Tarot Card Symbolism: The Lovers of the Major Arcana

The Lovers are the sixth card of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. They are the embodiment of a choice rather not faced, and of the consequences of this choice.

The Symbolism of the Lovers Tarot Card

The lovers are represented by a young couple, who are naked. Their nudity represents their innocence in love. Between them is a spirit, or an angel, which separates them. Behind each lover is a tree, each full of fruit. The love between these two has come to fruition.

The Lovers bear the number “6”, and are the guides in love of the Fool after his encounter with the Hierophant.

The General Interpretation of the Lovers Card

When appearing in a spread, this card suggests that you must make some kind of choice; often, the choice involves love or relationships. The Fool, who has learned about his own duality, must now put his values to the test. He must now make a choice.

This choice can take a variety of forms. It could mean a love triangle, or the problem of a hasty marriage. This card may also indicate the need to choose between love and something more tangible, such as a career. The Lovers emphasize the need to consider carefully all possible choices, to truly examine all possible consequences, rather than being driven blindly by desire or lust.

The Inner Meaning of the Lovers in Tarot

The Lovers are the image of the first true challenge of the Fool’s life — a choice in love. This does not only mean a choice between two women, or two men. It also is a reflection of chosen values, of the decision the Fool must make, which will define him as a person forevermore. The Fool is not yet fully mature, and so has difficulty separating his physical desires from what is right.

The consequences of the choice he must make are far-reaching, affecting every part of his life. This choice is thrust upon him before he is ready, as are many choices in life, and so a mistake may be inevitable. This situation cannot be avoided, and a choice must be made; abstaining from this choice is not an option. All the Fool can do is consider his options, then make the best possible choice given his maturity and the information he has available.

The Fool, not yet ready for this, does not fully understand that all choices — good and bad — carry consequences. This is an important lesson for the Fool, for he must realize that all things have a cost associated with them.

The Lovers are who the Fool must encounter after he meets the Hierophant, on his path to meeting the Chariot.

Tarot Card Symbolism: The Hierophant of the Major Arcana

The Hierophant is the fifth card of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. He is the embodiment of spirituality, of the search for the divine.

The Symbolism of the Hierophant Tarot Card

The Hierophant is represented with his right hand raised, two fingers pointing skyward, two pointing downward. This forms a bridge between heaven and earth, making the Hierophant the builder of the bridge between humans and the divine. He is seated between two pillars, representing law and liberty, symbolizing a need to balance the two. He wears a triple crown, and the keys to heaven lie at his feet.

The Hierophant bears the number “5,” and is the spiritual teacher of the Fool after his encounter with the Emperor.

The General Interpretation of the Hierophant Card

When appearing in a spread, this card suggests that you will begin to seek answers of a philosophical nature. This could emerge in a variety of ways — perhaps the study of a particular philosophy or belief system, or even as a decision to undertake a quest for the meaning of life.

The Hierophant may be representative of an analyst, psychotherapist, priest, or other spiritual mentor to whom you can turn to for comfort and help. This is where the Fool arrives as he begins to seek answers to the mystery of himself and the meaning of his life. The Fool learns from the Hierophant that he can express a personal philosophy, that he can have an individual vision of the spirit.

The Inner Meaning of the Hierophant in Tarot

The Hierophant is the image of the part of you that reaches upward, toward the spirit, in order to understand what is required of you by the divine. He is the spiritual teacher, the one who establishes a connection between humanity and the divine. His is the power of the mind, rather than of the body.

This character is far more concerned with divine law; the laws of man are beneath him. This does not necessarily mean that he is concerned with orthodox religion. Instead, he encourages an individual relationship with the divine, one which can only be forged with the priest within. He teaches that you must find the divine for yourself, find your own way to connect to it.

On another level, the Hierophant represents the wounded part of you. It is this aspect of him that allows problems or limitations to create a deeper sense of compassion. He teaches the understanding of pain, and an appreciation for the pain of others. It is though him that the Fool learns true empathy.

The Hierophant is who the Fool must encounter after he meets the Emperor, on his path to meeting the Lovers.

Tarot Card Symbolism: The Emperor of the Major Arcana

The Emperor is the fourth card of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. He is the embodiment of authority and domination, and the male ego.

The Symbolism of the Emperor Tarot Card

The Emperor is depicted as a mature man, with broad shoulders. He is seated on a stone throne atop a mountain, showing his dominion over the skies. His robes are red and he wears a golden crown. In one hand he holds the globe of the world; in the other is his scepter. He represents the ultimate male authority, and the male ego.

The Emperor bears the number “4” and he is the father figure of the Fool, who is said to encounter the Emperor after meeting with the Empress.

The General Interpretation of the Emperor Card

When appearing in a spread, this card suggest a confrontation with either a father figure or a father-type issue; whether it is negative or positive is not the point. It is a challenge to make something manifest, to build something lasting in the world. It may indicate the beginning of a business or establishing a structure for the family. It is a very practical card. This card asks for effectiveness and power, a formulation of ideas into something cohesive and real.

This card is also a reminder that the once-young prince can become the rigid king, perhaps even an oppressor. The Fool, when encountering the Emperor, learns about the practical, logical side of life. He learns that he must confront life with his own resources, according to the rules and ethics he has established for himself. Only then can he progress on his journey, once he is confident in his belief in authority.

The Inner Meaning of the Emperor in Tarot

The Emperor is the image of fathering. It is the father who embodies spiritual ideals, ethical responsibility, and self-sufficiency. He teaches his children to survive in the world. He provides these children with authority and ambition; he gives them the desire to succeed, and the discipline and foresight to accomplish their goals. This card is different from the Empress, for the Emperor does not convey unconditional love and acceptance. The Emperor praises the spirit, not the body, and he demands action (rather than just intuition) of his children.

The Emperor instills self-respect and an ability to meet life’s challenges. Though this father figure can be caring and compassionate, he can also be angry and unforgiving when his laws are broken. Therefore, he has a darker face, the face of rigidity and self-righteousness. To embrace the Emperor is to embrace the idea that you have the ability to initiate projects, and see them to fruition.

This card can be dominating in many aspects. It can indicate a set of beliefs or ideals that are inflexible and arrogant, with no concern for human feelings. In this case, it can indicate a time to throw off this oppression.

The Fool, when encountering the Emperor, learns that he must find ethical principles by which to live, principles which are not fluid, but strong and inflexible. He must find his inner strength, and not allow instinct alone to drive him.

The Emperor is encountered by the Fool; this encounter occurs after he meets the Empress, while on his path to meeting the Hierophant.

Tarot Card Symbolism: The Empress of the Major Arcana

The Empress is the third card of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. She represents a more earthly phase of life, and the patience and nurturing of a mother.

The Symbolism of the Empress Tarot Card

The Empress sits on her throne, wearing a starry crown. She holds her scepter, representing her power over life. Her throne is in the midst of a field of grain, showing her dominion over growing things. Her crown has twelve stars, showing all that she rules the twelve months of the year.

The Empress bears the number "3," and is the nurturer of the Fool after his encounter with the High Priestess.

The General Interpretation of the Empress Card

When appearing in a spread, this card suggests the movement into a more earthly phase of life. A marriage or birth may be in the making, or the birth of a creative child, such as a great artistic work, for this too requires patience and nurturing.

This card is a reminder of the skills that were learned from the High Priestess, and a strong message indicating that now may be the time to use them. It is through this card that you enter the physical world for the first time, the realm of the body. It is here that the Fool learns that he is also a physical creature, in addition to being a spiritual creature. He learns to appreciate all that means, and to treasure those moments when he can just be.

The Inner Meaning of the Empress in Tarot

The Empress is the ultimate expression of mothering. This does not just mean the physical process of giving birth and nurturing the young (though it certainly can be representative of these traits), but also includes the more inner processes of nurturing: the experience of being a part of the natural rhythms of life, the appreciation for the work that is involved in the process of the development a new life, and the simple pleasure of daily existence.

Without the spirit of the Empress, you cannot appreciate the physical self, nor can you bring anything to fruition. She is the side of you that is full of patience and gentleness, and she grounds you in the physical, bringing a reminder that it is possible to be too concerned with the spiritual. Feelings of safety and trust are connected with this card, just as a child associates these things with a mother figure.

The Empress is wise, but not in the way of the High Priestess. The wisdom of the Empress is more earthy and natural, and brings with it an understanding of how all things are connected. From her you learn about the rhythms and cycles of life. You can begin to understand about the balance of all things, how for every good there must also be an evil, for every joy, a sorrow. For many, this is the hardest lesson of all.

In the real world, the Empress represents a woman who is a nurturer of life. The person who is there to catch a child when they fall, and whose love is unconditional, the love of a mother for her child. She is forgiveness and patience, and will wait as long as is necessary for her children to appreciate the lessons she has to teach.

The Empress is who the Fool must encounter after he meets the High Priestess, on his path to meeting the Emperor.