It’s natural to be attracted to, or intrigued by, the uncanny ability Tarot Cards, Lenormand Cards, Playing Cards and Oracle decks seem to possess. Logical or not, cards appear to be able to predict the future. That’s what draws many people to card divination in the first place. We want to know what’s going to happen today, whether he or she likes us, will we get the job, what if the money doesn’t come through in time, etc., etc.
If you are even semi-serious about card reading, that particular mindset can be less than helpful. This is because any card draw, using any deck, for any question, at any given moment in time, is simply reflecting the prevailing energies in motion at the time of the question.
In other words, 9 times out of 10, what you are seeing is a probable future and not one that is set in stone.
Furthermore, if you don’t monitor them, your own thoughts, beliefs and feelings about the message(s) you got from the cards will influence what actually transpires. Sometimes, without even realizing it, you wind up setting a “self-fulfilling prophecy” into motion. This can have either good or bad results depending on whether your thoughts, beliefs and feelings about the question asked and answer received are predominantly positive or negative.
If up until now you’ve been reading cards from a basically predictive mindset, you don’t need to stop. But you might want to consider exploring a different layer of information the cards may be suggesting. Are they really answering your question as you stated it or could they be answering another, underlying, question?
I’ve found that’s often the case and if I dig around a little, and/or revise my question based on fresh insights I’ve gotten from the spread, I can ferret out information and advice that’s inordinately more helpful than the “answer” to the question I originally asked.
Over the weekend I found myself at Target searching for a birthday present for Grandson #2 when I spotted this playing card deck in one of the toys & games aisles:
Bicycle Club Tattoo Playing Cards (c) 2013 The United States Playing Card Company
Do I have to tell you how long it took me to grab it off the shelf and toss it in my shopping cart?!
Yep. About two & a half seconds.
Despite a busy day, I just had to give these cards a try. I decided to throw an Answer Spread*, which can give a quick yes or no answer to a simple question. I was most curious to learn how these cards would respond to my energies.
Background
My son is away at graduate school in a different state. A couple weeks ago he mentioned the possibility of coming home for a visit later this month. I’ve been trying not to think about it because I don’t want to stoke my expectations and then be disappointed.
But with this brand new (not to mention very cool) card deck sitting on my kitchen table, I couldn’t help myself. I just had to ask!
The Question
“Will my son come home for a visit by or before the end of October?”
The Answer
7 of Diamonds – 10 of Diamonds – 6 of Diamonds – 6 of Hearts – King of Hearts – 8 of Diamonds
The first thing I note is all the cards are red. This in itself is an excellent indication of a “yes” answer.
I also note there are two sixes in the spread which can indicate that all works out in a satisfactory manner. This is another indication of a “yes” answer.
Out of six cards, four are diamonds. This suggests money is a major factor in whether or not the trip back home will take place, information that certainly resonates with me, since my son’s funds are limited. In fact, the pivot card (8 of Diamonds) is a card of budgeting and in that position shows finances are a key factor in his decision.
Column #1 – Recent Past or Current Situation
7 of Diamonds – 6 of Hearts
The Answer Spread is read in columns. The left-most column shows the recent past or current situation. Here we have the 7 of Diamonds topped by the 6 of Hearts.
The 6 of Hearts, a young male who is much loved, refers to my son. I see he has the 7 of Diamonds, a lucky money card above him, which makes me think this column shows his hopes or thoughts that he’ll have the money to make this trip.
Column #2 -The Answer
10 of Diamonds – King of Hearts
The 10 of Diamonds, among other things, symbolizes a trip by air or an airplane. In general, Diamonds topped by Hearts suggests a happy conclusion. I am not sure why the King of Hearts in particular showed up in this spot. I don’t think it refers to my son (he would be the Jack of Hearts). Perhaps some kindly man who has my son’s best interests at heart will be instrumental in seeing that he gets an airplane ticket home.
Column #3 – Additional Information
6 of Diamonds – 8 of Diamonds
6 of Diamonds + 8 of Diamonds suggests to me that my son will not be talking about any budgeting or financial difficulties he may have. No matter how much he’d like to make this trip, he’s not going to ask his mother for money. The cards in this column hint that if I really want to see him, perhaps I should consider sending some money to fund the cause.
Conclusion
The cards certainly seem to give a positive answer. Obviously, I won’t know for sure if this trip is a go until later in the month, and I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to send a little cash his way to hedge my bets.
On another note, I really enjoyed working with the Bicycle Club Tattoo playing card deck and plan to use it again. If you see this deck in your travels, scoop it up! If you can’t find it, you can order it at the link below.
Blessings,
Mary Hawkins
*I learned the Answer Spread from The Art of Cartomancy blog by Kapherus. Sadly, this excellent site that teaches how to read playing cards is no longer available to the public. If I hear any news about Kapherus rejoining the internet community, I’ll let you know.
For the last twenty years or so, I’ve been the victim of a love-hate relationship with my artistic endeavors.
I’ll go through prolific periods where I’m producing artwork on an almost daily basis only to have it all come to a screeching halt, catapulting me into a bottomless, artless pit where it feels like I’ll never pick up a colored pencil or paintbrush again.
When I find myself in one of these dry, artless spells, I literally feel dried up and, frankly, a little bit dead.
Tarot Self-Empowerment Overcoming Artist’s Block
Earlier this month, after suffering through a dry spell that had gone on so long I couldn’t even remember how long it’d been since I held a pencil in my hand for more than a minute, I decided to consult the Tarot cards.
My question was simple enough: What do I need to do to get the creative juices flowing again? I decided to use the 5 Pointed Star with Significator spread because it provides clear and practical information.
5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread: 4 of Cups – 0-The Fool – Knight of Wands – Queen of Swords – XIX-The Sun – Page of Swords
Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck (c) 1985 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Significator Card (Theme): 4 of Cups
4 of Cups
The significator card gives information about the theme of the reading. This is important information that should not be ignored and the five cards that make up the actual 5 Pointed Star should be delineated in light of the information contained within the theme.
The theme expressed by 4 of Cups pulls no punches: it bleakly speaks of the devaluation of one’s gifts and talents. It is a card of depression, discontent and self-pity.
Ouch.
The problem isn’t that I’m not talented enough, it’s that I am not recognizing the skills, gifts and talents I’ve been blessed with. I am suffering from a serious lack of gratitude.
Position #1 (Basis, Reason or Cause of the Question): 0-The Fool
Position #2 (Mindset, Motivation, Expectations): Knight of Wands
0-The Fool
Knight of Wands
If I look at 0-The Fool in light of the theme card, 4 of Cups, I can easily see the reason why I am feeling empty and unfulfilled: I haven’t been valuing my gifts, skills and talents. A quick look at Position #2 (mindset) shows I want to take swift action (Knight of Wands) to reduce or eliminate this feeling of emptiness and lack of progress (0-The Fool).
Position #3 (Additional Information or Comment): Queen of Swords
Position #4 (Answer, Solution, Advice): XIX-The Sun
Queen of SwordsXIX-The Sun
Before I discuss what kind of information or comment Queen of Swords may be providing, keep in mind this card is my personal Tarot significator. When it comes up in a spread I cast for myself, it always refers to me and not to some other random logical, loner-type, probably divorced or widowed, sharp-tongued woman who may or may not wear glasses…
I think I have to read Queen of Swords in tandem with Position #4, XIX-The Sun. Those two cards seem to be telling me that whether or not I’m successful (XIX-The Sun) is entirely up to me (Queen of Swords).
Recall the question was: What do I need to do to get the creative juices flowing again?Queen of Swords in the additional information position clearly suggests it is under my control. Maybe I should stop being so judgmental of myself. The suit of swords suggests the problem is likely mental or intellectual. Since thoughts can be changed, perhaps I should consider changing my thoughts, which would ultimately change my results. XIX-The Sun in the answer, solution, advice position confirms success is at hand if that’s what I decide (swords) I want.
Position #5 (Probable Outcome): Page of Swords
Page of Swords
Here we have a double edged sword (pun intended), for this Page has a tendency not to take himself seriously when perhaps that’s exactly what he should do. I suppose that’s something that can happen frequently when one does not value the skills, gifts and talents (4 of Cups) they inherently possess.
See how all the cards in this spread play together to give a cohesive, empowering and practical answer? Basically, by not valuing my gifts and talents (4 of Cups) and not taking myself seriously (Page of Swords), I’m shooting myself in the foot. In reality, it’s all up to me (Queen of Swords as my personal significator card) and the decisions (swords) I choose or decline to make.
There is nothing “out there” that is preventing me from taking action (Knight of Wands) towards starting anew (0-The Fool) and getting or having what I want (XIX-The Sun).
The subconscious mind is a curious thing. If you fill it with fear, doubt and apprehension, it will tend to bring frightening and perhaps undesirable situations, circumstances and events back to you. If you’re successful at adopting a more positive attitude, it will be happy to deliver more positive situations, circumstances and events to your doorstep.
Another way to put this: You will (probably) get what you think about all day long.
Tarot card advice – self empowerment
Sometimes it’s hard to know what kind of messages you’re feeding your subconscious mind. That’s where the Veil Spread proves itself useful. I just love how this spread gets to the heart of the matter and helps you to see what’s really going on behind the scenes of your thought process.
As I’ve mentioned here and here, I added extra positions to this spread because I’ve found the information they provide to be quite helpful. The Veil Spread with Extra Positions is a five card spread that can be adapted to many card systems. Here, I’ll use the Tarot to demonstrate.
Annie’s Dilemma
Annie is a long-time tarot reading friend of mine. She’s creative, artistic and imaginative. I’ve disguised her name to protect her privacy.
One day Annie stopped by looking for a second opinion on a new idea she wants to develop. She explained the project then added that she’s been unable to convince herself she can pull it off. I immediately thought this would be a good opportunity to put the Veil Spread with Extra Positions to the test. We crafted the following question for the tarot cards:
What is the truth about my ability to successfully complete this project?
5 of Pentacles – XVI-The Tower – XVII-The Star – 5 of Cups – XXI-The World
Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck (c) 1985 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Position #1: What Annie Sees: 5 of Pentacles
The first position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows what the querent (person asking the question) sees. Annie picked 5 of Pentacles for this position.
5 of Pentacles
This is a card of poverty, lack and inability to acquire what she needs. Annie immediately acknowledged her tendency to doubt her own abilities to manifest what she wants.
Position #2: What Annie Does Not See: XVI-The Tower
The second position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows what the querent is not seeing (the Veil). Annie chose XVI-The Tower for this position.
XVI-The Tower
Quickly brainstorming, Annie rattled off the following concepts: breakthrough, destruction, all will blow up my face, ability to break loose, collapse of a structure.
“Oh my God,” she said. “When I put the first two cards together, I get ‘the ability to break loose and destroy my poverty thinking’!”
It was exciting to watch her identify what she was not seeing!
Position #3: The Truth: XVII-The Star
The third position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions uncovered XVII-The Star.
XVII-The Star
By now Annie was grinning from ear to ear. “How empowering is that,” she chuckled. “I could be ‘the star of my own show,’ so to speak!” XVII-The Star is a card of hope, inspiration, joy, promise and protection. In position #3 of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions, it shows that the truth of the matter is that Annie has the ability to achieve her goals and plans for the future. It also points to creativity and special skills, both of which Annie possesses.
Position #4: The Advice: 5 of Cups
The fourth card of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions is the Advice Card. It suggests what one should do or not do to achieve the desired objective. Annie had picked 5 of Cups.
5 of Cups
“Oh my God,” Annie said again. “Stop, stop, stop focusing on what I don’t have, what I think I’ve lost, and start focusing on what I really want!”
I couldn’t have agreed with her more. We took a minute to talk about the subconscious mind and how it’s like a little robot whose only function is to deliver what we order from the Menu of Life. Feed it negativity, fear and doubt and it will surely bring the circumstances, events and situations that mirror that thought process. Annie needed to consciously instruct her subconscious mind to bring her more of what she wants and less of what she doesn’t want.
Position #5: The Probable Outcome: XXI-The World
The fifth (and final) position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows the Probable Outcome, based on the current energies surrounding the querent at the time of the question. Annie chose XXI-The World.
XXI-The World
The ultimate card of completion and success, XXI-The World advised Annie that full achievement of her goal was well within the realm of possibility at this time, as long as she busted through (Tower) her negative thinking (5 of Pentacles) and started focusing on what she really wants instead of what she doesn’t want (5 of Cups).
Once again, the Veil Spread with Extra Positions proved itself to be a valuable tool in my Tarot arsenal. Give it a try the next time you’re having difficulty discerning the truth of the matter in any given situation.
I continue to be amazed at the quality of information a tarot reader can obtain from The Veil Spread with Extra Positions layout. As I mentioned in a previous post, The Veil Spread is a three card tarot spread outlined in the LWB (little white book) that accompanies the Tarot de Marseille tarot deck. I added two extra positions to this spread and have repeatedly found them useful, as shown in the following tarot reading:
A female querent (person asking the question) in her early 60s contacted me regarding a job loss. Her company eliminated her position and, while not a complete surprise (there were warning signs), she feels at a loss as to what to do next. She asked:
What do I need to consider going forward?
Using only the Majors from the Tarot de Marseille tarot deck, I pulled the following cards:
Tarot de Marseille Veil Spread with Extra Positions: XVIII-Moon Rx – 0-Fool – XVI-Tower Rx – XXI-World Rx – I-Magician
Position #1: What You Are Seeing
XVIII-The Moon Rx
Tarot de Marseille – XVIII-The Moon Rx
XVIII-The Moon in its reversed position focuses on emotional turmoil and suggests the querent is overwhelmed by the feelings the job loss has engendered to a degree where she really can’t seem to focus on anything else. It is difficult to gain clarity when the emotions are jumbled up and rational decision making seems impossible.
Position #2: The Veil, or What You Are Not Seeing, or the Reason You Are Not Able to See the Truth
0-The Fool
Tarot de Marseille – 0-The Fool
0-The Fool appears when a person is required to start a new phase of his or her life. What the querent is not seeing — or what she may be failing to recognize — is that the past is behind her and now she must step forward, even though she may not know exactly where she is heading. Faith is required.
Position #3: The Truth
XVI-The Tower Rx
Tarot de Marseille – XVI-The Tower Rx
XVI-The Tower in its upright position signifies shock and upset. In its reversed position, the shock or upset has already happened and the worst of it is over. No amount of rehashing the past or agonizing over whether a different result may have occurred if she’d done things differently will change the dynamics of her situation. The truth of the matter is that things will never be the same and that it’s time for the querent to pick up the pieces and begin rebuilding her life.
Position #4: The Advice
XXI-The World Rx
Tarot de Marseille – XXI-The World Rx
While XXI-The World is a card of success and fulfillment, in its reversed position it shows fear of change, insecurity and a refusal or inability to face the future. By pointing this out to the querent, XXI-The World Rx acknowledges that while it might be difficult to change her mindset and prepare for new experiences by setting new goals, that is exactly what she should do to begin moving forward.
Position #5: The Probable Outcome
I-The Magician
Tarot de Marseille – I-The Magician
I was excited to see this empowering card in the Probable Outcome position because it indicates that the querent has the ability to use her will and imagination to create a new direction for herself. I-Magician suggests the querent may have a specialized knowledge in some area or special skills or talents she may use to achieve her goals. It is an excellent indication that the querent has the ability to compete in the marketplace if that’s the direction she decides to take, or successfully pursue self employment.
In summary, The Tarot de Marseille Veil Spread with Extra Positions clearly indicates that the querent’s prospects for resolving her job loss issue are excellent, once she gets past the emotional entanglement and feelings of victimization the job loss has likely triggered.
Blessings,
Mary Hawkins
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