso foreshadows the need for a break, which in the future will only intensify feelings and strengthen relationships.

It means dramatic changes in life, getting rid of an unsuitable partner. Sometimes a card suggests that it's time to look at the world in a new way.

The combination with Cups promises love. The Ace of Cups indicates problems, stagnation in relationships that seemed strong. In combination with the Two of Cups, the senior lasso promises an awkward meeting, a ruined date.

Inverted Tower in Relationships

In a love layout, the lasso in an inverted position prophesies internal imbalance, excessive expression of emotions, love drama, separation from a loved one.

The main meaning of the lasso in such fortune-telling is loss and severe anxiety, which will torment a person for a long time, even after positive life changes. The inverted Tower symbolizes unhappy love, betrayal of a loved one, dissatisfaction with relationships.

Combined with other cards

The tower, in combination with positive Tarot cards, predicts a happy future, and in combination with negative ones, it predicts something bad.

Meanings of the card in combination with other arcana:

with the Jester - liberation, change of profession;
with the Magician - an opportunity to start life anew;
with the High Priestess - understanding secret knowledge, gaining experience;
with the Empress - building happiness on the problems of other people;
with the Emperor - divorce;
with the Court - correcting mistakes will change fate;
with Death - the beginning of a new life period, dramatic changes;
with the Hanged Man - a fateful event;
with Moderation - avoiding tragedy;
with the Devil - a large financial loss;
with the Sun - gaining experience;
with the World – strengthening of vital energy.

Arcana in reversed position with other symbols.

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 simplest sense, the card symbolizes the end of an existing situation under the influence of external forces, unexpected and very rapid. 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 are talking about internal things - ossified 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 that has been languishing in us for a long time 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”).
The traditional meaning of the Tower is an unexpected upset 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 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 (the main role here is played by 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 is very clearly visible in Priestley's "Dangerous Turn", where the main character discovers that the entire edifice of his life was an illusion, and where the issues of deception and self-deception are shown brilliantly. 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 our bare hands at 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 good relationships 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 the deepest sense, the Tower does not so much “tear down the tower” as strictly the opposite - “sets the brain 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. A sudden decision to change 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 of them is closer to the truth 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 they are simply scared to open their eyes and look around after this atomic explosion...
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 by 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 liberation of the body from toxins pass through the Tower - high fever, 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. A person follows in his own footsteps along the same road, lives along the old rut, ripening towards a fundamental crisis of development, ignores alarming signals and clings 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).

Main meaning of the card

Straight position

The Tower is one of the most complex Arcana, because carrying the idea of destruction, it creates a message for progress and overcoming problems. It is the Tower that contains much of what happens “suddenly” - insight, awareness, desire to fight, breakthrough. The “negative” coloring of the Arcana arises because all these processes - breakthrough, insight, and understanding - are usually painful and associated with crises, conflict, and destructive emotions. But few people can readily accept the fact that inviolability and peace must be left behind, and new stability still needs to be achieved and must be earned.

Some of the combinations of the Tower with other Arcana are very indicative. With the Jester, this card is interpreted as liberation; with the Priestess - as comprehension of deep secrets and intimate knowledge, the path to which was long and difficult; with the Court - as an unprecedented opportunity, a unique chance to change your life; with Death - dramatic changes, a new stage of life.

Inverted position

The inverted Tower symbolizes a painful awareness of ongoing injustice, blows of fate, depression, disasters (destruction, fires, etc.), serious illness, bankruptcy. And all this without “mitigating” circumstances. Of course, “this too shall pass,” but the dark streak of life in the case of an inverted Tower is usually long-lasting and painful. If the Tower fell upside down along with Justice, then we are talking about an inevitable and severe, although somewhere fair, punishment; if with the Hierophant - the collapse of former beliefs and ideals; with the Wheel of Fortune - “spears in the wheels” that arise in some business, undertaking, or intention.

Love and relationships

Straight position

For relationships, the Tower is a difficult but necessary showdown, a forced separation (together with the Moon - unexpected), which, as further events will show, will subsequently strengthen feelings, as well as overdue changes and liberation from an unwanted partner (especially with Lovers). The Tower indicates the need to free ourselves from our own “armor”, which we ourselves build from habits, stereotypes, dogmas that we consider unshakable. And come out to meet a new, fresh vision of your problems. In addition, combinations of this Arcanum with the suit of Cups are interesting and characteristic for love scenarios. For example, the Tower, which appears in a scenario paired with the Ace of Cups, is interpreted as a crisis in a relationship that was considered deep and eternal, and with the Two of Cups - as an unsuccessful or broken date.

Inverted position

A tower in an inverted position speaks of an emotional explosion, a breakdown in relationships, and very unpleasant experiences. In fact, here we are dealing with a loss that will not be easy to survive, or with experiences that can poison life for a long time even after they are in the past. It is the inverted Tower that indicates great disappointment from love, that a person is abandoned, betrayed, forgotten. It is loneliness after a breakup that is symbolized by the inverted Tower, if it is strengthened by the Hermit. And when Strength appears next to such an Arcanum, this means that a person will need all his willpower and common sense to resist the blow of fate.

Career

Straight position

For the professional sphere, the Tower predicts serious, even cardinal changes, the termination of a project (development, research). This card suggests that a person is required to be more inventive and ready for atypical, unconventional, unexpected actions, words, and judgments. The tower suggests that it is absolutely necessary to go beyond the existing framework, since it has become cramped or turned into a vicious, vicious circle. For a more specific interpretation, you should pay attention to the cards associated with the Tower in the layout. For example, the Magician is very characteristic in this regard; this combination is like a call to give up everything, burn bridges behind you and start all over from scratch.

Inverted position

For career plans, the inverted Tower is a clear warning of significant problems and difficulties. Such an Arcanum can mean big money problems, shameful resignation from a position, failures in performing responsible work. In addition, an inverted Tower with the Empress means that someone will profit from other people's problems (that is, from the problems of the one who is being told fortunes). And the inverted Tower with the Ace of Wands is a fiasco of an undertaking that seemed very promising and interesting.

Do not limit yourself to the small, “bird in hand.” This is not your level. And even if moving towards a big goal will involve significant challenges, you must move forward. With the right amount of effort, you will be able to overcome all difficulties.

Tarot Tower is a major lasso, which is a symbol of the collapse of everything that is no longer significant in your life. What has passed cannot be returned, and you just need to prepare yourself for a new stage of life. Surrounded by positive cards, the lasso prophesies a happy future, but if negative cards predominate in the layout, then the meaning will be negative.

In the article:

Tarot Tower - meaning

Arcanum Tower Tarot in an upright position speaks of harsh changes. They will probably not be unexpected, since the situation has been brewing for a long time. The meaning of the card will change depending on which major arcana are located nearby.

There is also an opinion that when this lasso appears in a layout, it changes the value of nearby cards in a negative direction. In ancient interpretations, the Tower foreshadows triumph. But it is possible that it will come at a high price.

The Tower Tarot card suggests that the shell behind which the individual was hiding from the outside world is being destroyed. An important period of life ends and is replaced by another. Changes may not be painless, as the situation will develop extremely quickly.

It is possible that now the ground is disappearing from under a person’s feet, he is becoming a hostage to circumstances, and the usual flow of things is being disrupted. Surrounded by positive ones, the Tower card indicates that your enemies will be defeated, the black streak will end and you will be able to get rid of the yoke that has weighed on you for many years.

Depending on the position in the layout and questions, the meaning of the card may fluctuate. Sometimes it foreshadows internal upheaval, sometimes external destruction. She warns the individual that everything that was previously considered stable and safe may be shaken.

Often we are talking about revolutionizing the value system, changing principles and beliefs, and getting rid of ballast. In a global interpretation, the Tower can become a harbinger of an accident, a disaster, cataclysms, terrorist attacks, or the collapse of a political foundation.

Tower Reversed Tarot

The Reversed Tarot Tower has a more hopeful meaning. It is possible that there may be chaos in your life, but the changes will not last long and will not affect you much. Sometimes the lasso foreshadows the postponement of some changes. In some cases, the Tower warns that some misfortune could happen in your life, but you will be able to avoid it.

Appearing in a layout, a card can indicate the individual’s strong dependence on other people. You are under quite a strong influence from the outside and you cannot always resist it. The card gives advice - pay attention to the signals that fate sends you. It may be worth postponing any active actions until later in order to mitigate the situation.

Often an inverted Tower indicates an individual who denies the existence of a problem. This could be an alcoholic who claims that he has no problems with alcoholic beverages. At the moment, a person needs to try to find a compromise, resolve controversial situations through negotiations, and avoid conflicts.

There is a legend associated with this map. It is believed that it was the Tarot lasso of the inverted Tower that Napoleon pulled out on the day of his departure to St. Helena. Therefore, in the French tradition, such a lasso is associated with imprisonment.

Work and finance

The individual faces drastic changes in his work life. Dismissal or change of occupation is possible. In this case, leaving your previous job will be accompanied by quarrels and conflicts. Bankruptcy, sudden closure of the company, failures in the professional sphere are possible.

An individual may realize that most of his ideas cannot be translated into reality, they are beyond the control of man and are therefore doomed to failure. At the moment, the person realizes that he does not have the same influence and power that he had before. It will be risky to abuse power, as this will lead to various conflicts.

If the plan was to find a job, then it is best to connect your life with radical psychotherapy, military affairs, and sports. If we talk about your financial situation, then this senior lasso indicates that your position is extremely precarious. Probably the destruction of the house as a result of some kind of disaster, fire, robbery.

It is possible that you will have to change your place of residence in a short time. Starting any new projects during such a period is extremely risky, as you may be left with nothing and suffer large financial losses.

Tarot Tower - meaning in relationships

The Tower Tarot card in relationship readings indicates the implementation of urgent changes. You have probably resisted for a long time, but this state of affairs is inevitable. For a long time you managed to hide from the problems that you had in your relationship, but the time has come to come out of your hiding place towards something new.

If we talk specifically about the relationship between a man and a woman, it will be very complex. It is impossible to call them gentle, since they will be accompanied by conflicts, moral and physical violence. In some cases, the appearance of the lasso even indicates that the relationship will collapse in the near future.

If the Tower is located next to the World card, then this indicates an insignificant truce that will not last long. The combination of the lasso with the Emperor or the Chariot will be especially negative, since this indicates the aggressiveness of the partners, they are not able to perceive each other adequately, every little thing irritates them.

The presence of the Priestess or the Moon in the layout signals hidden human complexes and emotional disorders of one of the partners. Pay attention to which side the Tower falls on.

It is this partner who destroys the relationship, most likely because he is intolerant, arrogant, and prone to self-destruction. It is possible that this individual is prone to alcoholism, gambling, and drug addiction.

The only situation in which the Tower can be considered a positive sign is if the relationship has already outlived its usefulness, and the partners really cannot be with each other, but do not know how to break such an alliance. In this case, the card will indicate that it will be possible to end the relationship really quickly and painlessly.

Health status

The appearance of the Tarot Tower in a health reading predicts some sudden illnesses. These can be wounds, fractures, and burns. Surrounded by positive arcana, in rare cases the card can prophesy a sudden recovery. However, it can also shock the body and put a person into a state of shock.

If we consider the card as an indicator of disease, then it predicts heart problems, possible heart attack, stroke, nervous breakdown, panic attacks and various mental disorders.

The individual is probably in a state of passion. Sometimes the card is associated with disorders in the body that began as a result of radiation exposure.

Tarot Tower in combination with other cards

In order to interpret fortune telling more deeply and comprehensively, it is necessary to focus attention not only on each specific arcana, but also on their combinations. This will help you see a more complete picture of what is happening. Tarot Tower - combination with other major arcana:

Jester - change in type of activity, dismissal;
Magician - there is a chance to start life from scratch;
High Priestess - gaining experience;
Empress - you will build happiness on someone else’s grief;
Emperor - business collapse or divorce;
Hierophant - change in the value system;
Lovers - breakup;
Chariot - accident, damage to the vehicle;
Strength - endurance, stamina;
Hermit - break in relationship, feeling of loneliness;
Wheel of Fortune - receiving news, joyful changes;
Justice is punishment for sins;
Hanged Man - severe trauma, a fateful event;
Death - drastic changes, strong influence from outside;
Moderation - you will be able to avoid a strong shock;
Devil - loss of a large sum of money;
Star - organization;
Moon - sudden separation;
Sun - gaining new experience;
Court - fate gives you another chance to fix everything;
Peace - restoration of vitality.

Arcana paired with wands:

Ace - cataclysms, destruction of home;
Two - a difficult situation, no way out;
Three - termination of the contract;
Four - breakdown, repairs will have to be made;
Five - do not be afraid of enemies, be afraid of bad friends;
Six - dismissal, lack of power;
Seven - you are a hostage to circumstances;
Eight - be careful, don’t say too much;
Nine - implementation of plans;
Ten is punishment, fate tests you;
Page - a sad experience;
Knight - sudden collapse of plans;
Queen - lack of success in the creative field;
King - you are wasting too much energy.

Tower - combination with Tarot bowls:

Ace - you will suffer from your bad habits;
Two - resumption of relations with a former partner;
Three - loss of authority;
Four - alcoholism;
Five - disappointment, illusions;
Six - the death of a friend;
Seven - mental disorders;
Eight - something will happen through your fault;
Nine - isolation;
Ten - gossip, slander;
Page - destruction;
Knight - you will suffer from scammers;
Queen - unreliable partners;
The king is shenanigans.

The meaning of the arcana if there is a card of the suit of swords nearby:

Ace - terrorism;
Two - misunderstanding, annoyance;
Three - the fall of ideals;
Four - help from an ally;
Five - loss of funds;
Six - a long way;
Seven - responsibility;
Eight - destruction of hopes;
Nine - empty victims;
Ten - fraud;
Page - big expenses;
Knight - collapse;
Queen - patronage;
King - bad news.