General
Upright General Meaning
The Lovers represents a meaningful choice that must align heart, mind, and values. Wholeness comes from choosing what you can stand beside without dividing yourself.
← All 78 tarot cards
Major Arcana
The Lovers
VI
The Lovers is card VI of the 22-card Major Arcana and card 7 in this complete 78-card Rider–Waite–Smith library.
- Arcana
- Major Arcana
- Card number
- VI
- Deck position
- 7 of 78
- Original artwork
- Pamela Colman Smith · 1909
Card meanings
How to Read The Lovers
Read the card's orientation together with the question, spread position, and surrounding cards. A reversal can describe blocked, internalized, delayed, or excessive energy—not simply the opposite of the upright card.
Upright
The Lovers Upright Meaning
- union
- choice
- alignment
- devotion
Love & Relationships
Upright Love Meaning
A powerful bond, mutual attraction, and honest partnership are emphasized. This can mark deepening love, reconciliation through truth, or a defining relationship decision.
Career & Purpose
Upright Career Meaning
Choose work and collaborators that reflect your values. A partnership, contract, or creative alliance can prosper when expectations and ethics are genuinely aligned.
Reversed
The Lovers Reversed Meaning
- disharmony
- misalignment
- indecision
- disconnection
General
Reversed General Meaning
Reversed, The Lovers reveals a split between desire and values or a choice postponed too long. Inner alignment must be restored before an outer relationship or decision can settle.
Love & Relationships
Reversed Love Meaning
Attraction may remain, but communication, trust, or long-term priorities are out of harmony. Avoid choosing from loneliness; name the real incompatibility and see whether both people will address it.
Career & Purpose
Reversed Career Meaning
A partnership or offer may look appealing while conflicting with your principles. Clarify terms, repair team tension, and do not trade lasting integrity for short-term approval.
Esoteric correspondences
The language behind the image.
Astrology, elements, numbers, and recurring symbols add another interpretive layer. Correspondence systems vary by tradition; Cosmic Oceans uses a consistent Rider–Waite–Smith and Golden Dawn–derived framework.
Astrology
Gemini
Element
Air
Numerology
6 · union and conscious choice
Symbols
- angel
- two trees
- mountain
Read with this card
Let The Lovers enter a complete spread.
Place in the deck
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana contains twenty-two numbered cards, beginning with The Fool and completing with The World.
Archive edition
Rider–Waite–Smith
This page displays a self-hosted scan of the original public-domain deck rather than a later recolored or redesigned edition.