Rapunzel gazes out the window from her lonesome tower. Most days she feels trapped by the walls, wondering what else is out in the world that she has yet to discover. She tells herself over and over that one day she’ll escape the tower, free at last. Every day she says, “Tomorrow, I’ll set myself free.” When tomorrow comes something is always standing in the way of her freedom – or so she tells herself. The truth is that Rapunzel could leave the tower any time that she chooses, but is trapped by her own fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of failure. One morning, while gazing out her window, her tower quakes. The ground beneath her shakes, and the stone walls begin to crumble around her. She’s not ready – she needs more time. The tower is crumbling around her and Rapunzel has a choice to make: be crushed by the weight of the crumbling tower, or move with the falling rocks until her feet are planted firmly on the ground.

Most often, the Tower card in a tarot deck is depicted in ruins. It can be intimidating to see the destruction that the Tower predicts; that is only a portion of the message, however.

The Tower – Upright

The Tower, upright, is an indication of a time of destruction, chaos, and change. This change can be anything ranging from relationships to jobs or finances to a spiritual destruction. Often the Tower card comes in a time that the world feels comfortable and safe, almost eerily so. When intuition kicks in providing an uneasy feeling of, “Things are too good, too perfect”, many times this is followed by a Tower moment.

The shift that the Tower card indicates is one of large proportion – and it is always for the betterment of the affected area of life. The Tower serves as a warning to not get buried by the rubble of destruction, but to lean into the change. Out of destruction comes something better – a better job, a better relationship (sometimes with yourself), a higher spiritual understanding – but if we are crushed by the weight of the destruction, will be impossible to see the opportunity being given. If the Tower card is presented, be prepared for destruction and be prepared to look for the beacon of hope that comes after.

The Tower – Reversed

The Tower reversed is very similar to its upright meaning, with a few changes. It still indicates destruction, change, and upheaval but it is usually at the hand of the person receiving the message. While the upright Tower card prepares us for an unexpected change, the reversed Tower is stating it is time for us to take control and destroy a part of our life that is no longer serving us in order to make way for new opportunities. Generally, these are spiritual, mental, or emotional changes rather than external factors such as jobs or finances.

Additionally, the reversed Tower can be an indication that change is being resisted. We know what change needs to happen, but we are at a stalemate and refusing to accept what we need to do to better our lives.

If presented with the Tower reversed, take stock of which area of life it is referring to and find a sledgehammer. It’s time to start tearing down the walls and build something much better.