Jwalant Swaroop
Resurrection is impossible without destruction. Every meaningful transformation begins with the collapse of an old order that has exhausted its purpose. As long as familiar structures remain intact, we cling to them. It is only when they crumble that we gather the courage to rebuild.
Nature follows this eternal law. Forest fires destroy, but they also nourish the soil for new life. Storms uproot ancient trees, yet they create space for fresh growth. In Hindu philosophy, Parlay, the dissolution of the old, is not the end of creation but its beginning. Lord Shiva destroys not to annihilate, but to make way for renewal.
The Tarot expresses this profound truth through The Tower. Lightning strikes a mighty fortress. Flames engulf its walls. People leap into the unknown as the structure collapses. An ordinary Tarot reader sees only disaster. A perceptive reader sees a rebirth in progress. The Tower reminds us that what falls is often false security, rigid beliefs and outdated systems. The ruins become the foundation for something stronger and more authentic.
History bears witness to this cycle. Time and again, India has risen from the dust of invasions, wars, natural disasters and social upheavals. Every period of devastation has eventually given birth to a new cultural and spiritual awakening.
Even in recent times, the protests led by India’s Gen Z over shortcomings in the examination system created widespread disruption and public unrest. Yet beneath the chaos lay a powerful demand for transparency, accountability and reform. The immediate picture was one of disorder; the deeper movement was towards rebuilding trust in the education system. Every significant reform is preceded by uncomfortable questions that challenge the status quo.
The same principle applies to politics, institutions and even our personal lives. Calamity alone does not produce resurrection. It is strategic thinking, courageous leadership and the collective spirit of people working together that transform destruction into opportunity. Hope becomes the bridge between collapse and renewal.
That is the hidden wisdom of The Tower. It teaches us that destruction is not the enemy of life; stagnation is. The lightning does not destroy our future, it destroys the illusions that prevent us from embracing it.
Osho beautifully described this state of transition through the Tibetan Buddhist concept of Bardo, the sacred interval between what has ended and what is yet to begin. It is a space of uncertainty, where the old identity has dissolved but the new has not yet taken shape. Most people fear this emptiness because it feels like loss. Yet Bardo is not a void; it is fertile ground for transformation. Every resurrection passes through this silent passage. Those who have the patience to endure the darkness without losing hope emerge renewed, wiser and more resilient. Destruction, then, is not the destination. It is the doorway through which hope walks towards resurrection.
