The Tower

The Tower is an Old Energy Archetype from the Masonic Tarot Deck. In the Book of Power, the archetype is typically used to enforce notions initiation and progress on the esoteric path. In the Book of Slavery...

List of Old Energy Archetypes from the Masonic Tarot

Chariot, Death (archetype), Duality, Hermit, Hierophant, High Priestess, Judgement, Justice, Star, Strength, Sun (archetype), Temperance, The Devil, The Emperor, The Empress, The Fool, The Hanged Man, The Lovers, The Magician, The Moon, The Tower, The Wheel of Fortune, The World (old energy)

Related Terms

Old Energy Archetypes > Book of Slavery

Notes

Book of Power

Error, failure, and the consequences thereof.

"(The Lightning Struck Tower; the work of the poor workman.) Hiram falls beneath the blows of the 'three bad brethren'. The first personifies Ignorance, which is incapable of seizing the mind, makes teaching impossible and spreads the errors which every half. understood truth engenders. The second denotes Fanaticism, which reduces the Temple to the proportions of an exclusive and isolated tower. The third resembles Ambition which is incapable of moderating itself in the erection of the Tower of Babel destined to crumble into ruins."

"...the lightning flash symbolizes a sudden, momentary glimpse of truth, a flash of inspiration which breaks down structures of ignorance and false reasoning."

"The falling figures correspond to the chained figures of the preceding picture. They fall head- first, because the sudden influx of spiritual consciousness represented by the lightning flash completely upsets all our old notions about the relations between subconsciousness and self- consciousness."

Fool in school: "This picture corresponds to the second stage of spiritual unfoldment, wherein a series of sudden, fitful inspirations leads to the perception that the structure of knowledge built on the foundation of personal separation is a tower of false science."

Enlightenment through unnecessary and violent shakeup. "We should not think that the psyche, or life, brings on disaster simply to punish us. The drops of fire falling one each side of the Tower are shaped like the Hebrew letter yod, the first letter of God's name. They symbolize not anger, but grace. The universe, and the human mind will not allow us to stay forever imprisoned in our towers of illusion and repression. If we cannot free ourselves peacefully then the forces of life will arrange an explosion."

Book of Slavery

"When the Tower card appears in a Tarot reading, expect the unexpected – massive change, upheaval, destruction and chaos. It may be a divorce, death of a loved one, financial failure, health problems, natural disaster, job loss or any event that shakes you to your core, affecting you spiritually, mentally and physically. There’s no escaping it. Change is here to tear things up, create chaos and destroy everything in its path (but trust me, it’s for your Highest Good)."

Punishment for failure: "Key 16 expresses downfall as a result of one’s selfish, egotistical ambition....The Tower often appears in readings for the cutthroat ambitious, for those who embody the combination of ambition, ego, pride, and talent. Sure, the Seeker is talented and skilled, but if ego and pride are not kept in check, the Seeker will fall."

Recover

Enlightement: "When you and I are too proud or unaware to let go of excessively egotistical and/or erroneous ideas (or "towers"), lightning, a universal symbol for divine intervention, helps lighten our load or enlighten us. The crown, falling people, and eroded foundation show conceptions, built on human versus divine principles, being dislodged by universal wisdom and understanding."

Dramatic lightning strikes lead to pushing through resistance, obstacles, repression, moving one towards change, healing, and transformation. This is fine and certainly points to a particular dynamic in spiritual advancement, but it ignores the impact of Toxic Socialization and the fact that dramatic transformation and enlightenments that blow through resistance wouldn't be necessary with a healthy socialization process geared towards meeting all Seven Essential Needs.

"In one sense this picture denotes the second stage of spiritual unfoldment, in which, by a series of sudden, fitful inspirations, the student perceives the illusive nature of his sense of personal separateness, and suffers thereby the destruction of his whole previous philosophy. And in yet another, although closely related aspect, the sixteenth Key depicts the overthrow of the folly of men by the wisdom of God."

"Key 16 expresses downfall as a result of one’s selfish, egotistical ambition. It is a sudden change, a jolting event that will shake the Seeker to his or her foundation. There will be an undermining of the Seeker’s sense of security or stability. However, new revelations will come after the jolt. The aftermath is truth. The gold lightning rod suggests that there will be a sudden epiphany, realization, or significant spiritual growth through this period in the Seeker’s life."<ref>Wen, Benebell. Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2015.<?ref>

Footnotes

References

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