By Lorraine Kemble
6. The Lovers
Image is from The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
Rachel is in a fragile state and finds herself at a personal crossroads. She feels severe loss; of course, apart from looking after her beloved children. At least, she has formed a network of several compassionate friends. After some time, she eventually agrees to meet a man on a blind date. The man is a friend of a friend, instigated by an acquaintance from her library.
Their first date feels vivid and natural. Steve is an occupational therapist living in a rural suburb of Bristol, commuting everyday to London because of a stable job and recent promotion. They see each other again and although Steve is magnetic, he owns an indecisive character trait. The date lacks substance and Rachel experiences an intuitive feeling that all is not as it seems; however, Steve seems overly keen, phoning her everyday.
Rachel’s birthday dawns he insists on taking her to the theatre and staying in a London hotel. She basks in him spoiling her and Rachel, still not being broad minded savours it, convinced it’s because of her birthday. They inevitably relish a night of passion; Rachel, has the familiar, gnawing, sickly feeling in her stomach. She feels that it was totally amiss of her to have willingly agreed to stay.
Finally, Rachel unwittingly finds out that Steve has been leading a double life. He is so-called 'happily married,” leading a family life with two children. Rachel feels dreadful about this tangled deception and she cannot morally understand why he wasn’t honest with her. She berates herself, vowing that she will never again become involved with a lover.
The
imagery of The
Lovers Tarot card, reveals a naked man and woman. The angel, Raphael whose
name means ‘God heals’, blesses the couple, reminding them of
their sacred union. Reminiscing the Garden of Eden, the woman stands
in front of an apple tree; a snake winding up the trunk.
Behind
the man is a tree of flames, representing passion, disclosing his
lust. The twelve flames are suggestive of the twelve zodiac signs,
representing eternity. The man looks to the woman, who believably
watches the angel, showing the path of the conscious to the
subconscious, or from physical desire to emotional needs and
spiritual concerns.
The volcanic mountain in the background, typifies the eruption of passion that happens when man and woman meet subconscious or physical desire, to emotional and Spiritual concerns.
The predominant zodiac sign of The Lovers is Gemini, as if they’re two sides of the same person.
Astrologically, The Lovers are ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication.
The previous installment can be found in the June 2019 issue of Tarot Reflections. Watch for the next installment in the July issue.