Keeping the Tarot Train on Track
Have you ever performed a Tarot reading where your interpretations and insights have abandoned the question or subject? I would venture that most of us have performed readings where we have deviated a bit from the core question, not because of a brilliant intuitive insight, but for other, less profound reasons. In practice, it can be easy to deviate from the heart of the matter, especially in a longer reading. A Tarot reading introduces a lot of ideas and stimuli that pull the brain in different directions and manifest several trains of thought. A group of cards may really look like it is saying X, even though the question is about Y. Additionally, there are times when the meanings that we associate with a card can overshadow the context that the card is operating within. To illustrate, let’s look at an example of a card interpretation that goes “off track” and how it differs from one that “stays on course.”
Let’s say a client has a difficult relationship with one of her coworkers. She asks for some advice about how to navigate the interactions she has with this person. The cards drawn are the High Priestess and the Devil. It may be tempting to say “this coworker is a secretive person. She might be shady, and she could be out to cause you trouble.” The High Priestess combined with the Devil creates a knee jerk reaction about the person that the client is having difficulties with, and this leads to some deviation from the original inquiry. After all, the Devil certainly seems more appropriate as a description of a difficult person rather than advice on what to do. This makes the description a convenient interpretation. However, it does not necessarily make the analysis a more intuitive or useful one. Furthermore, the client did not ask what she needs to know about her coworker’s personality. The client wants to know what she should do. The High Priestess and the Devil as what she should do could relate to keeping her cards close to her chest, being receptive without dropping her guard, allowing her intuitive responses to guide interactions, and avoiding the temptation to get into a fight. This second interpretation of the cards is a functional one because it answers the original question.
In the example I made it easy to see the slip up, but these kinds of deviations can be very sneaky. Sometimes, when a reading has a lot of cards, complex spread positions, or cards that pop up where they don’t seem to fit, the reading can be thrown off course. This is normal and it doesn’t make you a “bad” reader. It happens to everyone, and that’s why it is important to practice your ability to focus on bringing the cards back to the question, the context determined by the spread position, and the overall reading topic. This also is a big reason why I think it is imperative to have a clear subject or question for the reading as well as a precise spread to use. I usually create a spread so that it’s tailored to the specific inquiry, and I write down both the question and the spread positions so that it is even easier to stay on track. This is helpful for when you are nervous, and it makes interpreting the cards easier because it narrows things down to the specifics.
What About Intuitive Responses to Cards? Doesn’t This Abandon a Massive Aspect of Tarot Reading?
Those who have a more intuitive reading style may be thinking that I am shutting down intuitive interpretations of the cards in favor of a logical and regimented practice. Please allow me to assure you that that is not the case. In my experience, when you are tuned in and focused on the specific question and interpreting the cards within that framework, a flash of intuition will stand out even more as a unique and valuable insight. You will be more certain of its validity. Sometimes a convenient interpretation of a card can be mistaken as an intuitive insight, and discerning between the two is an important part of developing your reading skills. The High Priestess/Devil example illustrates one of those situations. The description of the coworker as a secretive and devilish person may just be a convenient one, but it could be an important intuitive warning. For me, keeping a reading on a specific track so that my mind stays calibrated to the situation has been useful for determining when I’m having an intuitive moment, and when an interpretation just seems suitable in spite of the context.
Intuitive Insights or Insights from Within the Boundaries? I Say Both!
Intuitive insights are wonderful accompaniments to the message that appears within the designated framework. They are a welcome bonus and usually they combine for an especially beneficial session. When I have an intuitive insight (which I readily admit is rare), I always do my best to glean a specific insight from within the boundaries of the reading’s parameters as well. This is because I crafted the spread with the deliberate intent of getting a specific piece of information from each card or group of cards that I pulled. Unless the intuitive insight is one that satisfies the context and the question as well as my instincts, I will do my best to seek additional information. To clarify, let’s say that in the example the description of the coworker is one that seems like a valid intuitive warning that should be shared. The client would be given that information as well as the interpretation about what to do. If my intuitive insight related to what to do, I probably wouldn’t dig as deeply into that card pairing for additional tips as I would feel like I extracted the information that the cards were assigned to provide.
Summary
To avoid deviations that dilute the effectiveness of the reading I find the following tips useful:
~ Discuss and/or write about the topic before you perform a reading. Get to the root of the matter and decide very specifically what the reading needs to address. Sometimes you may not even need to pull any cards at all if your brainstorming session is especially productive. If a reading still needs to be performed, you will have a very concrete idea of what it needs to focus on. Write it down. Once you get into the flow of the reading you may forget the exact wording of the inquiry, and that can be problematic if you don’t have it on paper.
~ Craft a spread for the issue instead of making the inquiry fit into a vague or general spread. This way each spread position is designed to address a precise aspect of the matter.
~ Avoid using spread positions that muddy the waters. For example, a position that represents hopes and fears allows for the best and worst possibilities of a card to be relevant at the same time. While the psychology of this is interesting (we fear what we also hope for), it is often confusing in practice. When a spread position is specific and follows a one card, one concept model, it’s easier to stay focused.
~ When you perform the reading, remember to return to what the spread position represents and the question itself. Double check that your interpretation aligns with those things. If you deem your interpretation to be an intuitive insight, share it and look for any additional meanings from the cards that do fall within the context. If your interpretation isn’t an intuitive insight, pause and ponder some other possibilities.
I hope these tips help you to make your readings even more fulfilling and productive. Since this is a multifaceted and complex topic, I plan to provide an in-depth sample reading that illustrates potential topic deviation pitfalls, tools for evaluating insights as intuitive vs. off track, and more in my next Sample Sunday post. I hope you will join me as we take a look at some of these reading challenges!
Until then – Happy Shuffling!
Decks used in this post:
Thelema Tarot
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