The Archetype and The Tarot: The Genius and The Tower

Feb 16, 2025

This post is part of our February exploration of the Genius archetype.

Dearest readers,

This week, may you have the capacity to welcome the lightning when it strikes, not as an end, but as an opening. May the crumbling walls reveal what was always waiting to be seen, and may you find, in the rubble, the spark of a new creation. 💖💖💖

Don’t panic, but the card I drew to go with the Genius this week is the Tower. Every time I draw this card, I have the same reaction: a mix of shock, nervous laughter, and the distinct urge to reshuffle the deck, like maybe—just maybe—the universe made a mistake. I know its wisdom, I respect its power, but that doesn’t mean I always greet it with open arms. But this time, after my initial flinch, I let curiosity take over. What if this wasn’t just another Tower moment of upheaval, but something more? What if the Genius wasn’t just responding to creative impulse, but was the very force setting everything in motion? If we clear away what no longer serves, what brilliance might we gather from the ruins?

L to R; The Babylonian Tarot; Rider-Waite-Smith; The Wild Unknown

The Tower: The Fall That Frees Us

The Tower often brings a sense of dread—after all, who actually enjoys the feeling of the ground giving way beneath them? It’s the kind of card that makes you double-check your foundations, maybe even brace yourself for impact. In this card, we usually see a lightning bolt striking a tall, imposing structure, breaking it apart and sending figures tumbling. Fire rages, chaos reigns.

But if we look closer, we might see that the destruction isn’t total—there’s something else at work here. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, we see this something else as the 22 yods—the small flame-like symbols representing divine energy and creative force—scattered throughout the image. Yod, the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is often considered the fundamental building block of all creation, a spark of divine potential hidden within the chaos. These yods remind us that, while destruction is unavoidable, something sacred and new is already in motion.

The Tower’s collapse isn’t a punishment or a betrayal—it’s structural. It isn’t here to destroy us, but to dismantle what no longer holds truth. What crumbles are false constructs, outdated beliefs, rigid defenses, the cages we didn’t realize we had built around ourselves. And as much as we might resist it, the Tower is ultimately a gift. It doesn’t just tear down—it clears a path. What falls is what needs to go. And in that raw, open space, something more relevant is waiting to be born.

Genius as Lightning: Knowing Which Towers to Bring Down

While The Tower often comes unbidden, what if we didn’t always have to wait for external forces to bring it down? What if the Genius—that source of insight and innovation—could help us recognize when it’s time to dismantle what no longer serves us?

The Genius is naturally curious and discerning. It notices cracks in the foundation long before the walls start shaking. It whispers, “This isn’t working anymore.” The challenge is whether we listen. How often do we cling to beliefs, roles, or relationships that no longer fit, simply because they feel safe? The Genius invites us to see that not all destruction is tragedy—sometimes, it is liberation. When we trust our Genius, we become willing participants in our own unfolding, choosing to break free rather than waiting for everything to collapse around us.

Genius in the Rubble: Playing With What Comes Next

If the Genius can be the lightning, it can also be what remains after the fall. Standing amidst the wreckage, we have a choice: do we rebuild the same structure, or do we create something entirely new?

The presence of the yods in the Tower suggests that creation is already present within destruction—we just have to recognize it. The Genius thrives in this moment, where nothing is fixed and everything is possible. Instead of rushing to replace what was lost, it pauses, observes, and plays. What if we didn’t reconstruct the Tower at all? What if, instead, we built a garden to nourish us? A temple to honor our truths? A labyrinth to explore the unknown? The Genius reminds us that the loss of an old identity or belief is an invitation to expand beyond what we thought possible.

It is in the unexpected where the Genius shines brightest. It doesn’t fear collapse, because it sees raw material instead of ruins. It is the artist rearranging shattered pieces into a mosaic, the visionary seeing potential instead of endings. To embody the pairing of the Genius and the Tower is to approach rebuilding with curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to embrace the ever-unfolding process of becoming.

Practical Wisdom: Engaging The Genius When Life Falls Apart

Here are some ways to actively work with the energy of The Genius and The Tower in your life:

Identify Cracks Before Collapse – Pay attention to subtle discomforts, frustrations, or repeating patterns of resistance. Set aside time for regular self-inquiry—try journaling about what feels unstable in your life, or have an honest conversation with a trusted friend. The Genius often speaks in whispers before the Tower shakes. Is there an area of life that feels unstable? Where is your Genius already nudging you to make a change?
Embrace Destruction & Play in the Rubble – When something falls apart, allow yourself to feel the loss, but also get curious: What space has just opened up? Instead of rushing to rebuild, experiment with different ways to move forward. Create a ritual to honor what is ending. Or, check out this one I already created for you.🤗 Then, engage with new possibilities—free-write about a wild, unconventional future, or create a vision board with images that inspire you. Let yourself dream without immediately needing a plan. Sometimes, what emerges from the rubble is far more creative and alive than what stood before.
Gather the Yods – Look for synchronicities, unexpected opportunities, or small moments of clarity that appear in the wake of change. Keep a 'Tower Journal' where you record insights and unexpected blessings that arise from upheaval, reminding yourself that new seeds are always sprouting. What is already forming in the space that was cleared?
Trust Your Genius to Lead the Way – When faced with uncertainty, turn inward and let your Genius guide you. Try meditation, automatic writing, or walking in nature to access deeper wisdom. If fear is clouding your judgment, ask yourself: If I truly trusted my inner Genius, what step would I take? When faced with destruction, lean into your inner wisdom to shape what comes next.

Questions for further reflection

How do I typically respond to upheaval—by clinging to the past, or by embracing what’s possible?
How can I invite curiosity rather than fear when facing uncertainty or loss?
In what ways might I reimagine my life if I release the assumption that things must return to how they were?
What small act of creation—art, movement, ritual—could help me engage with the new possibilities unfolding before me?

The Tower’s fall can be terrifying, but it is also an initiation. It strips us of what is false so we can step into something greater. The Genius reminds us that we are not powerless in this process—we can be the ones to call the lightning when needed, and we can be the ones to shape what comes next.

As I sit with the Genius and Tower pairing this week, it brings me comfort to know we’re all navigating these moments of transformation together. Change can be unsettling, but it can also be exhilarating when we lean into it with curiosity and creativity. I’d love to hear your thoughts—have you ever experienced a Tower moment that, in hindsight, was a gift? Let’s share our experiences in the comments below. Sending you all big love and blessings! 💖

Spirit Connections with Jenna Newell Hiott

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