The Lovers is an excellent example of the many layers of Tarot. On the surface—and where many people are most interested in this card—The Lovers symbolizes a coming together for mutual harmonizing. Love or business, romantic or platonic, this card reflects (or points to, depending on the position in the reading) two halves making a harmonious whole where each feels like they are getting the better end of the bargain. The union it represents comes with much ease and balance. Almost effortless, this magnificent, natural connection is mutually beneficial to all parties involved! An extremely positive card!
From a deeper level, The Lovers is about choice and reconciliation of opposites whether with another person or within oneself. Although choice is a wonderful thing when it comes to chocolate or vanilla, it can feel like a burden when it comes to more troubling life situations, thus, we often avoid it. Like Scarlet O’Hara we decide to ‘think about that tomorrow’ and distract ourselves with the daily act of living. However, choice is not
We live these “build your own story” type lives where we get results from the choices we make. Our choices bring about new circumstances in which we must make more decisions which create more circumstances, and, in turn, more decisions in an ever-flowing pattern of choose, live, choose some more.
When The Lovers appears it points to a critical decision needing to be made; in effect, a choice is necessary. Choice is not always easy but it’s required for our personal progression in life. Whether we like to think of it or not, whatever situation we are currently living we have played the lead role in it, and although we cannot control every circumstance that comes into our lives, we lay the building blocks with our personal choices. Positive and negative conditions alike, it doesn’t matter; our past choices have gotten us to where we are today. Even when we are experiencing the heartbreak of a troubled relationship, we have allowed the situation to get to this agonizing point because of our choices in the past….our choice to go to bed angry, our choice not to discuss difficult topics because of the uncomfortable feelings they create, our choice to ignore issues in hopes they will change without any effort.
Everything is a choice from how we let people treat us to how we treat other people. Flying off the handle is a choice, going to a hated job everyday is a choice, what we decide to think about is a choice. Essentially, we must keep in mind that some of our choices and decisions affect more lives than our own; therefore, consideration of all ramifications should be taken seriously when making difficult or significant decisions. Acting selfishly and then hiding behind “It’s my choice!” is no excuse for making poor decisions and dragging the people you love through muck and mire. We must strike a balance in our decision-making, taking all factors of self and others into consideration. The Lovers tells us that ultimately our choices should bring about harmonious unification of not only our inner and outer selves, but also ourselves and the outside world.
In older decks, The Lovers card is depicted as a man standing between two women (another indication the card represents choice), and from the sky a cupid-type figure is pointing his arrow at the male suggesting that if we follow our hearts when making decisions, we will make the right one.
The Lovers corresponds to the number Six which symbolizes love and creative forces, yet another hint of the many layers of the card signifying love, choice, and the resulting manifestation.
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