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In the last week I have been continuing my thoughts on building a Tower to stand the test of time . If you missed the previous posts you can find them here and here.

I have had a frenetic week – just go go go. Now don’t get me wrong it has been full of many fun things like skating with the kids, reading for great clients, getting the light box working at my store, great conversations with my wife as well as the usual less exciting things like taking out the trash and cleaning the house. It has also been a week where I stayed up late to fit those things in. Lack of sleep then leads to consuming too much coffee which leads to being more emotional which then gets in the way of getting the rest I need.

I am sure we have all been there in one way or another but what has this got to do with the Tower? The problem is that when we are too busy we lose the connection to our spirit. Without that connection, we are unable to sustain the Tower in its most benevolent for – the House of God. This is the part of the Tower I have been spending so much time reflecting upon lately.

Tower of Babel by Alain Manesson Mallet. Published 1683.

The Tower is first and foremost a building – a piece of architecture. In the Tower card we find clues about how to build a worthy dwelling place for our spirit. We don’t need to look far beyond the Tarot to find metaphysical metaphors surrounding architecture. Masonry is built upon them. The great churches and temples seek to bring out the spirit in people and bring down the divine through their construction. We can even find warnings in the story of the tower of babel – which the Tower can certainly also represent – about spiritual failings and their cots. However, I prefer my buildings to reflect the words of Paul Simon:

“He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! and Hallelujah!”
~ You can call me Al.

The Tower like any architectural construct is built on discipline. Buildings are not naturally occurring or emergent things but are the product of architects, engineers, math and sweat. The Tower is often associated with the planet Mars and reflects the polarity of Mars’ influence. Mars can be violent, destructive and harsh or it can be disciplined and focused. The lessons Mars has to share about stability come from its relationship to war. Organization, strategy, and most importantly maintaining balance are all traits needed to be successful in war. As any martial artist will tell you if you get our opponent off balance you have the upper hand and conversely if you over reach and lose your balance you will fall.

If we do too much, if we march all night, if we spread ourselves too thin then we will end up falling and failing. Our Tower will collapse. The hard part in these situations is that it is often the good stuff that takes us over the edge. I know I most often burn the candle at both ends in the name of fun. When it comes to the Tower it contains and constrains what is inside and it separates and keeps at bay what is outside. Put more simply it declares loud and clear to its inhabitants and the world “This is on target and this off target.” It gives us clear answers about where the limits are. It says “No! I have too much on the go.” and then it uses its discipline to stick to that “no”.

The maintaining balance Tower spread

Card one represents your Tower. It speaks of the target or point. What shows up in this position needs to be treated as sacred or having top priority.

Cards 2-5 speak of the four cornerstone of the Tower. Each has its own kind of challenge as you will see in their descriptions.

Card Two represents what needs to be brought inside the Tower. It is the card that talks of what we are failing to focus on, what needs to be bolstered or strengthened before it makes the Tower collapse. In my case it is most definitely sleep.

Card Three represents forethought. It is here to speak of what needs to be planned for more. Being too busy, I make poor nutritional choices primarily because I have not prepared for where I will be.

Card Four represents intrusions created by conflicting desires. We can’t have our cake and eat it too all the time. Sometimes we have to choose. In my last week I broke my own rule about going to a work thing. This made me miss more time with the kids than I like. It carries the cost of creating a more emotional and volatile connection for a few days after the limits are stressed in this way. This is the hardest kind of decision for most people, including myself.

Card Five represents intrusions by others where you need to say no. This card stands for the things that are just not good in one way or another. Too off target, too much cost, too much interference, or just things you don’t want but feel pressure to do.

Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. I have a few more thoughts on the Tower coming up inlcuding how the Tower can help us see our true nature and perhaps even our desitiny.

The Hermit’s Lamp is the blog of Andrew McGregor – Toronto Tarot reader, artist  and teacher. The Hermit’s Lamp is also a storefront in Toronto selling metaphysical and spiritual supplies. Please visit The Hermit’s Lamp website for more information on readings and classes both online and in Toronto.  You can also listen to the Hermit’s Lamp Podcast here.