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Monday, 08 September 2008
Archives 2006 Tarot & Your Spiritual Path: The Tower––A House of Cards
| Tarot & Your Spiritual Path: The Tower––A House of Cards | | Print | |
| Written by James Ricklef | |
 ...a shattering experience represented by the Tower card will cleanse us and clear away that which was trivial or destructive in our lives in order to get us moving again along the path of our spiritual journey. The Tower card, with its image of people plunging from the heights of a lightning-blasted tower, is one of the more feared cards in the Tarot deck. An obvious meaning attributed to it is that of a catastrophe, and indeed it can portend an unexpected and disturbing experience. But any severe, life-altering event also has the potential to convey an enlightening message from the Universe through its impact on our ego, sense of complacency, or perspective of what is truly important in life. The tower shown in this card often represents something that gives us a false sense of security. This may be something such as a relationship or career that is built on a shaky foundation. The relationship may be safe but joyless, or the career may be one that makes us rich but miserable. Sometimes the tower signifies a set of beliefs we learned from our parents, peers, or society in general. We may feel protected by such beliefs, but when we cling to them without question or examination, they can imprison us instead. The problem, of course, is such towers of our own creation inevitably stifle our growth or even smother us. However, rather than question our beliefs or reevaluate a relationship or job, we often choose to stay locked up in our own tower, both comfortable and comforting in its familiarity, because that is less frightening than setting out to explore unknown territory. But the Universe can and will do something about this, for a tower seemingly built of solid stone may actually be just a house of cards. So although we may avoid a powerful learning experience for a while, sooner or later the Universe will send us a swift kick in the rear to make us do so. For example, it may force us to confront an unpleasant truth about ourselves, or it might demolish the walls of our egocentric world. At the time, a “tower event“ tragedy like this will seem agonizing, for it represents the painful birthing process of our awakening to a higher consciousness, one that encompasses people outside of the walls of our ego-consciousness. Consider that when a crisis such as a car accident or a serious illness in the family strikes, the petty concerns of our individual lives suddenly shrink in importance. A quarrel with a loved one, for example, will then fade into insignificance compared to the truly big concerns in life, such as love and understanding, compassion and generosity, suffering and death. The challenge is to retain this higher level of consciousness after the crisis is over. We can see how something that seems to be a catastrophe actually may be a blessing such as a forced eviction from a prison of illusions or a situation (such as a relationship or a job) that no longer enriches our lives or supports our spiritual development (assuming it ever did). But the extent to which a crisis serves this purpose depends upon our perspective of it and our willingness to learn and grow from it. Do we see the bolt of lightening as a purely destructive force, or do we see it as a brief connection between heaven and earth? Do we let the flames of tragedy consume us or purify us? Ideally, a shattering experience represented by the Tower card will cleanse us and clear away that which was trivial or destructive in our lives in order to get us moving again along the path of our spiritual journey. This path may seem frightening in its unfamiliarity, but it will prove enriching in its vast, open potential. James is starting a Tarot Group for the L.A. area. If you would like to join, email: JAMES RICKLEF is a professional Tarot reader, teacher, and writer. His book, “Tarot: Get the Whole Story,” explains how to create spreads, and presents a variety of spreads which it illustrates using sample readings for well-known historical, mythical, and fictional characters. For more info about James’ work, see his website: www.JamesRicklef.com |
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