General

In traditional tarot, the Tower is depicted as a tower (literally) that is struck by lightning. There are flames all around and people are jumping out of windows in an attempt to escape the destruction from the lightning. The Tower, to me, is about clearing out the old in order to bring in something new. I like how the Tower symbolises the crumbling of the façade to reveal the truth within, and with this truth, we can rebuild ourselves again. This does not mean that the Tower is a pleasant experience, at the heart of it, the Tower still means destruction and my experiences with the Tower is that the events that follow are often life-changing, with your world crumbling beneath your feet.

Upright

Because the Tower means change in a very impactful and shocking way, the Tower popping up in a reading could mean that there are endings in sight. In love, the Tower could meant that there is going to be a break up. Usually, relationships that are not built on solid foundations would start to crumble. And for relationships that are built on solid foundations, the Tower can be a test to see what can be improved in your relationship.

In career and finances, the Tower could mean a sudden job loss, or disruption in your work (like how COVID-19 has had an impact on our jobs and how we conduct our day to day business). The Tower can also mean a huge financial loss and this can become a wake up call when it comes to your finances.

Reversed

The positive thing about the Tower card is that these changes that are inevitable are helping you to break free. Perhaps you have been building up or trying to build up a life that is built on faulty or shaky foundations, and the Tower is here to correct it. Yes, the Tower can be painful but in the aftermath, it can bring you a lot of peace. In love, the Tower could mean that you are willingly leaving a relationship behind, knowing that this is no longer serving you anymore. And it is not easy leaving someone, a situation or a relationship behind but ultimately, you know that this is what is best for you.

In career and finances, this is a reminder that you would survive the changes in your work place. You would be surviving your financial disasters. And what happens is just much needed change, and for you to make much needed changes to your lifestyle, work ethic/professionalism, or spending habits.

Astrological Associations

The Tower is associated with Mars. Mars is the planet of energy, action, and desire. It is the survival instinct and can be thought of as the “leftover” animal nature of man. This is very much the mode we step into during a Tower moment. Mars rules our instincts for survival and the drive that pushes us towards movement. The Tower drives us to act, to change, albeit in very drastic and forceful ways. But this Tower moment may be what is necessary for us to move forward on our journey to self growth or for our relationships to grow.