Is the tower card always as scary as people make out?

[angeltarot]

This is my first post on here so hi everyone! I'm pretty new to tarot so still trying to fully understand the meaning of all the cards. I was wondering if the tower card is always to be feared in a reading? I did a love reading for myself today and pulled the six of pentacles, ace of wands and the tower but I'm struggling to understand what this really means? I first was pretty worried but then thought that this signifies a sudden change in relationship status, like a lightning strike, not necessarily for the worst though as I am single. The tower is always described as having dramatic, negative effects but in the past this hasn't always been the case for me. I also read that the tower can symbolise love at first sight sort of situation.
So what have tower experiences been like for you in a love reading if you are single? And with the cards I pulled is it really a bad thing? Also if you have any interpretation of the cards I pulled I would love to know as I'm still learning!!

[Nemia]

Many people fear the "bad" cards because they bring bad news, or seem to. In my personal opinion, one of the great things about the tarot is that it doesn't sugarcoat things. We all know the oracles with 100% positive cards. Whatever card you pull, it's all uplifting, empowering, illuminating.... but life isn't. There are bad surprises, upheavals, there is jealousy, heartbreak, disappointment - none of us goes through life without it. The important thing is to deal with it properly, deal with it somehow, continue to live with hope, learn from the difficult stuff.

The Tower is a sudden, unpleasant event. I shakes your foundations, your confidence, and it's very uncomfortable. Tower energy is Mars energy. It's quick, it's aggressive, it can be destructive. Mars has also a positive side, you'll find it in the Emperor where it's under strong discipline and guidance. But in the Tower, this energy is unbridled.

The Tower can work with inside and outside energies. Energies from inside are anger and suppressed negative feelings - the kind of anger that makes you take your favourite vase and smash it on the floor, or break off a good friendship. You live to regret it but the dams broke and you know yourself better afterwards.

Energies from outside are others whose destructive powers burst upon you, or impersonal events. Your boss fires you, your romantic love interest hurts you, stuff breaks, the earth beneath your feet shakes.

This is my take on the Tower. It's tough, otherwise it's not the Tower. But the tough is short-term. Sometimes, the Tower event breaks an illusion that had to break. You have a fall-out with a friend who flattered you or lied to you. You lose a job that would never have fulfilled you. You destroy an old memento which kept you in sentimental bonds. Long-term, you look back and say: Mars, you're the most unpleasant guy I ever met, but thank you for bursting my bubble.

This is my opinion only, you'll find others who see different sides to the Tower.

But the Tower as a card in a reading is always tempered by the spread position, by other cards, by circumstances.

I don't know which question you asked. I don't know whether you used spread positions or how you read three cards. So I'm going out on a limb here, is that how you see it?

The Six of Pentacles is like all Sixes a good card, Tif'eret energy in Asiya, which means beauty in action. It's a card of a healthy give and take, like a dialogue where each listens and each talks. It's a very good card in an emotional setting because it shows mutual respect and caring.

The Ace of Wands brings the passion and fire that combine with the Six of Pentacles to a wonderful combination. I imagine the Ace of Wands as fire stoved under the pragmatic and kind Six of Pentacles.

But then comes the Tower. Something unpleasant comes into the mix, something happens or is revealed, and you have to deal with it.

Now the first two cards are so good that the Tower certainly can't spoil it with one fell stroke. If you have a relationship built on a foundation of respect and caring, warmed by passion and dynamic energy, that's good. If you imagine that your problems in life will be solved by it, you live in illusion. That's not good.

Prepare to take the bad with the good. Prepare yourself emotionally for a loved person whom you can love caringly and passionately, and whose less pleasant sides you'll have to deal with.

That's what I would see here, a chance to expect a wide scope of experiences.

[angeltarot]

Many people fear the "bad" cards because they bring bad news, or seem to. In my personal opinion, one of the great things about the tarot is that it doesn't sugarcoat things. We all know the oracles with 100% positive cards. Whatever card you pull, it's all uplifting, empowering, illuminating.... but life isn't. There are bad surprises, upheavals, there is jealousy, heartbreak, disappointment - none of us goes through life without it. The important thing is to deal with it properly, deal with it somehow, continue to live with hope, learn from the difficult stuff.

The Tower is a sudden, unpleasant event. I shakes your foundations, your confidence, and it's very uncomfortable. Tower energy is Mars energy. It's quick, it's aggressive, it can be destructive. Mars has also a positive side, you'll find it in the Emperor where it's under strong discipline and guidance. But in the Tower, this energy is unbridled.

The Tower can work with inside and outside energies. Energies from inside are anger and suppressed negative feelings - the kind of anger that makes you take your favourite vase and smash it on the floor, or break off a good friendship. You live to regret it but the dams broke and you know yourself better afterwards.

Energies from outside are others whose destructive powers burst upon you, or impersonal events. Your boss fires you, your romantic love interest hurts you, stuff breaks, the earth beneath your feet shakes.

This is my take on the Tower. It's tough, otherwise it's not the Tower. But the tough is short-term. Sometimes, the Tower event breaks an illusion that had to break. You have a fall-out with a friend who flattered you or lied to you. You lose a job that would never have fulfilled you. You destroy an old memento which kept you in sentimental bonds. Long-term, you look back and say: Mars, you're the most unpleasant guy I ever met, but thank you for bursting my bubble.

This is my opinion only, you'll find others who see different sides to the Tower.

But the Tower as a card in a reading is always tempered by the spread position, by other cards, by circumstances.

I don't know which question you asked. I don't know whether you used spread positions or how you read three cards. So I'm going out on a limb here, is that how you see it?

The Six of Pentacles is like all Sixes a good card, Tif'eret energy in Asiya, which means beauty in action. It's a card of a healthy give and take, like a dialogue where each listens and each talks. It's a very good card in an emotional setting because it shows mutual respect and caring.

The Ace of Wands brings the passion and fire that combine with the Six of Pentacles to a wonderful combination. I imagine the Ace of Wands as fire stoved under the pragmatic and kind Six of Pentacles.

But then comes the Tower. Something unpleasant comes into the mix, something happens or is revealed, and you have to deal with it.

Now the first two cards are so good that the Tower certainly can't spoil it with one fell stroke. If you have a relationship built on a foundation of respect and caring, warmed by passion and dynamic energy, that's good. If you imagine that your problems in life will be solved by it, you live in illusion. That's not good.

Prepare to take the bad with the good. Prepare yourself emotionally for a loved person whom you can love caringly and passionately, and whose less pleasant sides you'll have to deal with.

That's what I would see here, a chance to expect a wide scope of experiences.

Thank you so much for your reply! I agree with what you said about the tower. While it does have a short term, negative or shocking impact, in the long term the result of the tower moment helps you know yourself better. It's always a necessary lesson you needed to learn or like you said a bubble that needed bursting! That's how I've experienced the tower before when I've pulled this card in other situations. When you research into the meaning of the tower, it always seems so scary but I try not to see any cards as 'scary' or 'bad' because tower moments and negative times are a part of life everyone must experience as you explained. It's not a positive card for sure, but I don't see it as anything to fear personally.

I asked the cards what I needed to know about my love life following on from this new moon in aries and I just pulled three cards going with my gut I guess. I didn't intend for them to be past, present, future etc. but I guess looking at them they could be read in that way. I definitely understand the chance to experience a wide scope of experiences, taking the good with the bad as the first two cards are positive. Thanks for offering a different insight into these cards

[Charlie Brown]

Following up on that, just as there are no cards that are wholly negative there are none that are wholly positive either. Context is everything.

Because context and situation are so critical, it isn't really possible for me to do "your" reading for you. But, just looking at the cards, they suggest to me hooking up just for sex isn't going to lead you anywhere that you want to go. We're probably all a little randy as were getting out of this pandemic. You still need to be careful with your heart.

[Charlie Brown]

A more specific interpretation would be not to dole out any pity fucks.

[MaggieMae]

I don't see any tarot card as bad news or scary or negative. I do have cards that sometimes trigger me. Once I find out why it triggers me, the card no longers is a trigger.

[Hekatemaiden]

Considering its one of my life cards.. Lol.. Its not really just good/bad.. Its not always pleasant when it pops up (especially when you start wondering what exactly is about to crumble!) But ultimately old systems have to make room for new growth and thats exactly what Tower does.. Out with the old so a new system/event/etc can take growth.

[Mokona]

Recently I was feeling stuck, stagnant, trapped at where I am in my life, and I pulled the Tower card and I was full of anticipation for the fall, because I've been desperate for change.

[Sophia D.]

When I read posts in the internet about the Tower I feel like people experiences with it has been very drastical, and although I appreciate other people stories and points of view, that has not been my experience at all: I have had good and bad Tower moments, but majority of them have never been life changing events. The only thing in common between them is that they are very much unexpected, out of the blue, or things I never thought possible.
Since you asked about love related events with single people: I had it for example for an unexpected gift from a "secret lover". Also for falling hard for someone. Also for a sudden reconciliation.

Now, when it comes to the 6 of pentacles, I also differ from popular opinion (more so if we are talking about the Rider-Waite).
The way I see this card is that there is someone that is quite desperate about something and another one barely giving a little of their time/money/energy. This could be you not giving much of yourself lately, I don't know.

Putting it all together, it could mean an unexpected sexual attraction, maybe because you thought you couldn't feel like that anymore or because its with someone you wouldn't normally like.. theres just something unexpected about it. But there is also something about someone not wanting to give much to it.

This is all assuming you asked about near future events and not advice, which would have a totally different meaning of course.

Anywayssss.. I hope that helped a little

[Leah]

6P, Page W, Tower

The tower in it's own right and in isolation indicates change and disruption but beyond that it carries no positive or negative enery of it's own. Depending on what situation (indicated by the other cards in the spread) the tower is bringing change to it may bring welcome upheaval or it's influence may be dreaded, always however it indicates upheaval of some description. For example if we are settled in our dream job and change is indicated then it would be unwelcome, however if we are nursing someone to death and they were suffering then change even unto physical death is welcome and positive change.

The tower with regard relationships indicates the arrival of a partner who may excite you, disturb you, un-nerve you, but never bore you, Coup de foudre is the french phrase describing such. You may see this partner as very romantic and it's likely their impact is resounding through your life and shaking up your foundations. Page W indicates a passionate fledgling relationship and 6P indicates getting what you deserve.

That aside you may have an idea as to what you'd like to do for career in the page W, especially with 6P the card of securing employment and the tower can indicate a sudden revelation of such.