The Lovers Card in the Rider Waite Smith deck of Tarot Cards is rich in colour and symbolism.
They are important because they can add extra depth and meaning to your readings.
Colours
The Purple of the Angel's clothes is considered to be a very spiritual colour. It is the colour of 3rd Eye, in the middle of the forehead and can indicate the awakening of intuition.
The Yellow of the sun is a symbol of life and of the metal gold, which represents purity in alchemy.
The largely blue of the background indicates the emotions.
Symbols
The figures are very reminiscent of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, although this scene has been turned from one of temptation and downfall to one of enlightenment. Arthur Waite, the original creator of the Rider Waite Smith deck of Tarot Cards was a strong believer in enlightenment and empowerment.
The Garden is a place of bliss and perfection, of order, peace and safety and can represent the cultivation of inner and outer virtue and reward.
Behind the man is the Tree of Life bearing 12 fruits. Behind the woman is Tree of Knowledge, which only has information. This then is up to the individual to place the value judgments of good and bad or right and wrong upon that knowledge.
The Serpent in the tree represents enlightenment and unconscious wisdom.
The Angel is said to be the Archangel Raphael, which is reconciling the reasoning of the man and the passions of the woman. It is unifying pairs of opposites such as the male and female.
The Wings indicate the idea of connecting to higher realms and the Angel that is mediating between God and humans.
The cloud can be a symbol of change, as we do not really know where clouds come from or where they go. They affect us in our lives in some way and then and move on. Clouds define what we can see and what is behind or beyond can be hidden or obscured.
The single Mountain is the unifying factor between the male and female energies, the intellect and the passions or between other opposing pairs.
The Sun is a source of life-giving energy, which helps things to grow and flourish. It shines a light on who you are. It fills the whole card behind the angel. It is indicating the middle ground from which opposites can emerge. It shines that wonderful light of wisdom on both sides, which need each other for any form of harmony or resolution.
No detail, however small, is in this card by accident. Everything is relevant.