Traditionally The Lovers, the 6th Major Arcana, represent choices, not only of a romantic nature but also of a life altering nature, and the coming together of opposites, polarities and opposition, the feminine and the masculine.  It represents the principle of relatedness and choice.  The Lovers is often seen to represent choices and paths we take in life.  It can also symbolize romantic partnership and alliances. 

The Lovers often represent making a decision between choices, selecting a path and committing to it, and the connection between the divine and the human.  The choices reflected in The Lovers are not easy choices, they are matters of life-long impact.  Once we start down that path, it will difficult to change course.  It's not as easy as just backtracking.

"Reversed:  One part of you is cooperating with another part of you.  You may hold some beliefs and attitudes that don't always work smoothly together.  Here, you are finding a way to bring them together and have them support each other - you may realize that you can be both fat and beautiful.
Negative:  Two of more incompatible elements or individuals are coming together.  You may be trying to forcefully create and impossible relationship between factors or people whose goals and interests do not mesh.  They really can't be expected to cooperate with each other." - Gail Fairfield

MotM LWB - Adam, Eve, the Serpent, Lilith in the foreground with wild beast & the screech owl.  The Book of Ezekiel, screeching is ancient Hebrew for the word Lilith.

"A Cat's Interpretation:  Few cats forma c lose relationship with their mates, although it does happen from time to time.  But mostly any "romantic" encounter is a brief one, and the real passion and commitment is reserved for those they live with - whether cats or people.  Even then, it's debatable how much faithfulness most cats show.  Of course they can be genuinely affectionate, but it's just that to many a cat, there seems no point in making choices when it comes to love and fondness - they find no problem in bestowing it equally on several households." - Baroque Bohemian Cats companion book

The MotM Lovers shows two naked figures, one male and one female, standing near a tree in the middle of a garden.  Wound around the trunk of the tree is a creature with a human torso and a serpent tale.  The  creature is offering something to the  couple.  The woman, reclining on the ground, is reaching for it.  The man, standing above her, seems to be grasping the branch in an effort to shake loose  the creature.  They are surrounded by an idyllic garden and water.  On the bottom frame of the card we see three somewhat ominous figures - a white goat, a woman with pale white skin, long white hair and a malicious smile on her face, and a white owl.  Above the couple we see a winged being pointing a spear or sword towards the tree.

To me, this card just shrieks (sorry I couldn't resist) of choices and of our connection to the Divine.  The serpent is offering Adam & Eve to make one choice while the winged being seems to be trying to prevent them from accepting what the serpent if offering.  There is temptation and distractions all around Adam & Eve but somehow they still manage to stay together.  Their combined energies are the only thing that can help them make it through.  Even if they make the wrong choice, their  united powers can help them survive it.  That is the key to this card - even if we lose our connection to the Divine, to the Universe, we can find it again through love and through combining our various energies to accomplish the task.  This love doesn't necessarily mean romantic love, it means loving ourselves and our world and our spirit enough to keep struggling along. 

On the White Cats Lovers card we see two cats of different breeds facing each other under the watchful gaze of a larger winged cat.  The winged cat's markings make it appear to be an older, bearded angel.  In the background there is a tree full of fruit and a serpent is twined around its trunk.  The two cats in the foreground seem unaware of anything but each other - oblivious to potential dangers or temptations.  Their fascination for each other allows them to focus on themselves and avoid any external lures. 

I think we have all suffered the consequences of poor choices.  But we are able to overcome these mistakes by holding on to our faith in ourselves, by marshaling our forces and forging ahead.  If we let ourselves get too bogged down mourning and berating ourselves for making the mistake then we lose sight of the fact that we are part of the divine and can never truly lose that connections.  We are part of the divine tapestry of the Universe and even death does not destroy our thread, it merely changes it.  So our spirit will endure and triumph.  But how we conduct ourselves in this life are a direct result of our choices.  If we choose to let ourselves lose sight of our Divine connection, then that is our decision.  We cannot hold someone else responsible.  It has always seemed to me that one of the flaws of Christian theology is holding Eve (and all women) responsible for the ills of humanity.  We all have the free will and choice to let ourselves suffer for this belief.  If we are able to give and receive love, to accept the responsibility and consequences for our actions and to believe that "we are stardust" then we can never lose our connection to the Divine.

Even if we find it difficult to work with others or even incompatible elements within ourselves, that does not mean I am "bad".  It simply means I need to find another path to achieve my goals.  Perhaps one of the reasons I am finding it difficult to consolidate these disparate parts of myself is because I haven't found the right incentive.  Once I have found the "right" project or goal for myself, I think it will become easier to get my multiple aspects to work together in harmony.