The Lovers Card is associated with the path on the Tree of Life which connects Binah, the Sphere of understanding and spiritual awareness, with Tipareth, the sphere of the heart and the seat of individuality. The astrological correspondence for the Lovers is the sign of Gemini, the twins, and the Hebrew letter is Zain, meaning the sword. The combined symbolism of the sword, twins and lovers indicates that this is a card of division and reunification, revealing the alchemical maxim of 'solve et coagula' and the logical maxim of 'analysis and synthesis'.

The twins of Gemini show us duality in its most fundamental form as two opposites which combine as equal halves of a greater whole, like the Yin and Yang of oriental philosophy. This duality may particularly be said to refer to the heart and to our understanding and perceptions of the nature of our Selves. The Lovers card therefore represents the faculty of understanding others through seeing our own nature reflected in them, or perceiving our own nature and theirs as being different manifestations of the same underlying truth or more fundamental nature with the 'Anima Mundi' or world soul. These are the highest and most immediate manifestations of empathy.

Of course, as the name suggests, the Lovers card also represents romantic love, especially of the kind exemplified in the concept of 'soul mates', in which each person in a partnership perceives themselves as one half of a greater whole, incomplete in themselves, but being perfectly complementary to one another and thus making each other whole.

In this is the foundation of spiritual practices such as Tantric Yoga, in which an aspirant seeks to attain understanding and awareness of their own divine nature through the union of opposite, symbolically represented as Shiva and Shakti. In actual fact this formula of transcendence through the union of opposites is fundamental to spiritual growth, and can be found in some form within many esoteric, meditative, and psychological traditions. Classic examples include the union of the ego and its shadow, conscious and subconscious minds, in Jungian psychology, or the union of sun and moon in spiritual alchemy. Here also is the root of that old saying 'opposites attract'.

When the Lovers appear in a reading the most common, and most literal, interpretation is that it refers to affairs of the heart. The card may therefore suggest the beginning of a new amorous relationship, or the improvement of an existing relationship through a greater mutual understanding. In either case a deep emotional commitment is indicated.

However, there is also duality within the card itself. The sharp blade of the sword is a universal symbol of the powers of the intellect, and the formula of 'analysis and synthesis' reinforces this, as does the association between this card and the sphere of Binah, with its faculty of understanding. The Lovers card therefore represents both reason and emotion; this duality is shown in some packs by the symbolism associated with the two figures. Because of this it is often said that the presence of the Lovers in a reading shows that there is a fork in the road, an important decision that must be made, possibly between following your head and following your heart. This often manifests as a conflict between your duty and responsibilities and your hearts desires. Many practitioners would counsel the questioner to follow their heart and their feelings, saying that this will lead them to happiness; in many cases this may be the best interpretation, but it must be remembered that the Lovers may also indicate a false choice, and the ability of seemingly divergent paths may be united, and reconciled into a single solution which is superior to either of the superficially apparent choices.