Major Arcana - The Tower

Next on his adventure the Fool encounters the Tower in the midst of a desolate landscape. The crown represents humankind's ego, and the fire blowing it to pieces the wrath of God, just like in the story of the Tower of Babel. The three windows forming a triangle represents earthly fire and matter. The men falling from the Tower don't face physical death, they're merely receiving a lesson in humility. The colourful rain promises new growth, reason, hope and the spiritual essence of man, destruction is part of Evolution.

The Fool learns that you must move away from your ego, and the closer you can stand to your Self the less friction there'll be when a lesson needs to be taught. By aligning yourself with your Self you can achieve Enlightenment. The continual destruction of ego structures allow you to grow closer to your Self and by this process of purification your Self grows as well. Don't hold on to what's falling apart, move with the Change and you'll achieve maximum Growth. 

In the Kabbalah the number 16 symbolises Balance. It's the relationship between the divine and the material. It's also a sign of sudden change and with it painful process of purification. The number is that of the temple collapsing. 

The Tower supports you when an aspect you hold as true in your life suddenly collapses. Sure, the top is blown off but the foundation still stand and on it you can build an ever stronger temple. Don't lose Hope as you move to align yourself with your newfound Self and build a new life that better reflects your new Wisdom...

Major Arcana - Death

Next up is Death, the Fool becomes Aware of his mortality and the need to constantly Change in order to Grow. The spread out limbs on the field represent transience, and the scythe is an instrument of Change. The Connection between Heaven and earth is Death, and as such something must always Die in order to give Birth to something else. Regardless of status we are all subject to Change. To time marching ever on. Transformation is at the Heart of understanding Death, we're all just a Vessel for what's most important, The Soul.

The Fool must learn that the purifying experience of death, not necessarily physical, but that of change alters situations. As one situation dies it lays the foundation for a new one. The old acts as fertiliser to the New and help you Grow. The Fool needs to believe in the fact that the trick to getting over your losses lies in seeing New Opportunities and Possibilities. Change or Death can be unsettling but it also gives you a thrilling sense of Freedom...

In the Kabbalah the number 13 symbolises the end of something old and the beginning of something new. It's connected to love and unity, the never ending need for balance, death and life etc. A powerful symbol of change and a need for caution.

Death will help you realise that there's a need to release the old in order to gain something new. Death occurs in the macrocosm as well as in the microcosm every day, even your cells go through a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Death or Change is indeed inevitable, the only thing that's permanent is Impermanence...