A Study of the Fool’s Journey 4

For an overview of and foundation for this series, see HERE

Part 2 HERE

Part 3 HERE

If you have successfully met the test or challenge of the Emperor, you will experience the Lovers, in both its traditional and modern forms. Traditionally, the Lovers is about choices. If you have been successful in integrating your inner and outer selves and your private and public selves, then you have made choices. You cannot successfully complete this row without making choices. The Lovers is also about passion and about choosing (choices again!) or doing things that you know in your heart to be right. So, skating through school or learning to pass through society under the wire may get you through, may be enough to get by, but they are not considered successfully completing the row.

The result of successful completion is the Chariot, the ability to control the often contradictory forces or experiences of life in ways that support or are in line with your world view. You will be able to move forward toward your goals with confidence.

But life never allows you to rest on your laurels. Just because you’ve completed one row doesn’t mean you can relax. It’s time to move on to the second row.

Note to faithful reader Ty: You anticipated control issues with these cards and that is certainly something to consider when they come up in a reading, but because these are the gifts of the row, that’s not really the case here. However, we could consider what happens when you don’t successfully complete the row…perhaps the shadow side of the “gifts” come into play. I have never explored that, but you can be sure I will and likely add to this series, thanks to your comment! This adds a whole new dimension and layer to this process. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Click here for the next entry in the series.