- 16 - The Tower -

historical - The Tower is based on the Tower of Babel - a structure getting the divine beat-down through lightning or solar flares or what have you. Then us foolish mortals fall down and die for not being good boys and girls.  Because Tower is what happens when you don't submit to fate. 

card - Death?  Devil?  Hah!  Don't be fooled - those are fairly good cards.  Tower is the tarot's designated "sucks to be you" sign.  Because Tower is the ultimate cosmic joke.  Got enlightened?  Made some progress?  Go to hell.  Go directly to hell.  Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. It is, in the end, the unpredictable and destructive supremacy of our environment over human contrivances. 

tower meaning - Fate or an incaculable factor - a destiny sometimes self-imposed.  Catastrophe. Destruction in order to obtain perfection.  Combat.  Ruin.  Sudden inspiration.  Freedom at great cost.

tower reversed meaning - A lessening of the above.  Meaning that you sort of get to lie bleeding on the sidewalk instead of flat-out crushed underneath the heel of fate.  Also imprisonment. Told ya it was the "sucks to be you" card.