The Tower | Ryder Waite Tarot | Lightening Bolt
If you’ve managed to take yourself above the tree tops and think about 2020, you’ll realise that it’s much more than COVID, fires, unrest, conflict and political turmoil. This is our incredible change energy, demonstrating the power of the Universe. Several Ryder Waite Tarot cards explain what’s happening; none describe it more aptly than The Tower. My lightning bolt description is not a “We must do this!” story. It’s a reflection of 2020 Energy, which is a one-in-500-year event. So when we think of the events of 2020, we need to understand that all the things happening are energy symptoms.
The Ryder Waite Tarot picture of The Tower is a materialistic conception of the Universe or, put another way, the lightning bolt of destruction that comes to a life based purely on materialistic principles. This can be an individual, a couple, a community or state, or a whole country. Frequently, energies and explanations from the Tarot experience can be widened from the individual to the expanse of the mass (as in a population).
Specifically, we’re seeing or reflecting on the total breakdown of the individual who lives a life of wealth creation, fame and physical pleasure. Individually, these traits are fine; It’s when they are the only traits is when things go awry. This is especially true when the whole life is lived only for these traits—unfortunately, they are hard to spot for the individual. Groups are more accessible for outsiders to notice—almost impossible for those within. However, under the influence of The Tower, there’s sure to be a crash, and quickly. Think back to 1989 when the Berlin Wall was reduced to rubble—that crash happened within a few days.
Aspects of The Tower
Let’s look at The Tower itself and note I’m talking about the individual—person, individual group, individual community, individual state, or country.
Grey Tower, Gold Crown
Prisons around the world are grey. If this is a person, they have successfully built a prison around themself. Consider people who live in the protection of the gated community—are they locked in or trying to lock others out? The gold crown represents the untouchable, “I’m right in what I do, and no one can touch me!”. Indeed an arrogant and greedy way to look at life.
The Explosion
The explosion is external to this person. This person always looks at things externally. It must be someone else’s fault. “Why have people turned against me?’, “Why have I lost my job?” or moreover, “Why has my work (and) career collapsed?” and lastly, “Why is there some much violence around me?”. These are the symptoms of the explosion.
As said, this is external. These individuals can’t look within themselves. More external examples are the death or illness of someone close and economic problems in the home and extending into society–COVID-19 is a great example. Think about other explosions—natural disasters like storms and fires often lead to floods. Note the lightning bolt; floods come from storms and lightning—even bushfires and volcanic eruptions have lightning.
Drops of Fire
Some hints in the tarot surprise us. Consider those little fire-like petals falling to the ground. These are referred to as yods (shaped like the Hebrew letter yod) and are a saving grace for people under this influence. Yods are a form of grace and calmness. They allow us to free ourselves peacefully, but only if we heed the warnings and move. Yods represent an either/or scenario—you free yourself gracefully and consistently, or life forces will arrange the explosion. For most, it’s the explosion.
Background: Dark but not Black
The background represents what this person or population is not seeing. We’ve already seen the grey tower, and its prison-like consciousness, so this person does not even attempt to look beyond their material life—it’s not that these people want to look; it’s that they are incapable of looking.
All At Once: The Lightening Bolt
Consider the Ryder Waite Tarot, The Tower, as the lightning bolt. Sudden energy built up far away and released with a blinding flash. This is The Tower’s big message. A river flows within, but unfortunately, it’s not flowing freely. There’s a blockage between the conscious and the unconscious. The bottleneck is like a dam—the river is flowing, but the dam is filling relentlessly. Water flows from storms (and lightning) all around, and people do not even know there’s an obstruction. Just imagine what would happen if one of those lightning bolts struck the dam wall—the effects are immediate—no warning.
What we’re seeing is the blocked-up energy released with a rush.
Truth
The Ryder Waite Tarot story, in every card, has a hierarchy of meanings. The dam story is an explanation of part of the story. The real underlying story is one of truth. Truth is elusive; it comes to us all at once or not at all. Every day the forces of nature test us; we receive snippets but rarely the ‘truth’. It’s not until we’re 100% ready that we receive the truth. Everything else is a mind story or elements of truth. Do we ask if we’re prepared for it? Mostly, we are not.
Because of The Tower (and The Lightening), its combined power and suddenness are absolute. The period of violent upheaval can be literal—accidents, material loss, personal loss etc.—or psychological—little wonder events like a partnership breakup result in frustration, anger and even violence.
Freedom
Lastly, let’s consider the lightning bolt for a moment. When there is a storm with thunder, rain and lightning, have you noticed it’s an energetic time? Rivers run free, the ground is replenished, and the air becomes electrically charged—we only need to listen to an old radio on AM band to hear the effects of lightning; it’s pervasive. I love to watch a summer storm sweep past my house.
Lightening can lead to freedom with new beginnings. In this case, the space, if we’re ready, can be a flash of enlightenment. Be aware, though, enlightenment is not something you can learn, and it’s an inner being, a knowing. The storm and lightning may cause damage, but if ready, we rebuild, learn, and grow.
This is the cycle of life.
This is true freedom.
Psychic Andrew Warnes
