XVI - The Tower

Description:

A multicolored bolt of light intersects through a towering geometric structure, like a beam of sunlight reflecting off mirrors, illuminating the bottom center of the tower.  The roof of the structure, composed of three golden triangles, is tilted at an angle.  Just above the tower at the top right are a golden sun sphere and a pink crescent moon. 

A man falls upside down from the right of the tower, his face expressing fear and anguish.  A woman falls upside down from the left of the tower, her face gazing back up in awe and consternation.  At the bottom right of the card is the Hebrew letter Peh, and at the bottom left is the astrological symbol for Mars.

Symbology:

The bolt of light intersecting the tower represents the Lightning Flash through the Tree of Life, flowing from Kether (1) down through all the Sephiroth to Malkuth (10 - Earth).  This is the descending power of the Spirit bringing Light and Life to the manifested world, the celestial active force that pierces the darkness and ignites the spirit hidden within.  The bolt of light blasting through the Tower indicates the liberating destruction of old confining structures, so that a new outlook can be born. 

The Hebrew letter Peh means “mouth”.  From their mouths, humans have devised speech and words, which are symbolic abstractions or constructs of our perceptions of the world.  The Tower represents the collective constructs of humankind.  The active force of Mars delivers the revealing blast, destroying the Tower (of Babel) to reveal the original unity within the diversity. 

The path of the Tower on the Tree of Life travels from Netzach (emotion and personality) to Hod (the thinking mind).  The falling man full of fear represents the emotional sphere of Netzach, while the falling woman staring in amazement represents the analytical sphere of Hod.  However, the way to enlightenment is not solely reached by emotional or mental or material accomplishments, but rather is revealed by a lightning flash of insight to be the path that embraces all paths.

Divinatory Meaning:
(from "Tarot of the Spirit" companion book, by Pamela Eakins)

• A series of insights propels you to new awareness

• You have outgrown the old structure – physical or mental – you built; you must destroy this structure (or allow it to crumble) in order to make room for the new structures you need

• You may have to sacrifice certain things in order to grow

• You may find yourself changing quite a bit 

• Search your heart for answers

• We often have to give up before we can gain

Personal Reflections:

The Tower blasted apart by the Light from above is that slap in the face or sudden inspiration that we sometimes need to receive in order to see beyond the structures we have built around us.  When you feel safe and assured in your environment, you are stagnant and growth is slow.  Through the trial by fire, your outer shell is broken down and exorcized and your inner spirit is awakened and exercised.

As the old TV jingle goes: “When you least expect it, you’re elected, it’s your lucky day.  Smile!  You’re on Candid Camera!”  The all-revealing light from the Candid Camera on top of the Tower exposes the ephemeral foibles of the human condition, to reveal the Joy within.