The Lovers is one of those cards that stirs the imagination of the heart, and of course, on first review, we are likely to face our desires and disappointments and all manner of coupling, gratification, and the faces of love. But on deeper exploration, The Lovers also signify all sorts of unlikely collaborations, mismatched pairs, difficult compromises, and the mountains of differences between us and those we need to work with for the advancement of common goals. We are invited (especially now, with Venus pollinating its way through Aries’ domain) to approach these efforts of cooperation with a generosity of the heart: with an acceptance of our differences and an acknowledgment of the separate needs and perspectives of ourselves and our counterparts – knowing that if we do, we will share in the benefits of all that our exchanges with one another can bring. With this in mind, we will more easily find and bond with our allies and kindred spirits.

There is also an aspect of The Lovers that highlights the binary choices we make, the “opportunity costs” (what we are willing to let go of to get what we want), and the demons we wrestle with when we know we can’t have it both ways. These reminders to soften our bold lines, to reserve harsh judgments, are just as important whether they are focused externally on our interactions with those around us, or turned inwardly toward our dealings with ourselves, with a revealing light cast towards the way we meet our own needs or honor our own contradictions. Kindness and compromise are great vehicles for progress, and please don’t forget to treat yourself the way you would like others to treat you.