Major Arcana · VI
The Lovers — tarot meaning
union, choice, alignment of values
Upright
Union and choice. A deep alignment of values — and the recognition that love is always also a decision.
Reversed
Disharmony, or a choice avoided — values out of step with the path.
In the Papus Tarot, 1909
L'Amoureux — The Lover · Hebrew letter ו Vau
Papus: the antagonism of the two forces and the free will placed between them. Martinists see the fall and the possible return meeting in one image.
In the Oswald Wirth Tarot, 1889
L'Amoureux — The Lovers · Hebrew letter ו Vau
Wirth calls this the arcanum of the test: the pupil is left standing at the fork on purpose, since no initiation can choose in his place.
Shown from the 1909 William Rider & Sons deck (public domain). A card is read in relation to the question and the cards around it; these meanings are a starting point, not a verdict.