The Tarot Room – Georgianna

When reading cards in a spread, we identify what cards are in what position, and consider how the meanings of those cards relate to their position, and to each other. But before diving into those details, it’s a good idea to stop for a moment and take a quick overview to see if there are any obvious patterns that jump out.

Are there a whole lot of Major cards, or Court cards, or particular suits or numbers? If so, we’ll be wanting to look at those groups especially, or at least use them to feel out the theme of the reading, whatever the details might be.

For example … if within a Tarot spread, the majority of cards are Majors – I’d read that as a situation where bigger energies are playing out and that the person getting the reading might not be as in control of what’s happening as usual. Alternatively, if there are mostly Minor cards in the spread, it’s likely a situation where the querent is more in charge of what’s being described than not.

As another example, let’s say there’s bunch of Swords – or Cups, or Disks, or Wands … if one suit predominates, it’s the energy of that suit that’s playing out most within the spread.

Or maybe there’s a lot of Court Cards … are there a lot of people involved in the situation at hand? Or maybe the querent is acting with many different faces, or in many different roles?

Are there a lot of the same numbers repeating in the spread? How do they relate to the Major cards of that number?

Or, maybe most cards are bigger numbers, ie. 8s, 9s, or 10s, or the later cards in the Majors … is something about the situation ending? Or maybe there are lots of smaller numbers … is something just beginning?

You get the idea … we’re looking for patterns as much as we are the detailed meanings of the cards. The patterns let us see what the spread is talking about, while the individual cards each describe their own piece of that bigger picture.

You may have noticed that lately I’ve been posting quite a few random pictures that I’m identifying as Tarot images … some examples: 8 of Disks, The Lovers, King of Wands, The High Priestess, 7 of Swords, King of Disks …

Not all these pictures were originally drawn as Tarot images, but as I looked at them, it occurred to me that they could be. Others were quite intentional.

In any event, the Tarot Note here is that it’s a great Tarot exercise to make up your own version of any Tarot card you might feel like drawing or collaging or photographing or sculpting … whatever medium you like using. Use the ideas you’ve come to see reflected in each card to come up with your own version.

The more you make the Tarot your own, the more clearly it communicates … or at least deepens your understanding of various symbols and ideas you find in it.

So if you’re not making up cards already, give it a try … try just one, or just the Majors, or maybe even a whole deck, they don’t have to be good. It’s the process that matters, not the final result.

And who knows, you might end up coming up with an amazing new deck. If you do, let me know.

What I’m about to say is the most obvious thing in the world, and has been said in pretty well every how-to book about Tarot reading you can find, but I’m going to say it again anyway …

… if you’re trying to learn how to read Tarot cards, it’s a really, really good idea to keep a Tarot journal as you go.

Tarot Journals are especially good for:

•recording readings you do for yourself, and others – with notes on any new connections you may have observed during those readings

•building your own personal list of card descriptions and key words

•pictures and/or doodles of cards you pull

•pictures and/or doodles of cards you make up

•spreads you come up with and/or want to remember

•notes from Tarot books or podcasts you might be listening to

•colour charts, astrological, and kabbalistic associations, gemstones, talismans, animal totems, runic connections, iChing coin tosses … whatever it is that you’re doing or thinking at the moment that connects to your Tarot journey

You don’t have to keep writing in this journal forever (though maybe you’ll want to), but Tarot journalling is definitely one of the most important self-training tools you can have. At least it was (and still is) for me.

If you’re learning Tarot and feel comfortable with the meanings of each card, but have some trouble telling a story when you have multiple cards in a spread, try this exercise …

Lay out your spread, then for each card, choose one key word. Put those words into a sentence related to your question. For example …

Question: How will my interview with Mandy likely go today?

Pull 3 Cards:
8 Disks: key word – Steady work
Emperor: key word – Boss/Mandy
6 Wands: key word – Victory/Win

Sentence: Meeting with the boss, Mandy, to discuss steady work will likely be a win.

You can play around with the structure of your sentence, and maybe even update your keywords as you see things coming together, but keeping it simple is always best.

Here’s another example using the same cards but with a different question, and two new key words …

Question: I’d like some advice for my interview with Mandy today

8 Disks: key word – Reliability/Work Ethic
Emperor: key word – Boss/Mandy
6 Wands: key word – Success

Sentence: For likely success in the interview, highlight your work ethic and reliability to the boss, Mandy.

Starting off with smaller spreads is easier, but with practice, you’ll soon be comfortable with larger spreads as well. Give it a try!

Having trouble reading for yourself, but less, or no trouble reading for others? If so, next time you do a self-reading, try throwing your cards, then describing them out loud, just as you would if you were reading for someone else.

When we just quietly scan cards, it can be easy to jump from one thought to the next with no unifying thread. Speaking out loud slows us down, allowing us to start formulating a narrative (or more specifically, the answer to our query) that could be easy to miss if we’re just hopping from one image to another in our minds.

If you don’t do it already, give it a try.