Tarot Teacher - Lesson 4

When the Cards Make No Sense - A Troublshooting Guide

Anyone who has ever experimented with a Tarot Deck can relate to the following scenario:

An important question lingers on your mind. You pick up your deck and mix the cards, asking for the answer. You pull a card and -- it doesn't make sense at all! How can this card be the answer to your question? You grab your instruction manuals and Tarot books to see if the card could possibly refer to something other than what you think it does. Nothing. You asked about money and pulled VI-THE LOVERS. You asked about love and pulled TEN OF DISCS. The card simply does not address the issue of your question, not even remotely. Why does this happen, and what should you do when it does?

Here are some troubleshooting guidelines I use when the above scenario happens to me:

1. Did I ask the right question? The quality of the answer is directly proportional to the quality of the question.  Before you pull cards, review the situation for which you are seeking guidance thoroughly in your mind. Does the question you want to ask accurately reflect what you are seeking to know? If it doesn't, reword the question, mix the cards again and make another selection.
2. Did you ask a frivolous question or a question that is impossible to answer? Be wary of questions that contain the words "ever," "always," "never" and other strong qualifiers. A Tarot Reading explores the dynamics of a moment in time. The Reading picks up on your current mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual dynamics. Your probable future changes moment to moment based on your thoughts, feelings and actions. The time frames I use in Tarot Readings range from immediate (within the next 24 hours) to about 6 weeks. If you ask specifically, the Tarot can give information ranging over the next 6 months to a year. To go beyond this time frame defeats the purpose of the Tarot Reading, which is simply to reflect your current dynamics and give glimpses of probable outcomes based on current perceptions.
3. Are you ready to hear the Tarot's answer? It may be less flattering than your ego would like to hear. Don't be afraid to see SEVEN and EIGHT OF CUPS, FIVE OF DISKS or FIVE OF SWORDS, or other uncomfortable cards show up in a Reading. They have important information for you if you are willing to put your ego aside and consider their message.
4. Check your emotional state of mind. If your emotions are in turmoil, it is better to put your deck down and wait until you calm down and center yourself before you ask questions of the Tarot.

If you've asked the right question and are ready to hear the answer, and if you are in a balanced emotional state, and the card still appears to be meaningless, try one of the following techniques:

1. Pull a Clarification card for any card you cannot interpret. Does the Clarification card give some insight? Can you put together a sequence of meaning using the card that made no sense and the Clarification card?
2. Remix the cards focusing on the question, "What do I really need to know about the question I just asked?" Do the cards you pull tell you?
3. Try using another deck. If you find yourself pulling the equivalent cards from different decks, jot down what you pulled whether you can make sense of the information now or not. I have found when the same card(s) keep coming up, there is an important message I need to consider.
4. Try another spread. I find the following spread very insightful for most questions. Mix the cards, focusing on your question. Divide the deck into 6 piles. Pile 1 = The Conscious Now, Pile 2 = What is Behind the Situation, Pile 3 = The Challenge or Obstacle, Pile 4 = The Blessing or Help, Pile 5 = The Deduction, Pile 6 = The Probable Solution. Pull one more card for Clarification if desired.

If none of these suggestions work and you still cannot determine what the cards are trying to tell you about your question, put your deck away. Sometimes the cards just don't want to discuss a particular matter. Respect that as the answer for the time being.

Blessings,
Mary Hawkins

Mary uses your questions for Tarot Teacher lessons. Click here for more details.

Email address: soulscape (at) higheradvisor (dot) com
 

Tarot cards depicted on this Soulscape web page are from the Crowley-Thoth Tarot Deck, copyrighted, published and distributed by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902 USA and AGMULLER & CIE, Switzerland.

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