Major Arcana 16 Tarot Tower (Destroyed Tower, Burnt Temple)

Description: The map shows a tower that was struck by lightning, as well as two people falling down.

The main meanings of the card in the upright position:

1. Complete collapse;
2. Revolution of ideas about the world;
3. Purification of the soul;
4. Selfish plans and projects that will not bear fruit;
5. Conflict with catastrophic consequences;
6. Destruction of frameworks;
7. Destructive beginning;
8. Revolutionary views;
9. Sudden insight;
10. Devastation;
11. Shock, awakening;
12. Death of illusions;
13. Rapid changes;
14. New job, new home;
15. Separation, divorce;
16. Theft, loss of job;
17. Family quarrels;
18. The truth about yourself.

The main meanings of the card in the inverted position:

1. The process of change has already begun;
2. The trauma has already occurred;
3. Time to pick up the pieces and start over;
4. Long-term oppression;
5. Inability to change anything or change yourself;
6. Restrictions on freedom.

All the ancient names of this map — the Destroyable Tower, the Burnt Temple, the Flame and even the French Le Temple foudroyй — «The Temple Struck by Lightning» — remind us of the same event — the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the last stronghold of the Jewish faith, by Emperor Titus IX the month of Aba in 70 AD. The name Almshouse, adopted in some Russian editions, is an erroneous translation of the French La Maison-Dieu «House of God», meaning first of all the Temple.

On the card we see a high tower with a crown instead of a dome; it is surrounded by clouds, lightning strikes its top, so that the tower cracks, and the crown is tilted and ready to fall. Flames burst out of the windows. Sometimes human figures are depicted on the card: they are flying down, an abyss opens up under them.

This card symbolizes complete collapse, the disintegration of everything that has hitherto formed the basis of existence, the upheaval of ideas about the world, powerlessness before the terrible will of heaven. But it is also a catharsis, the cleansing of the soul from the sins and sufferings that have weighed it down.

Other names of the arcana: Leader of the Mighty Army; Shelter.

SPIRITUAL EXPLANATION: As a Tarot path on the Tree of Life, the Tower reaches the highest realm, Kether: symbolically, it encompasses the mystical universe. (The crown shown on this card is symbolically associated with Kether.) The Tower serves as a reminder that humility is needed on our inner journey, and that the influx of Divine energy from the higher realms of the Tree of Life will be too much for us unless our inner self is firmly grounded on a solid foundation. The Tower is ruled by Mars, which mercilessly destroys ignorance and vain knowledge.

TARO MEANING: Drawing this card means that your current plans and projects are selfish and will lead to nothing. You find yourself in a situation of conflict and change that can have disastrous consequences. Everything you took for granted will be called into question.

REVELLED MEANING: The process of change has already begun. Go with the flow and do not try to resist what will happen as a result. If you are suppressing feelings of sadness, anger or disappointment, let these feelings spill out, and your life will soon change for the better.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT LESSON: Essentially, this card is about overcoming futile and selfish ambitions. If we build a monument to ourselves, we will inevitably be disappointed and any success will be short-lived. However, if we build our lives on a stable spiritual foundation and correlate our goal with the will of the cosmos, our destiny will change for the better.

WORK: The Tower seems to tear us out of the too narrow framework, from the long-unnecessary scenario of «getting our daily bread», opening up a free and wide field of activity for us. At the event level, this often manifests itself in the form of dismissal at one's own request or at the will of the employer. This card can also mean the closure of a company or, in a calmer situation, the unexpected failure of plans that seemed quite reliable. But no matter how crushing this blow may seem to us, having climbed out from under the rubble, we will feel with a sigh of relief that we have finally gotten out of prison, although before it seemed so cozy to us.

CONSCIOUSNESS: Here the card corresponds to a scary, sometimes even creepy feeling of the collapse of all our previous ideas, convictions or an entire philosophy of life. At the same time, we are often talking about things that have long made themselves known to us, only we did not want to accept them on faith, because they irritated or upset us like dark omens, and we suppressed them as best we could. Now, when they have finally broken through our line of defense, we suddenly realize that all our previous ideas about life, about stability, about what we need to do, have collapsed and turned into a heap of rubble. Only much later does it become clear that this period was for us a period of major changes, a revision of all our life concepts, a transition to a truly independent existence; it was a breakthrough to freedom, as Krishnamurti so wonderfully writes about. In addition, the Tower can mean revolutionary views in one or more areas, a victory in the sphere of our research activity, or a sudden insight into how to solve a problem that has long tormented us.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Very often, although not always, this card represents some destructive beginning. Either it is the implementation of long-overdue changes that we have resisted for so long, or liberation from the captivity of a relationship with a partner who has limited our development. However, it can also mean that we ourselves have been hiding from our problems behind a strong wall of ostentatious composure, stubbornness and inaccessibility, and now it is time to leave these walls to meet a new, fruitful union in all respects.

Names in other languages: La Casa del Diavolo, La Maison de Dieu, The Tower of God, Der Turm.

Astrological correspondences: Pisces and Neptune. Astrological meaning: Jupiter in the 11th house as a patron and discoverer of new horizons.

Kabbalistic meaning of the Arcana: fear, apprehension of God's punishment.

Occult meaning of the Arcana: material attachment

Physical meaning of the Arcana: fall into the material world.

Places: mountain peaks; tall buildings; skyscrapers; minarets; belfries; ruins; ashes; fires.

Upright

Keywords and phrases: Destruction of the old way of life. Modifications. Split. Shock. Devastation. Awakening. Instability. Sudden insight. Shocking discoveries. Painful experience. Significant changes. Crisis. Unexpectedness. Inevitable changes. Liberation from shackles. Flaws in structure. Death of illusions. Liberation. Incredible spiritual discoveries. Purification. Rapid change. The cloud dissipates. Something touches a nerve. Exciting news. A sudden flash that sets you free. A useless insight. Liberation from your own limitations. Confusion. Disappointment. Rejection of false beliefs and outdated forms. Disruption of plans. The destruction of useless structures. Experiencing shame or guilt. Sifting out false values. The moment of truth. The destruction of corrupt structures. Separating the wheat from the chaff. Freedom. Enlightenment. Conventions that bind you. New job. Change of residence. An unpleasant incident. Separation. Divorce. An accident. Problems with property. Bankruptcy. Loss of security. Earthquakes. Natural disasters. In a medical layout — a sudden attack. Hospitalization (especially if the Four of Swords is present in the layout, indicating the need to restore health)... He who does not risk, does not drink champagne. I see the light. Someday you will thank me for this. You can not come home again. «And the walls, trembling,» fell. The Battle of Jericho.

Situation and advice: The appearance of the Tower in the layout most often foretells imminent shocking and tragic changes. The usual way of your life begins to collapse, and you have to watch the disintegration of the old way of life. It may happen that you suddenly have to sell your house, move to a new place of residence, change jobs, change professions, visit a psychoanalyst, or significant changes will occur in your relationship with someone. The meaning of these changes is that you will need to learn some important truth about yourself and act accordingly to the knowledge gained. The changes foreshadowed by this card will bring with them an understanding of the truth that will force you to free yourself from false structures in your life and determine your true value. The more you cling to a false way of life, the more destructive the changes will be. Now is the time to free yourself from the fetters of conventional wisdom and false beliefs that are holding you back. The structure that limits you must be destroyed before you can find enlightenment. Sometimes this card signifies theft, loss of a job, family quarrels or problems with property. The old order must be destroyed to make way for the new. Rotten structures will collapse, shaking.

People: Aggressive, energetic people who challenge your opinion. Those who cause pain or cause a breakup. People who have suffered a severe blow in life. Victims of natural disasters.

Reversed

Key words and phrases:(Positive meanings) The trauma is in the past. A change has occurred. Your life will never be the same again. Time to pick up the pieces and start over.

(Negative meanings) Voluntarily taking on additional responsibilities. Long-term oppression. A situation that cannot be changed. Inability to change oneself. Restrictions on freedom. Bonds of the flesh. Imprisonment. Rupture. Disruption. Chaos. Upheaval. Catastrophe. The value of freedom. Tyranny. Injustice. Failure to get what you expected. Freedom or death. Stone walls are not a prison, iron bars are not a cage.

Situation and advice: Positive aspect of the Tower card in the inverted position: a scandalous or tense situation is coming to an end. Now you can pick up the pieces and start all over again.

Negative aspect of this card: circumstances may be unfair to you. A structure or relationship that you had no doubts about may suddenly collapse. You feel cornered, limited, constantly running into obstacles. You may be facing imprisonment. You cannot find a way out of the negative situation that has arisen. During this period, you will have to face problems that can no longer be avoided. What is happening now is a consequence of past mistakes.

People:Those who are in a state of shock.

The Inner Meaning of the Tower Card

You built your house on sand. What you considered the unshakable foundation of life turned out to be an illusion and suddenly crumbled like a house of cards. All your efforts were in vain. Do not try to restore what was destroyed: this will not work. Better wait, survive your despair — and start building a new house. Soon you will feel new strength flowing into you.

In practice, the Tower falls to people who have actually experienced the collapse of something old and familiar (work, marriage, faith in authorities) or are expecting such a collapse. However, in the upright position, it speaks of the need for these changes, because it is impossible to build something new without destroying the old. And the old has already outlived its usefulness, and reviving it is a waste of time and effort. Finding itself in the position of the past, the Tower can mean that the stage of destruction is already behind us and it is time to start building something new.

In purely everyday terms, it can simply mean a conflict, even a scandal, but a scandal is also necessary to get to the truth.

The Tower can also have a literal meaning, i.e. indicate a house or building, as well as the danger emanating from them.

In the inverted position, on the contrary, it does not advise rushing to destroy old relationships and connections, it is better to resolve the matter peacefully, avoiding scandals and conflicts.

For a businessman, the advice is to drop everything and run, taking the entire cash register with you, or, on the contrary, hire a good lawyer and take the case to court, because the chances of winning in both cases are higher than if you just sit and wait to see how it all ends.

Everything you have achieved has collapsed. In many cases, this catastrophe would not have happened if you had acted more wisely from the start. If you act wisely now, you can avoid at least some of the problems.

You have gone too far and must pay the price. This catastrophe is the result of believing in your power, which does not exist, or using your power unwisely or for the wrong purposes. In other words, you have played too far, 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 have been the greatest goal of mankind: the complete unity of nations. They spoke the same language and worked together to achieve a single goal. The result of their labors was destroyed, their languages ​​​​mixed, and they were all scattered to the four corners of the world.

It is important to understand that it was not the construction 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 unlock the divine within themselves, they defied God and tried to rule the Earth in God’s stead.

The Tower Tarot card follows the Devil. The goal of your spiritual perfection is to become like God. But, says the Tarot, you will not become like God simply by gaining material power. 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 cause of the disaster is not that you have acquired too much power, but that you have misused it. The destruction is a direct result of your own misunderstanding, poor judgment, and/or abuse of your free will. The Falling Tower Tarot card also symbolizes actual material loss: 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 Tarot Tower illustrates the catastrophe that can and will happen to those who use magic without understanding its true purpose; the downfall of the man who plays with forces beyond his control and understanding.

In a spiritual sense, the Tarot Tower symbolizes the result of the quest if you have accepted the Devil's offer, even if you try to deny it.

Although hints of this have been placed throughout the Tarot path, this is the first direct statement of how you should see your ultimate goal. It is not this world that you are trying to conquer.

At this point in the quest, there is still a temptation to evaluate yourself in terms of this world, by your impression on others, by your earthly position. The temptation is even greater now, because you have achieved the power, at least for a time, to turn the world to your will. But your goal is much greater.

You must learn to see beyond the obvious to a higher level of achievement. If you exchange your spiritual growth for material power, you will lose everything you have gained.

Type of person in the upright position: a person experiencing spiritual emanation; a person capable of higher Initiation.

Type of person in the inverted position: the one who causes terrible suffering or experiences a decline and crisis himself; a person who is unable to understand others.

Psychological meaning of the Tower Arcana: it's time to learn the whole truth about yourself — pleasant and unpleasant. Only by looking honestly at yourself can you break the chain of adversity and difficulties and get rid of frustration. What you have achieved before, your whole life, your home, family, career — these are just castles in the sand. The whole building of your life was an illusion and can collapse at any moment, like a house of cards, despite all your efforts. And if this happens, do not try to restore what has died — it is useless. It is better to wait it out, survive the crisis, listen to your feelings, but do not be afraid of what you hear from them, and do not give in to them. Remember that you are not alone. There, from above, Someone is looking at you and will not leave you in trouble. When the acute pain subsides, listen to no one, get out your old tools and start building a new home, a new life. And soon you will feel a surge of new strength. The wiser you have become, thanks to what you have experienced, the more difficult it will be to break you now. The changes that have occurred have made your spirit unbending.

The Tower says that for quite a long time we considered our situation stable and safe, and suddenly everything collapsed. At the same time, those structures and conventions that we have already surpassed collapse, and they have become cramped for us. This may be about our beliefs or life principles, as well as about work, finances, friendships or other relationships that seemed stable and unchangeable to us. In any case, the Tower symbolizes a certain concept that for a long time provided us with confidence in the future, and perhaps a sense of security, but now no longer corresponds to our increased level. It usually comes as a surprise to us: when an old concept suddenly collapses, many people experience it as if it were a lightning strike. And since it is precisely those structures that formed the very basis of our confidence that collapse, it often looks like a catastrophe. Only after the initial shock has passed do we discover that we have, in fact, gotten rid of the long-standing ballast. This realization comes on its own or in the form of some kind of hint from the outside.

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