The Lovers
The Bringer of Choices and Passion
The Lovers is Major Arcana number 6, representing the first major choice that The Fool must make in order to continue along their path through the Arcana. It is the source of opinion and aesthetics for the rest of the Tarot deck. The Tarot interpretation of the Lovers often involves strong feelings of romantic or platonic love, usually accompanied by a difficult choice or moral quandary.
The Lovers Card Meaning
The Lovers card is about passion and beauty, but also morality, values, and the difficult decisions that those things sometimes force upon us. This card reminds us that whenever we choose one thing, we are denying something else. At the same time represents the reasons we had for making the choice that we did, which is usually that it was in some way the most attractive or appealing option (or the least un-appealing). In a Love Reading, this card can represent your relationship, or a crucial decision one of you made that has shaped it: try a Love Situation Reading Here.
Symbolism in the Lovers
The Lovers symbolizes the choice between two comparable things, as well as arrows, snakes, and cherubs. Like Major Arcana number 3, The Empress, the Lovers overlaps with passion, love, and pleasure; but unlike the Empress, whose love is indiscriminating and instinctive, the Lovers has more to do with the love we give out intentionally, or have to work to build over time. The Lovers is commonly associated with the zodiac sign Gemini in the context of Astrology, as both are about human connections, but also contain a degree of choosiness or discernment. Like its number, 6, the Lovers also has to do with beauty and perfection, as well as making adjustments for other people.
The Snake: Temptation and Pleasure
There is a snake coiling on a tree on the left side of the card, evoking the Garden of Eden and the temptation to partake in delicious fruit. This is a symbol of the Lover’s penchant for beautiful things, sensory pleasure, and even lust. At the same time, it is a caution about becoming too enamored by these material things and losing sight of what matters most.
The Burning Tree: Lust and Passion
On the other side of the card, opposite the snake, is a burning tree. Like the snake this is a symbol of desire, but while the snake represents the more passive and receptive concepts of temptation and curiosity, the burning tree represents desire combined with action, usually manifesting as passion or lust. The two figures are flanked on either sides by these twin symbols, indicating that they are currently wrapped up in those kinds of thoughts or feelings.
The Figure in the Sky: Matchmaker
It may seem natural for the Lovers card to have only two figures, representing a couple, but there is a third entity in the sky, looking down at the couple from above. In some Tarot decks this third figure is cupid, who shoots the Lovers with his arrows to ignite their want for each other. In other decks this third figure might be a parent or guardian. There must always be a third figure, for this card ultimately represents a choice in which one of the figures chooses between the other two. Notice how one of the two humans on the card is looking upward at the sky, noticing the being up there looking down upon them, while the other looks directly across, ignoring or perhaps unaware of this third presence.
The Lovers Card Reversed Meaning
The Lovers reversed can mean passion gone awry, the re-alignment of your values, regret over a bad choice, or a difficult decision made easy. It can also indicate that you are not living in a way that is aligned with your values, or that you have made an unwise compromise.
Previous card: The Hierophant
Next card: The Chariot
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What do the Lovers represent in a Love or Relationship reading?
The Lovers can indicate passion and excitement in a relationship, and that there is harmony. However it is also a warning to think carefully through the choices you make about which partner to have, and how to treat them. The two Lovers must make compromises for each other, adjusting themselves to better fit the other person, but if this goes too far, they can lose their individual identity. When this card shows up in a love reading, make sure you are striking the right balance of accommodation and independence.
What does the Lovers symbolize in Career and Finances?
You may be facing a difficult choice between your morals or values and what is best for your career advancement or bank account. It could also be a choice about who to form a work partnership. Either way, this card is asking you to check in with your internal compass and make sure that you will be able to live with the choice you made for a long time. Imagine looking back on this decision in a year, or in 10 years; will you still be glad you made it the way that you did? If so then go for it; otherwise rethink your priorities and find a way to continue that you can feel good about.
What guidance do the Lovers have for everyday life?
The Lovers wants you to find joy and passion in everyday life, whether that is shared with another person or not. The only way to make good choices is to have a sense of what is good and what is bad, and the only way to develop that sense is to interact with the world and develop strong emotions about it. A partner can be a great help in this process, as they will see and do many of the the same things as you but may react differently. This can lead to useful discussions in which you mingle ideas and refine your view of the world, but the same progress can be made by talking to a close friend or family member, reading good books, or even just living while thinking critically. However you are able to develop and refine your perspective and sense of the world, the Lovers are encouraging you along this journey.
Do the Lovers represent you right now?
Click to reveal the card below – if it’s the Lovers, then this card’s energy is strongly influencing your right now! If not, it may be a message the Lovers want you to hear…
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