The message of this card is that those walls that we have built around ourselves, that gave us security, are now suddenly shaking and are not providing security anymore. This represents a disruption, whether it is our old view or approach or a relationship that is falling apart and which gave us security in the past, but which is now outgrown. Any change that we have to face is a disaster at first, but later gives us relief and the feeling of freedom from an old ‘weight’. In reality the collapse of the Tower is a blessing rather than a loss, because we recognise that our current situation is untenable and impossible to sustain.
The thunderbolt is the symbol of an ancient divine message that can be found in almost every culture. Its message is that we receive lessons from life that are gifts. Lightning is one of the symbols of Jupiter, but we can also find this in Buddhist teachings as a symbol of truth and indestructibility, which triumphs over falsehood. So the lightning strike reflects the moment of inner enlightenment, which brings the happiness of freedom. The Tower is the 16th card in the tarot, the number 16 (Arabic Numerals) is formed by the number 1 and the number 6, adding them will give us the number 7, which is a solar number which indicates power and action.
The Tower was built on an unstable foundation and therefore, sooner or later, it has to collapse. This Tower card calls for the destruction of an old philosophy, or a way of thinking that is not serving our interests anymore. During the development of our minds we have to review and evaluate our old principles and we have to replace them with new ones that will really serve us!
The summary of the meaning of this card is change, conflict and new order. The Tower represents a situation where we are going through radical changes, nothing will be the same as it was in the past. We have to re-evaluate our lives! This situation will bring lots of doubts and tensions,