The Lovers

Number: 6 Arcana: Major Arcana Suit: Trump Hebrew Alphabet: Zain/Sword/7

Keywords

love, passion, unity, choice

Fortune Telling

• A new personal or professional relationship blossoms
• Sexual opportunities abound
• Unexpectedly, a friend becomes a lover

Meanings

Light

• Being in love
• Showing your love to others
• Expressing passion or romantic feelings
• Aligning yourself with groups or like-minded others
• Bringing people together
• Making well-informed decisions

Shadow

• Debilitating passion
• Allowing an unhealthy desire for love to motivate destructive behavior
• Disrupting unity
• Working against the best interests of those who care about you
• Ill-informed decisions

Archetype

The Lover/Sexual Awakening

Numerology

6 (cooperation, collaboration, interaction)

Elemental

Gemini

Mythical/Spiritual

Obviously, Adam and Eve, who are depicted in RWS-influenced decks. Also Venus and Cupid, Aphrodite and Eros.

Esoteric Symbolism

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the card depicts two trees behind the lovers:

• The Tree of Life (behind the man) with twelve leaves/flames, representing Vahni (Fire).
• The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (behind the woman) with the serpent, representing Visha (Poison).

This aligns with Vijnana Bhairava Tantra Verse 68, which describes a meditation on the space between fire and poison:

Sanskrit

वह्नेर् विषस्य मध्ये तु चित्तं सुखमयं क्षिपेत्।
केवलं वायुपूर्णं वा स्मरानन्देन युज्यते॥ ६८॥

[!info] Transliteration

vahner viṣasya madhye tu cittaṁ sukhamayaṁ kṣipet|
kevalaṁ vāyupūrṇaṁ vā smarānandena yujyate || 68 ||

[!abstract] Translation

One should throw the blissful mind into the fire (manipura chakra) in the middle of that fibre-like lotus stalk (sushumna) or into that which is only full of air (anahata chakra). Then one is united with the remembrance of bliss.

Similarly, the Keshi Sukta (Rig Veda 10.136) mentions the long-haired sage (Keshi) sustaining both fire and poison:

Verse 10.136.1

Sanskrit

केश्यग्निं केशी विषं केशी बिभर्ति रोदसी ।
केशी विश्वं स्वर्दृशे केशीदं ज्योतिरुच्यते ॥

[!abstract] Translation

The Long-Haired One sustains the fire, he sustains the “poison” (cosmic drink); he sustains heaven and earth. The Long-Haired One is the entire sky for us to look upon; the Long-Haired One is called this very Light.

Verse 10.136.7

Sanskrit

वायुरस्मा उपामन्थत्पिनष्टि स्मा कुनन्नमा ।
केशी विषस्य पात्रेण यद्रुद्रेणापिबत्सह ॥

[!abstract] Translation

For him, Vāyu has churned the drink; the Long-Haired One, with the cup, drank the “poison” together with Rudra.

Affirmation

N/A

Questions to Ask

• What guides my choices?
• What is my heart leading me to do?
• How might this decision transform me as a person?

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Reference: Tarot