Tarot Tutorial: The Tower Meaning

People who don’t really know the tarot usually think Death is the scariest card. People at the beginning of their tarot journey sometimes switch to seeing the Tower as the scariest. But long-time tarot pros know living a pretty lie can be scarier than facing an ugly but necessary truth in the long run.

When the Tower card comes up in a reading, expect all the cracks in our foundations, all the skeletons we have in our closet show up in bright, day-glow colors. Recognizing these truths might mean a big shake up in the way we live our lives. While it might be tempting to run the other way from these truths, being aware of them can help us remake our lives into something stronger than they were before.

The Meaning of The Tower in a Love Reading

Expect some telenovela level tea to get spilled, bestie. While there may have been warnings (and more than one red flag) that you’ve glossed over before, something really dramatic is about to happen that will expose toxicity in your partner, your relationship, or both. Like Maya Angelou says, when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. If you need to get some feedback or perspective from a neutral source, go for it. But absolutely do not sweep this new revelation under the rug or minimize it.

If the Tower card came up in a position representing you, consider it a wake-up call about your lack of compatibility. There may be one (or more) profound differences between you. It’s a sad fact, but sometimes love just isn’t always enough. You may also have noticed your attention might be drifting towards someone other than your partner. You owe it to both of you to be honest about your feelings so you can both start fresh.

When the Tower card comes up reversed in a love reading, the worst may be behind you. There will be no further awful revelations. No more bad surprises. With a little time and breathing room, you might find there’s something worth salvaging from the wreckage of the past. But you both need to commit to fixing the things that made it go wrong, or you’ll be right back where you started. Alternatively, something is keeping you from making the fresh start you both so desperately need. You may need to get creative about ways to put space between you and them so you can get a clear picture about what comes next for you.

The Meaning of The Tower in a Future Reading

The truth may set you free, but that doesn't mean it won’t sting a little once you recognize it. When the Tower appears in a future reading, -ish is going to get unavoidably real. Something you thought was solid or a sure thing is going to fall apart at a pretty bad time. Since this is for a future reading you may have a little time to get a Plan B in place to deal with the fallout. Definitely look at the surrounding cards for clues on how the Tower’s energy will show up. The main thing to keep in mind is that denial of how bad things are will only make the problem worse.

If the Tower shows up in a position representing you, this could indicate a dark night of the soul or having a core belief shaken up in some way. One of the hardest things anyone can do is honestly confront their flaws, admit they were wrong, AND take steps for real and meaningful change. Be prepared for sadness, anger, and even grief as you are going through this process. The pain of the Tower is the first step towards healing and going towards a future aligned to who you are. But you have to face it head on and own up to where your behavior has been less than ideal.

The phrase “things will never be the same again” might feel more like a reason to celebrate than mourn when the Tower comes up reversed in a future reading. There is a part of you that will be deeply relieved at the revelation of some hard truth. It may be the closure you need to finally start getting on a path that serves you instead of holding you down. Alternatively, it could indicate that someone (maybe you) has decided to dig in their heels and refuse to acknowledge reality. If it’s someone else, you’ll need to decide how you’ll want to handle it. If it comes up in a position representing you, then you need to know that denial is only going to make the pain worse. Better to deal with something unpleasant now than give it a chance to fester.

The Meaning of The Tower in a Career Reading

Oooof... Brushing up your LinkedIn profile is a good idea right now, bestie. When the Tower appears in a career reading, this could be pointing to some major mishandling of corporate resources or money. Even if you didn’t have anything to do with it, you’re in the splash zone. It’s a very good idea to take a look at the surrounding cards to figure out a way to soften some of the impact. Best case scenario, the guilty parties pay the toll and you’ll be part of the clean up crew. Worst case—yeah, check up on your LinkedIn.

If the Tower card comes up representing you, you have some hard questions to ask yourself. Firstly, do you even like what you do? Something could happen that pushes you to the breaking point where you are questioning all of the choices that got you to where you are. You aren’t happy and the cracks are beginning to show. The second thing you need to do is be honest about where you downplayed or minimized things at work. All those things might be brought up soon, and if you want a chance to stay where you are, you need to have a good explanation ready.

When the Tower card comes up reversed, corporate life may get shaken up, but it could be for the better. An awful boss or a backstabby co-worker could be cut loose from the company. Their departure might be the beginning of better opportunities for you. Alternatively, someone terrible gets a pass on their terribleness, further dragging down the work culture and perhaps even the company. Decide if you really want to be in a place that excuses bad behavior. Your mental health may be better served by looking for a new place to work.

Stack the Deck in your Favor with a Tarot Reading!

Still wondering what hard truths the Tower will reveal? We gotchu! Our tarot experts have got the skills to go deep when you need answers about love, career, or anything else that’s been weighing on your mind. See how their insight can have you moving in the right direction to manifest the life of your dreams.