A silhouette, far ahead in the river behind the trees. A naked woman bathing in the river, he realized, his eyes fixed on her exquisite figure. He wanted to turn his head, to respect her privacy, wishing hard he could look away.
He couldn’t. It was as if her naked body, slender and graceful in the gleaming water, was calling to him. He just could not help watching her.

He changed his path, began to walk towards the river, moving as if in a trance, like something beyond his control had taken over his body. He was very close now. He stopped, hiding behind the trees, never taking his eyes off of her. She was coming out of the water. He kept watching.

She sat on the river bank and began combing her hair. He watched for a little while longer, then came out of his hiding place and walked to her.

He felt he had to say something but didn’t know what. Words came anyway, before he realized he was speaking, much to his delightful surprise.

“Excuse me, can you help me? I think I am lost.”
That wasn’t exactly a lie, was it?

She watched him, suspiciously at first, then curiously and finally with a bemused look in her eyes, as if trying to decide what to do with him. Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she sat straight and confident, aware of the hold her captivating beauty had over him.
“Pick a card,” she said, pointing at the deck in her hands.

“Pick a card? What is this?” he thought, contemplating the beautiful hands holding out the cards to him. He then looked up, into her eyes, feeling he could lose himself in their brilliant darkness. He picked a card and showed it to her.

“Lovers,” said the card. His heart began to race, his mind numb and dazzled, his mouth getting dry. He did not know what this was, this sudden feeling taking over his whole being, overwhelming him with lust, emotion love and despair all at once. He heard her say something but did not understand what it was. Something about choosing another path? He didn’t really care. She just stood there, looking at him intently.

He suddenly experienced an unanticipated sense of freedom. He moved to her and took her into his arms.They kissed until their lips burned and they made love. Their bodies had put on wings, raising them far up into the sky, high over the hills, the valleys, the mountains. They gave themselves to each other, completely and unconditionally and, in that unending, immortal moment, they were one.

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Card number 6, the Lovers, is about much more than the romantic love it first calls to mind. The finding of a lover is merely one of the consequences to be drawn from it.

At the point that he has arrived at, just when the Fool had gathered his thoughts, made decisions and become aware of the both material and spiritual power within him… it was clearly no coincidence that love entered the Fool’s life. Now, this unsettling force will drive him to question his decisions and perhaps leave him at the threshold of a new decision.

Yes, love has entered the equation. But love, in this instance, is more a state of mind. It represents your encounter with that thing you have always strived, chased after, dreamed of, expected, desired, and believed was created for you. Whatever that “exactly the thing you were looking for” may be, it is in fact a choice; it is the thing you have chosen for yourself. You might feel challenged that it stands before you and expects you to take a stance. Making this choice might be unfamiliar, alarming, and even frightening. This is one of your most difficult moments, and you will have to take initiative and use your intelligence. No love comes for free; no love can be cut through like a hot knife through butter.
It forces you to change your plans, and begins to drag your current experience in an entirely unexpected direction. It brings you into existence with itself; and makes you take risks and make challenges you would not have dared to before.

But there is even more to it: this force, this love that will hand you the reins of your life, and make you turn away from your family, your community and even your own beliefs and habits, is the thing that will set you free and transform you into yourself. Because the inner harmony you capture with the thing you love and the way you escape from established judgements and concerns with its mediation begin to transform you into an entirely different person. Others will accuse you of stupidity and selfishness, and get anxious because you are inviting “absurd dangers” upon you. Yet the thing that makes you challenge established rules and attracts you towards it, is also, essentially, your nature itself. Rejecting it may lead to bigger losses than accepting it.

The Lovers card represents a new thing the person who draws the card has fallen in love with, and the decision to be taken regarding this thing. It could be a person, or a very attractive notebook, a new job, or a long holiday.The ruling zodiac sign of the card is the intelligent, versatile, curious and energetic, but also complicated Gemini.

In the final analysis, this card is about perfection. On the ideal plane, the thing you fall in love with will perfectly complete you and you will become perfect alongside it. It gives you the strength you need to live your own truth, to follow your beliefs, and do the thing you like. It makes you question your priorities in your life. It helps you be honest to yourself, helping you realize your self to a further extent.

Sexuality is another aspect of this card. The attraction of the person you fall in love with is physical at first. The harmony that begins with the body will extend, on the ideal plane, or in other words, in the perfect relationship, to the mind as well. However, this is not guaranteed. It is quite possible that you will rise from your bed one morning thinking, “What on earth is going on!” Love can be a state of transcendence, but also a state of stupidity. Your choice, or let’s call it love, might drag you towards a complete disappointment. Things might not go as you planned. If you are making a choice, act without forgetting that it will, for better or worse, come at a price.

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