Introducing The Lovers VI
We see three figures: a man and a woman, and above them in the center, dominating the card, an angel.
The man is looking at the woman (this is important to note, and will be explained later), and the women is looking at the angel. The angel gazes down at them.
Behind the man and woman are two trees, and between them a phallic-looking mountain. The sun covers the top of the card.
Symbols & Systems
The Garden of eden
Before we delve deeper into this card’s symbolism, let’s explore the story that this card represents: the Garden of Eden, which has many layers and is a deep archetype of life itself.
We read in Genesis 1: 26 – 27:
God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, otherwise known as Paradise. Here they were naked, innocent, and without a deep consciousness. When God placed them in the garden, He warned them that they could eat anything in the garden, BUT NOT the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
One day Eve was standing near the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and she started a conversation with a snake residing in the tree, who suggested that she taste the tree’s fruit.
Eve told the snake that God had warned her that she would die if she ate the fruit. The Snake scoffed and said, ‘Rubbish. When you eat the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you’ll be like God. You’ll know about good and evil’. So, Eve picked the fruit and ate it, getting Adam to share it with her.
The result was that their eyes were ‘opened’ and suddenly they had consciousness, with an awareness of good and evil and therefore the ability to make their own choices. They didn’t physically die; what died was their lack of awareness.
God was angered and cast them out of the Garden of Eden. But now the humans had the ability to be directed through pain and growth and evolve, which had been impossible back in Paradise. They now had free choice.
In The Lovers card, while we’re looking at a deeper esoteric meaning to this myth, beyond the superficial patriarchal layer, it does help to understand the story behind the card. We now have the ability to go beyond the story and create a new paradise, uniting our inner opposites: our inner male and female.
man
The man is Adam, which derives from the Hebrew word adama אדמה, or “earth”. As Adam was made from the earth; he’s part of the Earth. In the bible, Adam was the first human.
woman
The woman is Eve, whose Hebrew name, Chava, means “life”.
So Earth [Adam] and life-force [Chava / Eve] unite to create new life: the ultimate fertility.
nakedness
The man and woman are naked as they dwell in Paradise and are innocent and unaware of their nakedness. When we cover ourselves, we lose our innocence.
relationship
There are two accounts in the Torah of how man and woman were created: In the first, God causes Adam to sleep, takes a rib from him, and fashions from it a woman. This is a later, patriarchal account. The second account is more equal, with man and women being created at the same time.
Note how Adam looks at Eve on the card. Adam represents our consciousness, earthly nature, and rational mind. He looks to Eve for guidance.
Eve represents the unconscious and life-force itself; she looks up to the angel. She seeks out the guidance of the super-conscious that Raphael represents.
So, in fact in this triad of characters we can see Man’s relationship to his inner heart/intuition/unconscious; and Woman’s relationship to a higher spiritual energy.
1) Conscious, 2) subconscious, 3) super-conscious
1) Male, 2) Female and 3) beyond gender
body postures
The man and woman are standing; they are active in their roles. Their hands reach out to each other.
facial expressions
Adam looks passive on this card as he looks at Eve, who gazes up at the angel with longing and questioning eyes. The angel gazes down with calmness and serenity.
the mountain
The mountain is at the center between Adam and Eve. It has several meanings. First of all it looks phallic, and indeed the Hebrew letter corresponding to this card is the first letter in zayin, Hebrew for “penis”. Secondly, the mountain can signify how relationships between men and women can be difficult, and that sometimes it’s a challenging journey to attain the heights that are possible. Thirdly, it can signify that often there is a mountain between the conscious (Adam) and subconscious (Eve).
green grass
Signifies fertility and life-force.
clouds
Raphael rests upon clouds, indicating that he resides in the heavens. He is also the angel of air, the element associated with Gemini.
sun
The sun dominates this card. Remember being in love? Your whole world exploded with light, happiness, and ecstasy. The sun promises that love is around us and can give us joy and life-force. The sun on The Lovers card can also represent keter, which is the crown and source of life in the Tree of Life diagram, and brings many blessings.
The tree and the snake
The tree behind Eve is the Tree of Knowledge, and the snake will persuade Eve to eat from the fruit of this tree, which God has forbidden. Why would God forbid us to eat fruit from this tree? This question has occupied philosophers and religious thinkers for millennia. Eating the forbidden fruit will bring awareness, which gives us the ability to choose. By choosing, we take control of our lives and destiny. God no longer controls us.
the flame / fig tree
The tree behind Adam represents the Tree of Life. It has 12 figs/fire symbols, corresponding to the 12 signs of the zodiac. Each fig has three points, just as each astrological symbol has 3 decanates. The universe (zodiac) lives within us – we are not seperate from it.
archangel raphael
Angels traditionally are genderless. Raphael is not only an angel, but an archangel, the archangel of healing. His name in Hebrew means ‘healer of God’ / ‘God is our healing’. Raphael represents the Higher Self, which is devoted to healing you and loving you unconditionally.
Raphael’s robe is purple. In ancient times, purple dye was costly, so only royalty could wear it. Raphael’s purple robe signifies that he is high up in the ranks of specialness. Raphael can symbolise the deep healing that comes from uniting our inner masculine and feminine. The deep healing that comes from relationship to another and to God / Spirit / Source.
gods / goddesses
The Lovers is ruled by all the love/passion Gods and Goddesses, past and present. Traditionally the Goddess was more involved in love.
Female: Aphrodite, Cybele, Demeter, Gaia, Rhea, Bona Dea, Carmenta, Fecunditas, Juno, Livera, Ops, Terra, Venus, Inanna, Isthar, Ningal, Aditi, Paravati, Hathor, Isis, Tawaret, Brigid, Freyja
Male: Min, Osiris, Ba’al, Cernunnos, Freyr, Bacchus, Dionysus, Pan, Chandra, Kokopelli
number
The number of The Lovers is 6, which breaks down to 2 + 2 + 2. 2 is represented by the High Priestess, on whose card we see seated between two pillars of opposing energy and color. So too are man and woman opposite, yet equal. 6 also breaks down to 3 + 3, which represents the Empress, the ultimate fertility card: From the union of opposites comes new life.
Astrology
The astrological sign Gemini (The Twins) is associated with the Lovers card. Gemini is about duality. It can indicate two people with a connection. It can also represent the two aspects inside us of male and female. Gemini rules the arms, hands, shoulders, lungs, bronchi, and nerves.
Geminis are communicators and love investigation, inquiry, and experimentation. They adapt and change according to circumstances and are good at perceiving all aspects of a situation. Just like Eve, Gemini people are curious and willing to adapt and change.
Kabbalah
The creators of the Rider Waite Tarot deck were members of the Golden Dawn, a group that followed teachings based on the Kabbalah. Kabbalists are mystics who believe that God is neither male nor female, and has many aspects. Kabbalah is all about learning why we’re here, the mystery of the universe, and what the big plan is.
As aforementioned, being the 7th card in the tarot deck, The Lovers corresponds the 7th Hebrew letter, zayin ז , which is also the Hebrew word for both penis and weapon, both of which get directly to the point!
The Lovers on The Tree of Life sits at the sefirah Tiferet, which is associated with compassion.
Smell is the main sense associated with The Lovers, indicating keen perception. We can ‘sniff out a situation’ and make better choices.
The name of The Lovers is ‘Disposing Intelligence’, which means that this card teaches us to organize and sort out via choice our ideas, emotions, and feelings, i.e., analyze and “cut through” a situation with the directness of a sword, i.e., a weapon, or zayin.
The message from The Lovers VI
The Lovers wants you to know that love is in your life right now or will be shortly. You may also need to make some choices, which should come from the heart, as the choice you make now will affect and change your future.
Ask yourself these questions:
• Am I ready for a relationship?
• Am I ready to improve the relationship I’m in?
• Do I need to make some decisions/changes around my relationship?
• Do I feel love inside of me?
• Am I ready to give and receive love?
• Am I ready to make a choice with my heart?
• Can I choose with my higher consciousness and love?
• Am I living a life full of passion and love?
Allow yourself to focus on the essence of love in all its various forms. The Lovers Card tells you that when you’re ready, love will surround you.
The Lovers VI reversed
When I see a reversed card, I simply see the energy blocked or inhibited in some way. How would The Lovers be inhibited?
I imagine that there would be a sense of a lack of love, whether you’re partnered or not; a sense of dissatisfaction, or inability to make a decision that would bring more harmony into your life.
If you get The Lovers reversed for yourself or someone else, some questions to ask might be…
• Do I feel blocked in my ability to make a choice?
• Am I lonely?
• Am I feeling disconnected from my heart and from love?
• Am I in a relationship that is not healthy for me?
• Am I ignoring issues in my relationship?
• Am I finding it hard to open my heart once again?
The Lovers reversed is alerting you to wake up and realize that you’re unhappy and it’s time to do something about it. Waiting for things to get better will not make you happy. You need to make a choice about what you want in life today.
To sum it all up
The Lovers invites you to understand that when you don’t make conscious decisions, decisions will be made for you. You have the ability to create the future you want by making the right decisions.
Make those decisions from the heart: not from the head, or out of fear.
If you want true love, ask the universe for it. If you’re looking for a soul mate, ask the universe for it. If you want your current relationship to be better, ask the universe to help you make it happen.
