Is The Tower always abrupt?

KnightOfTheCosmos

Hello all! I have a somewhat odd question to ask, and I really hope I can phrase it well. I've been doing readings about starting a new class and The Tower came up. Other than that reading, it's been popping up in other readings too, and not just in the same deck either.

I know I'm going through some big changes. The way I used to think is changing. And I can actually feel a big change coming but it's as if I keep missing it.

My question is: does The Tower always have to represent sudden and abrupt change that you can't see coming or that you haven't thought about? Can The Tower represent change that you can actually FEEL coming, or is it always a big surprise?

I hope this makes sense and I hope it's not a silly question, haha.

rwcarter

I can see the Tower representing the flash of recognition that what you've been searching for/working towards has finally been achieved - "AHA!" or "Oh Sh*t" becomes instead "There it is!" That change can come suddenly but not necessarily unexpectedly.

Rodney

Grizabella

Since the card shows lightning I think the usual conclusion that comes to mind is that it's something that happens suddenly and unexpectedly but on the other hand, if you were awake and paying attention to the sky, then you probably would have had at least the warning of a few minutes ahead of time, because you'd have heard thunder and seen lightning in the distance. Being in a tall tower on an outcropping of rock, you'd think the possibility of the Tower being struck by lightning was fairly likely. But if you were sleeping soundly you wouldn't see it coming so it would seem sudden and unforeseen.

So I think it would be something sudden and unforeseen. Or something that, while you knew there was the possibility of a shock happening, you weren't 100% positive it would occur because undoubtedly there would have been many thunder storms in which the Tower didn't get stuck by lightning so you may have a false sense of security and then---what seems like something unforeseen strikes.

I'm gonna go take a nap. I'm so sleepy today that I'm not sure this even makes sense.

Thirteen

Red Flag Message

KnightOfTheCosmos said:
Other than that reading, it's been popping up in other readings too, and not just in the same deck either.

When a card repeatedly comes up like that in different readings and such, it usually isn't about what you're asking or seeking in the readings. It's the tarot's way of waving a red flag saying, "I've an important message about something you're not even seeing and I need to tell you pronto!"

The card that keeps coming up (the red flag as it were) indicates what type of message it is. The Tower would signal that it's pretty urgent and important, I think. Don't you? And likely about something you're missing that you should see--rather like it's dark and you're not seeing a step in front of you; the deck is throwing up this card as a kind of flashlight, trying to illuiminate it for you and make sure you see it. It might not be huge, but it's enough that you'll stumble if you don't see it. And you'll be able to decide where your foot should go if you do.

Here is what you do to find out what this is all about. Shuffle the deck well. Separate the cards into four piles relfecting the four suits: communication/idea pile, career/passions pile, relationships/family pile, work/home/body pile.

Go through each and find the Tower. That's what the message is about--the topic of that pile. Now if you don't suddenly go, "OH! It's trying to warn me about that issue with my roof that I need to fix..." or something like that

then take out the Tower, put it down, and ask the Deck, "What is this important message about XXX." (For example, "About some truth I'm not seeing about my relationship..." or "Some truth I'm not seeing about that new class....")

You get the idea. As for which spread--that's up to you. Check out the Spreads forum for idea.

Reminder: if you do this, do not post what you get here, in this thread. A full reading has to be posted in Your Readings, and/or you can post up to half the cards you got that confused you here in UTC. You can link this thread to the reading if you want to so we who responded can check it out. I hope this helps you find out why the tarot keeps tugging at your sleeve saying, "I've something important to show you!"

Amanda

Sometimes the Tower isn't a change at all... sometimes it indicates a fortress of some kind holding you prisoner in your life, walls may be up around the heart or simply obscuring the truth... maybe a great big façade or great big lie one is living where lightning hasn't struck yet. It would depend on surrounding cards... just looked at a thread that had Tower + 10 of Pentacles... it seemed the 10 reinforced the Tower's walls.

I have however, had it represent some pretty abrupt things. Drew the Tower for someone here once and within a week or two she fell down the stairs and broke her leg. I pulled it for my neighbor once and the very next day her father was life-lighted to the hospital -- his health just completely failed and he died that day.

Like most cards, you really want to pay attention to what other card is around.

KnightOfTheCosmos

rwcarter said:
I can see the Tower representing the flash of recognition that what you've been searching for/working towards has finally been achieved - "AHA!" or "Oh Sh*t" becomes instead "There it is!" That change can come suddenly but not necessarily unexpectedly.

Rodney

Yea, that's what I was wondering, if it was unexpected! When I researched The Tower I kept seeing that the change was unexpected, which made me think if that was really the case. Thank you!

KnightOfTheCosmos

Grizabella said:
Since the card shows lightning I think the usual conclusion that comes to mind is that it's something that happens suddenly and unexpectedly but on the other hand, if you were awake and paying attention to the sky, then you probably would have had at least the warning of a few minutes ahead of time, because you'd have heard thunder and seen lightning in the distance. Being in a tall tower on an outcropping of rock, you'd think the possibility of the Tower being struck by lightning was fairly likely. But if you were sleeping soundly you wouldn't see it coming so it would seem sudden and unforeseen.

So I think it would be something sudden and unforeseen. Or something that, while you knew there was the possibility of a shock happening, you weren't 100% positive it would occur because undoubtedly there would have been many thunder storms in which the Tower didn't get stuck by lightning so you may have a false sense of security and then---what seems like something unforeseen strikes.

I'm gonna go take a nap. I'm so sleepy today that I'm not sure this even makes sense.

Haha, you make perfect sense actually! =) I really like what you said, about paying attention to the lightning and not being 100% positive. The general consensus seems to be that The Tower represents something sudden that you're not entirely sure about but you might have a slight idea what to expect, which puts a lot of things in perspective for me. Thanks a lot! =)

KnightOfTheCosmos

Thirteen said:
When a card repeatedly comes up like that in different readings and such, it usually isn't about what you're asking or seeking in the readings. It's the tarot's way of waving a red flag saying, "I've an important message about something you're not even seeing and I need to tell you pronto!"

The card that keeps coming up (the red flag as it were) indicates what type of message it is. The Tower would signal that it's pretty urgent and important, I think. Don't you? And likely about something you're missing that you should see--rather like it's dark and you're not seeing a step in front of you; the deck is throwing up this card as a kind of flashlight, trying to illuiminate it for you and make sure you see it. It might not be huge, but it's enough that you'll stumble if you don't see it. And you'll be able to decide where your foot should go if you do.

Here is what you do to find out what this is all about. Shuffle the deck well. Separate the cards into four piles relfecting the four suits: communication/idea pile, career/passions pile, relationships/family pile, work/home/body pile.

Go through each and find the Tower. That's what the message is about--the topic of that pile. Now if you don't suddenly go, "OH! It's trying to warn me about that issue with my roof that I need to fix..." or something like that then take out the Tower, put it down, and ask the Deck, "What is this important message about XXX." (For example, "About some truth I'm not seeing about my relationship..." or "Some truth I'm not seeing about that new class....")

You get the idea. As for which spread--that's up to you. Check out the Spreads forum for idea.

Reminder: if you do this, do not post what you get here, in this thread. A full reading has to be posted in Your Readings, and/or you can post up to half the cards you got that confused you here in UTC. You can link this thread to the reading if you want to so we who responded can check it out. I hope this helps you find out why the tarot keeps tugging at your sleeve saying, "I've something important to show you!"

This was so helpful, thank you so much for the advice! The Tower isn't the only card that's been popping up lately. Other major arcana have been popping up repeatedly as well so I will try this! I was wondering how I could figure out what these cards where referring to because I had a vague idea but nothing was clear, you know? Thanks a lot!

KnightOfTheCosmos

Amanda said:
Sometimes the Tower isn't a change at all... sometimes it indicates a fortress of some kind holding you prisoner in your life, walls may be up around the heart or simply obscuring the truth... maybe a great big façade or great big lie one is living where lightning hasn't struck yet. It would depend on surrounding cards... just looked at a thread that had Tower + 10 of Pentacles... it seemed the 10 reinforced the Tower's walls.

I have however, had it represent some pretty abrupt things. Drew the Tower for someone here once and within a week or two she fell down the stairs and broke her leg. I pulled it for my neighbor once and the very next day her father was life-lighted to the hospital -- his health just completely failed and he died that day.

Like most cards, you really want to pay attention to what other card is around.

That's a really good point! I have just started reading the cards as if they were telling a story and that really helps me connect everything together, but I always got stumped whenever The Tower came up because the other cards just didn't seem to relate to it at all.

I also really like what you said about it not being about change. I didn't think of that, and I do have a lot walls around me. So I'm beginning to understand things a bit more. Thank you! =)

KnightOfTheCosmos

Amanda said:
Sometimes the Tower isn't a change at all... sometimes it indicates a fortress of some kind holding you prisoner in your life, walls may be up around the heart or simply obscuring the truth... maybe a great big façade or great big lie one is living where lightning hasn't struck yet. It would depend on surrounding cards... just looked at a thread that had Tower + 10 of Pentacles... it seemed the 10 reinforced the Tower's walls.

I have however, had it represent some pretty abrupt things. Drew the Tower for someone here once and within a week or two she fell down the stairs and broke her leg. I pulled it for my neighbor once and the very next day her father was life-lighted to the hospital -- his health just completely failed and he died that day.

Like most cards, you really want to pay attention to what other card is around.

That's a really good point! I have just started reading the cards as if they were telling a story and that really helps me connect everything together, but I always got stumped whenever The Tower came up because the other cards just didn't seem to relate to it at all.

I also really like what you said about it not being about change. I didn't think of that, and I do have a lot walls around me. So I'm beginning to understand things a bit more. Thank you! =)