6 The Lovers
The sun shines in the zenith, and beneath is a great winged figure with arms extended, pouring down influences. In the foreground are two human figures, male and female, unveiled before each other, as if Adam and Eve when they first occupied the paradise of the earthly body. Behind the man is the Tree of Life, bearing twelve fruits, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is behind the woman; the serpent is twining round it. The figures suggest youth, virginity, innocence and love before it is contaminated by gross material desire. This is in all simplicity the card of human love, here exhibited as part of the way, the truth and the life. It replaces, by recourse to first principles, the old card of marriage, which I have described previously, and the later follies which depicted man between vice and virtue. In a very high sense, the card is a mystery of the Covenant and Sabbath.
The suggestion in respect of the woman is that she signifies that attraction towards the sensitive life which carries within it the idea of the Fall of Man, but she is rather the working of a Secret Law of Providence than a willing and conscious temptress. It is through her imputed lapse that man shall arise ultimately, and only by her can he complete himself. The card is therefore in its way another intimation concerning the great mystery of womanhood. The old meanings fall to pieces of necessity with the old pictures, but even as interpretations of the latter, some of them were of the order of commonplace and others were false in symbolism.
A. E. Waite, Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911)
Meeting between the cutting power of mind - the sword - and the cup of love, which is a symbol of relationship. This dilemma is not only about trying to decide between two men or two woman. It also reflects our values, because our choices mirror back to us the kind of person we wish to become. Here is the problem of free will versus the compulsions of the instincts. Without passing through this initiation by fire, we cannot understand how we create our own future. It is the encounter with feelings, love and beauty, passion and faithfulness, the harmony, uniting of differences. It represents the creation of the world - the marriage of duality, by love awareness happens and in this surrender new doors open.
6 - The Lovers
What we call love is really a whole spectrum of relating, reaching from the earth to the sky. At the most earthy level, love is sexual attraction. Many of us remain stuck there, because our conditioning has burdened our sexuality with all kinds of expectations and repressions. Actually the biggest "problem" with sexual love is that it never lasts. Only if we accept this fact can we then really celebrate it for what it is–welcome its happening, and say good-bye with gratitude when it's not.
Then as we mature, we can begin to experience the love that exists beyond sexuality and honors the unique individuality of the other. We begin to understand that our partner often functions as a mirror, reflecting unseen aspects of our deeper self and supporting us to become whole. This love is based in freedom, not expectation or need. Its wings take us higher and higher towards the universal love that experiences all as one.
Tarot of the Ages - Mario Garizio ©1988 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
The Lovers card is not just about love and sexuality; it has several meanings which are all related to the duality expressed in the image of the card. The image of the two lovers holding hands or intertwined is a powerful symbol for the harmonious union of two beings, but it also stands for the necessity of proper choice, and some interesting concepts about the relationship of our conscious minds to whatever power brings these lovers together. It should be apparent that, in our culture which has so many words and definitions for the simple emotion of love, the image of love as expressed in the Tarot can have so many meanings.
The Lovers is predominantly a card of the emotions, and it often portrays love that is divinely blessed, either by Cupid, an angel, or by God Himself. This seems to imply that nothing but good can come of this union, though with such a dualistic card there is always the potential for a sad conclusion, despite the best of beginnings. After all, love is like a flame because it can ignite the blaze of passion, but also because it can consume and destroy if used carelessly. Love is a wonderful thing, but profane or unrequited love has the power to tear families and lives apart. The Lovers has within it the potential for such love and we must always be cautious of it.
Air is the element which rules the Lovers, and we should therefore expect the majority of its meanings to be associated with the spirit and the mind. The notion of choice between positive and negative is first depicted on this card with the old symbology of a man deciding between two lovers. Such a moral crossroads is often shown by the Lovers card, which now tells us to consider all consequences before acting. The situation could be as simple as a fork in the road with two paths to choose between, or a much more complicated decision by which all of our strongest beliefs and ideals will be tested. In times of such difficult choice we clearly need high guidance.
The final meaning of the Lovers is perhaps best illustrated by the image of the card in the Rider-Waite deck, and some of its variants. This image shows the man looking at the woman, who in turn looks at the divine figure above them both. The man cannot see the angel, and he must trust the woman to see it for him. Likewise, the conscious mind (the man) cannot directly access Higher Powers (the angel), whatever you believe those are. The unconscious (the woman) must be the bridge between the physical and spiritual planes. This symbology also shows the true power of love; as discussed on the Ten of Cups, through love we can get a glimpse of Heaven.
Often, the Lovers will refer to a relationship when it appears in a reading, and when it does, that relationship will be a perfect expression of the love between two people. This will almost always be a sexual relationship, though not necessarily. You must always keep in mind, though, the potential for conflict despite happy beginnings. Love is a flame that must not be left unattended; it must be fueled and allowed to burn for as long and as brightly as possible. If not a physical pairing of man and woman, the Lovers can also show the integration of two conflicting parts of yourself, the masculine and the feminine. Through the combination, greater wisdom is revealed.
Finally, this card carries the meaning of choice, usually on the moral or ethical plane. The most familiar instance of such a choice, sadly, is the choice between your spouse and someone else with whom you have fallen in love. Alternatively, it could be between two possible partners, both of whom you love, but only one of whom would be best for you. Look inside, and turn to your unconscious for inspiration. Through it you can access the wisdom needed to make this choice properly, and for the good of all involved. Trust the counsel of your Inner Voice, and once you have made your decision, do not rescind it no matter how much opposition you face.
Tarot of the Dream Enchantress ©2009 Lo Scarabeo