Tree of Life: Netzach into Hod – Path 27
Planet: Mars
Number: 16
Hebrew Letter: “Peh” meaning Mouth
Light: sudden change, release, revelation, awakening
Shadow: chaos, destruction, fear, unpredictability
Key Themes of The Tower Thoth Tarot Card
The Tower card in the Thoth Tarot deck symbolizes the destruction of self-created illusions, leading to the revelation of higher truths. The tower card stands for everything we’ve built for ourselves, and its destruction, while potentially devastating, can also be a beautiful revelation of a higher truth.
This card is often associated with a sudden glimpse of truth that shatters all false constructs. This is akin to the “veil of paroketh” when ascending the Tree of Life, representing what must be let go to achieve knowledge and conversation with the holy guardian angel.
The Fool's Lesson from The Tower
The Fool comes across a large ominous tower. When he walks through The Tower, he realizes that it symbolizes his lower conscious state of being. The Fool also realizes how far he has come in his journey, and how he now resides in a state of higher consciousness. As he makes note of this, The Tower suddenly starts crumbling down, uncovering a beautiful glowing star above.
He learns that in order to welcome new perspectives, his old ones must come crashing down. Destroy to rebuild. By doing this, The Fool gains a profound sense of freedom and unlocks the doors to his own limitless potential.
Joe’s Divine Guidance: The Tower in a Tarot Reading
Upright
When the Tower card appears upright, it signifies a sudden, unexpected change. It suggests that old structures or beliefs are being destroyed to make way for new insights and transformations.
Reversed
In the reversed position, the Tower card may indicate resistance to change or fear of letting go of old beliefs. It’s a call to confront these fears and embrace the transformation that’s taking place.
Mystical Symbolism: Decoding The Tower's Symbols
Tower: The tower signifies the limitations of our ego or the self-constructed identity that needs to be dismantled for growth.
Dove and Serpent: The dove, symbolizing passive love, descends into matter while the serpent, representing active love or kundalini energy, ascends towards enlightenment.
Eye of Shiva: The Eye of Shiva, a destroyer and creator, signifies the destruction of material illusions, marking the end of the Old Aeon.
Windows: The lower window, divided into ten squares, represents Malkuth, the 10th sephiroth. The upper window with a cross symbolizes the four elements (fire, water, air, earth) that constitute our physical, mental, and emotional bodies.
Lightning Flash: The five-pointed lightning flash signifies the spiritual illumination that breaks down our ego, associated with the 5th Sephiroth, Geburah, and the destructive energy of Mars.
Four Figures Falling: The black figures, depicted as crystals, represent the process of letting go of physical attachments as our old reality crumbles.
Nine Embers of Flames: The nine embers represent Yesod, the 9th sephiroth associated with the Moon and change. The Tower Card enforces change by destroying rigid structures that hinder growth.
Path 27 on the Tree of Life: Netzach into Hod
On the Tree of Life, The Tower card signifies the path from Netzach to Hod. This path represents the balance between thought and feeling, the war that takes place in our waking lives.
Netzach stands for efforts and desires, transformative and flowing, while Hod represents intellect and logical thinking. The Tower card, therefore, symbolizes the rhythm between design and destruction engendered by desire.
The Tower’s Hebrew Letter - Peh
The Tower card is associated with the Hebrew double letter “Peh,” which means “mouth.” This symbolizes the organ that gave birth to the most useful and most false technology: language. The double letter meaning of Peh is Grace and Sin or Beauty and Ugliness, further emphasizing the themes of destruction and revelation in The Tower card.
Astrology Insights: The Tower's Associations
In astrology, The Tower card is primarily associated with Mars, the planet of war and destruction. Mars is known as the “lesser benefic” and is the first planet that travels outside of Earth’s orbit, characteristic of its independence. Mars destroys to create, making things happen through destruction. This association enhances the themes of destruction and revelation in The Tower card.