Apocolypsis and the Grand Unveiling: Seeking the Truth Amidst the Lies Part 2

Apocolypsis is a word that certainly seems as if it would be relevant for this time period.

Whether it's a joke about an upcoming "zombie apocalypse" or a general feel of the end of the world as we know it, apocalypse has been whispered in conversations during this pandemic. And there is truth to this. In a lot of ways, this time has undoubtedly changed our lives forever.

In the last blog post, I discussed the archetype of Aletheia, intending for that to be a stand alone blog entry. But fate had different plans. As I started my personal archetypal work this week, I began realizing that this topic on Truth was far from over. And true to the archetype's energy, Apocolypsis, I experienced a grand unveiling in the reality: sometimes what we previously thought must be destroyed for Truth to be found .

Apocolypsis is a Latin word that comes from the Ancient Greek word apokálupsis, meaning “revelation" or "uncovering.” But if you read further into the definition, especially diving into our own English derivative, Apocalypse, you start to get a clearer image of destruction and cataclysmic disaster. From what? The Unveiling process. The Revelation. The Truth coming out.

Apocolypsis is an archetype that teaches us about the process of when our self-made lies collapse into ruin, and truth can suddenly be found. When our Truth comes out, destruction has to occur, or else we can never see Truth for all the lies. We must have destruction of the lies. Destruction of the false reality we've built around those lies. And what we are left with is Truth.

In Part 1, I discussed how Truth is not always an easy thing to find. That it's a constant process of seeking the truth within ourselves. We explored how we tap into the energy of the archetype Aletheia/Truth when we honor our own inner truths. When we stay true to ourselves.

Why is Truth sometimes so hard to find? Because it's often hidden beneath the lies. And that's where Apocolypsis comes in. Because finding truth often requires destruction.

Many of you know that I work a lot with the tarot inside and outside of therapy sessions. Tarot cards are essentially a picture-based system that depict various scenes of life, and they can be used to help with insight and exploration of the subconscious, in a way not dissimilar from inkblot tests. They've been associated a lot with archetypes and universal processes, with many decks including such cards as "The Lovers" or "The Hermit." Think of tarot cards as a system that functions off of the idea that "A picture is worth a 1,000 words." They show us life, using pictures--- not words.

When I think of the archetype Apocolypsis, "The Tower" tarot card inevitably comes to my mind. The Tower is probably one of the most notorious cards within the tarot deck, as Hollywood loves to use its image in mystical movie scenes to show impending doom, usually coupled with a gasp from the card reader and words of warning of inevitable disaster.

The Tower card is truly the tarot equivalent of Apocolypsis. The image on the card shows a scene of destruction, complete with flames, lightening cracking, and people jumping to their deaths. With one look it's easy to see why Hollywood favors this card in horror movies.

In my work with tarot, I've come to see The Tower not as a definitively terrible thing but more of a necessary event in life. This card is all about what we thought we knew being demolished. It's about ego being destroyed.

It's about the lies being broken apart in a sudden, sweeping event of Truth unveiling.

And it's unpleasant. It's difficult. It's painful. And it's necessary.

But the real beauty of The Tower is when the card goes reversed. In tarot, when a card is upside-down (reversed), the traditional meaning of the card gets distorted, sometimes bringing in energy that is quite the opposite of the usual interpretation for the right-side-up card. I've often interpreted The Tower card reversed as signifying a time of rebuilding after the destruction of what you thought you knew. Rebuilding from a very base level. Rebuilding off of that foundation of Truth. Because when The Tower happens in our lives, that's all we have left: Truth.

And this is the archetype of Apocolypsis. It is destruction, despair, and grief that happens when we honor that inner truth. Because that is a reality.

Many times, we have built our lives around the lies, and it hurts when we tear those down.

Maybe you tell yourself that the career path you've followed for fifteen years is truly what you were called to do, even though you hate every second of it and wish you would have made a different choice in life. Or perhaps you work to convince yourself that, despite all the red flags, you are happy in your relationship of four years; knowing in your heart that the relationship is toxic and dangerous to you. Maybe you spend copious amounts of energy being the person your family wants you to be, even though you feel as if you are slowly killing your true self and any dreams you have for your life.

When you finally face those truths and decide a different path, you are sure to find destruction. Breaking away from a stable career with an expected income can be terrifying. Disentangling yourself from a toxic relationship can be painful. Being your true self around your family can make for some rough family dinners.

And when you go through that type of unveiling, it can indeed feel like The Tower tarot card. You can suddenly feel everything that you thought you knew has been destroyed. That you've jumped out the flaming window of lies, and fallen through a sky of blazing lightening. And now all you have left is Truth.

But where do you go when you are in that place? What's the next step?

You start rebuilding. You channel the energy of The Tower card reversed. And this time, you strive to build that tower out of blocks of truth. With every brick you lay, you let it honor your inner self. You let it honor your inner truth.

When you find yourself with that Apocolypsis energy in your life, remember that the destruction is only half of the archetype. The other half is an energy of rising from the ashes of destruction. That through darkness there is light. That through pain there is growth. That through death there is life.

It hurts. It burns. It feels never ending.

And yet, like a phoenix, rising from the ashes, you are called to rise above the destruction of the burnt lies; rebuilding in truth and honoring inner self.

Painful yet necessary.