Card Number: 16
Rulership: Mars

 A bolt from the blue. Collapse of a structure. Disruption. Shock. Havoc. Awakening. Instability. Major transformation. A crisis point. Death of an illusion. Separation. Divorce. A new job. Disturbing news.

Swift shocking and dramatic change. The usual structures of your life begin to crumble and  you must deal with the collapse of your old way of life. Suddenly selling your home, moving, changing jobs, entering psychotherapy or significantly altering important relationships. This is a moment of truth that forces you to rid yourself of life structures and identify what you truly value. The more you are stuck in a phony lifestyle the more disruptive the change will be. Now is time to rid yourself of false beliefs that hinder your growth.
Occasionally this cards tells of a theft, job loss, family fights or trouble with property.
The old order must dissolve to make way for the new.

Actions:

experiencing upheaval
having plans disrupted
being surprised
undergoing a crisis
having routines shaken up
being in chaos

 

exploding
having an emotional outburst
erupting in anger
crashing through ego defenses
breaking through pretense
letting everything go

 

being humbled
experiencing a crash
toppling from the heights
having a downturn in fortune
suffering a blow to the ego

 

suddenly realizing the truth
exposing what was hidden
having a burst of insight
seeing through illusions
getting the answer
seeing everything in a flash

Reversed:

A shock.  The change has happened. Trauma is over. Things will never be the same. Time to pick up the pieces and start over. Catastrophe. Breakdown. You must now face problems that could have been avoided. You experience the consequences of past mistakes.