Major Arcana
A man and a woman stand naked before the archangel Raphael, who blesses them from above. Behind the woman stands the Tree of Knowledge, behind the man the Tree of Life. The Lovers speak of union, sacred choice, alignment of values, and the crossroads between the path of pleasure and the path of heart.
Upright
Reversed
Quick meaning
The Lovers represents a man and a woman stand naked before the archangel Raphael, who blesses them from above. Behind the woman stands the Tree of Knowledge, behind the man the Tree of Life. The Lovers speak of union, sacred choice, alignment of values, and the crossroads between the path of pleasure and the path of heart.
Use the symbol
In a yes or no tarot reading, The Lovers is best read through its condition. Upright, it points toward Love, Soulmates, Kindred spirits, Perfect unions. Reversed, it suggests Disharmony, Trust issues, Imbalance, Conflict. The answer depends on whether the situation is moving with the upright lesson or stuck in the reversed pattern.
As advice, The Lovers asks you to work with the card's main lesson rather than react from fear. Start with the upright meaning: The Lovers signifies perfect union, harmony, love and attraction.
As feelings, The Lovers can describe someone experiencing the card's emotional tone. In love readings, its upright energy is: In a love or relationship Tarot reading The Lovers is one of the best cards you can get!
Reversed, The Lovers points to what may be blocked, avoided, or expressed in a harder way. Use the reversed meaning as a prompt to slow down and address Disharmony, Trust issues, Imbalance, Conflict.
Energy in motion
The Lovers signifies perfect union, harmony, love and attraction. The Lovers can represent finding the balance within oneself. You are learning to understand yourself, your own personal moral code and what you value in life. This will bring harmony and balance to your life. In general when The Lovers Tarot card appears it is an indication that you have major choices to make or are faced with a dilemma. You may be feeling uncertain about situations, people in your life or what direction you should take. These are important decisions you are faced with. Don’t automatically go for the easy road, make sure you have all the information and make the right decision. Even if it seems like a difficult path, it will lead you on to greater things.
In a love or relationship Tarot reading The Lovers is one of the best cards you can get! It is a soulmate card and signifies kindred spirits and an intense bond between two people. If you are single, love is coming your way! This will be more than mere infatuation. There will be an intense attraction and sexual passion as well as romance and a deep connection and mutual understanding. If you are in a relationship, this Major Arcana card tells you to expect a rekindling of the romance in your relationship. The bond between you and your partner will increase and deepen more than you can imagine. The Lovers represent you and your partner having a spiritual, emotional, mental and physical connection that most couples can only dream about. Lucky you!
When The Lovers card appears in a career context, it can represent a business partnership between two people. If this card is representing a partnership, it will be a great partnership and mutually beneficial. You and your business partner are on the same wavelength, will work well together and be mutually supportive of each other. The Lovers in a career Tarot reading can also indicate the possibility of getting romantically involved with a work colleague. Be cautious about mixing business with pleasure, make sure you know the risks involved and are prepared for the consequences. The Lover can also signify that you have a decision to make in relation to your career path. Again it may seem like you are only faced with undesirable choices but that’s not actually the case. Gather all your facts together to make the right decision. It may indicate a big change coming or a change of job, it may seem like something you don’t want at the time but it will be good for you. Financially, now is a good time to seek financial opportunities as you will be attracting good fortune.
The Lovers in a health reading is a signifier that having the right support will help you to get through any health issues. This may be a partner or friend who is offering moral support or a doctor or healthcare provider. The Lovers in a health context can simply be an indication that you have decisions to make regarding a course of treatment. The Lovers can also be related to heart health so make sure you are taking good care of your heart when this card appears.
Use tarot for reflection only; it does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or care.
When The Lovers Tarot card in a spiritual context, you will be beginning to find harmony within yourself. As with the general meaning, this comes from gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, who you are and your personal morale code. This understanding leads to a deeper connection to your spiritual self. The Lovers in spiritual context can indicate that you may find it beneficial to pair up with a partner on your spiritual journey. Something simple such as taking a meditation class with a like-minded friend could be very beneficial.
Energy under tension
The Lovers Tarot reversed indicates that you may be struggling to take ownership of the decisions you’ve made. This is causing conflict within you. You may be feeling uncertain of the direction your life is going in. You need to remember that you are the master of your own destiny. Don’t try to blame the universe if your situation is a result of choices that you’ve made. Instead be accountable, learn from past mistakes and let them go. If you do that you will be able to move forward in a position direction. You will develop a deeper understanding of your true self, your values and your beliefs and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.
If you are in a relationship, The Lovers reversed can indicate that while the sexual aspect of things is still great, you and your partner may not be on the same page in other important areas. It can also be a signifier that one partner is more emotionally invested in the relationship. Fear or trust issues could be stopping you from jumping in fully, which is necessary for the relationship to flourish. You may have different goals, values or hopes for the future. The relationship may have started off with you both feelings connected on many levels but you don’t feel as close as you used to. Look to the supporting cards for confirmation of the root cause. Whatever the reason, these differences need to be resolved if the relationship is to survive. If you are single The Lovers does indicate a relationship is coming your way but it may not happen as soon as you hoped. Alternatively, it can represent picking partners for the wrong reasons. If you are going to get involved with someone, this Major Arcana card tells you to make sure you connect with them in more than one way. A sexual connection, even an intense one, is not enough in itself to make a relationship work.
The Lovers Tarot reversed in a career context can indicate disharmony in a business partnership. If you have a business partner you need to communicate with them and ensure that you are both in agreement about the direction the business is taking and your goals for the future. Like the upright meaning, The Lovers reversed can indicate the possibility of a romance at work but it comes with a stark warning. This romance could bring you trouble in your career. Be careful, make sure you understand and are prepared to accept the consequences of mixing business with pleasure if this gets messy. Financially, The Lovers reversed can represent being financially irresponsible and making impulsive decisions in relation to money. It can indicate being materialistic and seeking instant gratification by material means. Again, be accountable for your choices and learn from your mistakes.
In a health context, The Lovers Tarot card in a reversed position indicates that you need to reconnect with how your body is feeling to bring harmony and health. At the moment, you may feel like your body is working against you but you need to learn to be kind to it and work within your energy levels. Your body is capable of amazing things but sometimes is needs rest and recuperation to restore itself. Don’t get frustrated at your body just give it the time it needs to heal.
Use tarot for reflection only; it does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or care.
In a spiritual context, The Lovers reversed can be an indicator that you have been focusing on materialistic pursuits to try and bring fulfilment in your life. Why this may temporarily make you feel good, it will not bring you the harmony you need. Focus on your spiritual side and discovering the true you. It will be far more rewarding for you. The Lovers reversed can also indicate a sexual attraction between you and a spiritual adviser. If they are seeking an intimate relationship with you this card indicates that it may be for all the wrong reasons! Embarking on a romance with you suggests they are abusing their power. This person is meant to be guiding you to your spiritual path not dating you. Be very cautious.
Cards in conversation
Together, The Lovers and The Fool blend the lesson of the lovers with the energy of the fool. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and the fool stands at the edge of a cliff, knapsack over his shoulder, gazing upward with youthful abandon.
Together, The Lovers and The Magician blend the lesson of the lovers with the energy of the magician. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and the magician stands before a table bearing all four suit symbols — wand, cup, sword, and pentacle — one hand raised to the heavens and one pointing...
Together, The Lovers and The High Priestess blend the lesson of the lovers with the energy of the high priestess. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and the high priestess sits between two pillars — boaz and jachin — at the threshold of the sacred temple.
Clarify the card
The Lovers signifies perfect union, harmony, love and attraction. The Lovers can represent finding the balance within oneself. You are learning to understand yourself, your own personal moral code and what you value in life. This will bring harmony and balance to your life. In general when The Lovers Tarot card appears it is an indication that you have major choices to make or are faced with a dilemma. You may be feeling uncertain about situations, people in your life or what direction you should take. These are important decisions you are faced with. Don’t automatically go for the easy road, make sure you have all the information and make the right decision. Even if it seems like a difficult path, it will lead you on to greater things.
The Lovers Tarot reversed indicates that you may be struggling to take ownership of the decisions you’ve made. This is causing conflict within you. You may be feeling uncertain of the direction your life is going in. You need to remember that you are the master of your own destiny. Don’t try to blame the universe if your situation is a result of choices that you’ve made. Instead be accountable, learn from past mistakes and let them go. If you do that you will be able to move forward in a position direction. You will develop a deeper understanding of your true self, your values and your beliefs and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.
In a love or relationship Tarot reading The Lovers is one of the best cards you can get! It is a soulmate card and signifies kindred spirits and an intense bond between two people. If you are single, love is coming your way! This will be more than mere infatuation. There will be an intense attraction and sexual passion as well as romance and a deep connection and mutual understanding. If you are in a relationship, this Major Arcana card tells you to expect a rekindling of the romance in your relationship. The bond between you and your partner will increase and deepen more than you can imagine. The Lovers represent you and your partner having a spiritual, emotional, mental and physical connection that most couples can only dream about. Lucky you!
When The Lovers card appears in a career context, it can represent a business partnership between two people. If this card is representing a partnership, it will be a great partnership and mutually beneficial. You and your business partner are on the same wavelength, will work well together and be mutually supportive of each other. The Lovers in a career Tarot reading can also indicate the possibility of getting romantically involved with a work colleague. Be cautious about mixing business with pleasure, make sure you know the risks involved and are prepared for the consequences. The Lover can also signify that you have a decision to make in relation to your career path. Again it may seem like you are only faced with undesirable choices but that’s not actually the case. Gather all your facts together to make the right decision. It may indicate a big change coming or a change of job, it may seem like something you don’t want at the time but it will be good for you. Financially, now is a good time to seek financial opportunities as you will be attracting good fortune.
The The Lovers is best read by context in yes or no questions. Upright, it points toward Love, Soulmates, Kindred spirits, Perfect unions. Reversed, it suggests Disharmony, Trust issues, Imbalance, Conflict.
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