The Lovers.

[BlueIris]

Once again, there's very little political relevance to this question, it's just a card I keep drawing in my own work with Tarot that often appears in weird places in the spreads I do. I'm looking for alternative perspectives and understanding about what this card means which are different from my understanding of it. My own study has indicated that while this card does not always indicate the influence or role of a romantic relationship or relationships, it often does or can. Sometimes it may even indicate entirely platonic friendly relationships--not always close, but positive.

I'm confused about why this card keeps popping up--usually in the sixth or tenth placement on the basic Celtic Cross spreads I work with. I am in the last place in my life in which I am prepared or looking for any close friends, companions or lovers. Also, corresponding cards, while they appear to support a putative influx of positive energy into my life, don't support the idea that this energy will (or could) indicate romance.

What else does the Lovers card mean, embody or communicate?

[Crowdance]

1. Also indicative of positive results from integration of selves

For example, greater integrity between the actions of your higher, spiritual self and the self that acts in this world. Perhaps this is telling you that you're about to reap the benefit of work you've been doing to make yourself more centered and whole.

[yellowdawgdem]

2. depends on the context of the question

another meaning for the lovers card is making a choice or a decision in the most effective way. the 6th house can relate to health or work, and the 10th to career, or what is most visible to the world. Lovers card generally indicates a positive outcome of that decision or choice.

[KittyWampus]

3. The Lovers Is The Hebrew Letter Zain Which Means Sword

the Universal Principle is Discrimination.

It's about seperating things. Discriminating between alternatives.

Also, here we see the freeing of our Subconscious Mind from bad habits that we've imprinted it with and directing it to look towards our Higher Selves for guidance.

[NuttyFluffers]

5. yup, can't really add much to this.

the big thing is choice. next big thing is logical/temporal/subconscious/"masculine" mind vs. intuitive/spiritual/unconscious(higher self)/"feminine" mind. love, relationship, etc is a distant third when i read this card.

if it keeps coming in the 6th and 10th position i'd take it to mean, "a choice is coming; it IS in your future." read very carefully, the higher realms are trying to directly let you know something BIG is coming, life changing big.

in fact, OP really should do a follow-up reading on just the Lovers next time it pops up. might as well clear things up, right?

[Why Syzygy]

6. I love that

interpretation. Saw your thread about a study group.
Even though I'm not into Kabala, I'll be watching. Thanks.

[BlueIris]

4. All good illuminations; it came up AGAIN today.

It's just...kind of irritating. It's sort of forcing me to reflect on my social life--even though as posters here have commented, it may not have anything to do with that, at least not in so literal a sense. It's really not time for me to rebuild or expand there.

[Why Syzygy]

7. tee hee

Oh okay. Yeah. Now let's argue with the cards.
Good luck with that one.

I've been doing readings for myself and others for several years.
I KNOW that the cards mean more to the seeker than they do to me.
Guidance only here.

So. If you believe that you're getting a message to expand that part of your life, do you want to pay attention?

[BlueIris]

8. Well, of course I want to pay attention.

Although, for me, if I neglect to follow the guidance of the Tarot, er, life just goes right along, shoveling me through those changes anyway. It's my advance warning system. If I ignore it, well, that was my very (stupid) bad.

All I can say is that the Lovers card in the context of the cards I've been drawing probably means, thanks to suggestions I received here, the need to make a major life choice and suggests an emphasis on friendship and camaraderie. It's NOT about sexual or romantic love--it better not be anyway, considering where it's been falling in the spreads I've been drawing. That is just not going to happen for me at the moment.

[Why Syzygy]

9. of course

I do not know your personal situation on that.

Before I lost the best job I ever had, The Tower kept coming up.
Well, I knew! Yes. There is a major issue here at work and if I don't deal with it, then we get The Tower. That did happen. All that went away.

Friendship is a major beginning, sounds like.
I've spent many years without a solid male figure in my life.
Just "friends". And they are all great.
I'm at the point where I want more again .. I think.

I'll do a reading about that. Good option. It is scary to think about letting someone into my life again.

But I heartily recommend making friendships. They are so cool.