Tag Archives: Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Tarot Clarification Cards Address Relationship Issue

You can almost always glean additional and helpful information from a Tarot spread by pulling clarification cards. While there are many ways to select clarification cards, below I will outline my preferred method.

First, let’s take a look at a simple 7 card Overview Spread* that reads fairly straightforwardly. Later, we’ll add the clarification cards.

 

Tarot spread, overview spread, card positions, livingwithcards.com
The Overview Spread – card positions

Card 1: Significator or Theme Card (Represents the Querent or describes an important aspect about the topic under consideration)

Cards 2 & 6: The Recent Past / Current Influences

Card 3: What is Above You (Describes what’s weighing on the Querent’s mind at the time of the reading)

Cards 4 & 7: Near Future/ What Happens Next

Card 5: What is Below You (Describes what the Querent dreads, doesn’t want to think about or wants to avoid)

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The template above shows how to lay out the spread once you’re done shuffling the cards in your usual manner while thinking about the topic you’d like the cards to discuss. You can preselect Card 1 if you like (for example, choose the King or Queen who normally represents you, or choose VI-The Lovers for a relationship overview), or let the deck choose for you. I usually let the deck pick the Significator or Theme Card, but please do whatever feels comfortable to you. You’ll still get a valid reading.

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In the following example, the Querent (person asking the question) was a single female who found herself unexpectedly pregnant. She wanted to know if marriage (which she and the man had discussed as an option) was a good idea. I drew the following cards:

Overview tarot spread Universal Waite tarot deck
Overview Spread – Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Card 1 – Significator or Theme Card: III-The Empress

Cards 2 & 6 – The Recent Past / Current Influences: 10 of Wands + 2 of Wands

Card 3 – What is Above You (What’s Weighing on Your Mind at the Time of the Reading): 8 of Swords

Cards 4 & 7 – Near Future/ What Happens Next: 3 of Pentacles + 4 of Swords

Card 5: What is Below You (What You Are Avoiding, Dreading or Don’t Want to Think About): 7 of Wands

 

Since the Querent was indeed pregnant, III-Empress as the Significator or Theme Card was certainly appropriate. I quickly noted, however, a lack of cards in the spread suggesting marriage and/or happiness.

10 of Wands and 2 of Wands in the Recent Past position (Cards 2 + 6) suggested feelings of overwhelm and off-centeredness. 8 of Swords in the Above position (Card 3) suggested a sense of entrapment, awkwardly countered by the independent, go-it-alone vibe presented by 7 of Wands in the Below “Don’t Want to Think About It” position (Card 5).

I noted that the Wands cards, which in general can indicate hope and inspiration, were in the Recent Past and Below positions (Cards 2, 6 and 5) while cards from the suit of Swords (indicating fear and worry) showed up in the Above position (Card 3) and as the last card of the Near Future (Card 7).

The child itself did not seem to factor in (no Pages), and once again I’ll mention the lack of cards indicating love, marriage, cooperation and/or happiness.

The Overview Spread confirmed the Querent’s sense of feeling conflicted. With 3 of Pentacles and 4 of Swords in the Near Future position (Cards 4 + 7), it seemed likely that any potential growth of the relationship between her and the baby’s father would come to a halt. Perhaps they would agree to take a break from each other. This interpretation seemed to be supported by 7 of Wands in the “Don’t Want to Think About It” Below position (Card 5) which speaks to what one is avoiding, dreading or not wanting to consider. I got the sense the querent didn’t want to admit to herself (let alone the baby’s father) that she would prefer to remain independent.

Before I went any further, I wanted to see the clarification cards, knowing they would either support or refute my intuitions.

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How I Use Numerology to Calculate Tarot Clarification Cards

Each Major Arcana card has its own value, 0 – 22.

Each Minor Arcana card 1 – 10 has its own value.

In my system, Kings = 11, Queens = 12, Knights =13 and Pages = 14. Some readers do the reverse. Either way it’s up to you, just be consistent.

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In this reading there were no court cards so the math was easy enough. I added up the numerical values of the cards in the layout and reduced the total to a number equaling 22 or below. Here, the cards added up to 37, which equals 3 + 7 = 10 = X-Wheel of Fortune.

The next step was to find X-Wheel of Fortune in the remaining deck and pull it out, along with the card before and the card after, giving me a three-card clarification:

Tarot clarification cards VII-Chariot, X-Wheel of Fortune, 5 of Pentacles
Tarot Clarification Cards

 

VII-The Chariot continued with the theme of independence and wanting to do one’s own thing while 5 of Pentacles suggested hardship and more restriction. X-Wheel of Fortune in the middle suggested to me the course had not yet been set. While I felt the fate of this relationship was in the querent’s hands (Chariot), that didn’t guarantee the change would be positive (especially with 5 of Pentacles following the Wheel). “Sleeping on it” (4 of Swords) was not bad advice. She owed it to herself to carefully consider her options and desires in light of what would ultimately prove best for all parties.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

*I learned the Overview Spread from The Art of Cartomancy website by Kapherus, which is now back online, I’m happy to say 🙂

Tarot Card Job Prediction Using 5 Pointed Star Spread

An unemployed female querent recently ran into a former employer who had always thought well of her work. After some catch-up conversation and general chit-chat, he said he might be able to offer her a position with his new company — if he could convince them to take her on. The obstacle, it seemed, was the company’s frugal nature and their unwillingness to spend money “unnecessarily.” Despite being put off by the mixed message, the querent was curious to know if she might expect a job offer from this company in the near future.

I decided to cast a 5 Pointed Star Tarot spread using a significator card to describe the major theme of the reading, and chose the Universal Waite Tarot Deck to perform the reading.

After a thorough shuffle while concentrating on the querent’s situation and question, I drew the following cards:

5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread with Significator
5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread with Significator using Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Universal Waite Tarot Deck – U.S. Games Systems, Inc. (c) 1971, 1991

 

Significator card: the central card, Ace of Pentacles, describes the theme of the reading. As the significator, Ace of Pentacles aptly describes a new opportunity such as a new job offer, exactly mirroring what was on the querent’s mind. I took the card as confirmation the spread was valid and that I had correctly tuned into the querent’s situation.

 

Position #1 – King of Cups

The card in this position describes the basis of the question. It reveals the issue under consideration, but will not affect the outcome.

King of Cups in Position #1 describes a professional man who most likely has the querent’s best interests at heart. He is trustworthy, creative, and may possibly have a Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces (Cups) sun sign. I felt this card was describing the querent’s former employer and his role in possibly helping her secure new employment.

 

Position #2 – 5 of Wands

The card in this position reveals the querent’s thoughts or mindset regarding the matter, whether she anticipates success or failure, what she may fear and/or what is causing concern.

5 of Wands in Position #2 describes the querent’s beliefs and expectations. I think she expects a “fight” between her former employer and whoever has the authority to make a hiring decision. That doesn’t mean she expects he won’t “win,” simply that he’ll have to put on quite the show to get them to come around to his point of view. Either way, the querent likely believes getting the higher-ups to agree to hire her will be challenging to say the least.

 

Position #3 – King of Wands

The card in this position reveals additional information about the situation, of which the querent may or may not be aware, that needs to be considered.

King of Wands in Position #3 could refer to the former employer’s immediate superior. Notice the King of Wands is literally above the King of Cups in the Tarot spread — he is “higher up.” He also seems to look away to the left, distancing himself from the situation described by the rest of the cards. He is disinterested and not terribly invested in the outcome. I notice that the Ace of Pentacles and the 3 of Cups are also “beneath” him in a diagonal direction. It seems to me he would consider the amount of money the company would have to pay to the querent for her skills and services should they take her on to be relatively insignificant (Ace = 1 = small amount of money (Pentacles).

 

Position #4 – 3 of Cups

The card in this position answers the question. This card may also provide advice and/or guidance on how to handle the situation.

3 of Cups is a card of celebration and could be indicating that the querent may in fact soon be “celebrating” her landing of a new position. It could also be a timing card, indicating the “celebration” would occur within “three weeks” or “three months.” Finally, 3 of Cups could also suggest part-time (as opposed to full-time) employment; something the querent may want to consider.

 

Position #5 – XXI-The World

The card in this position shows the Probable Outcome, going beyond the answer found in Position #4, to a final conclusion.

As a major arcana card, XXI-The World carries extra weight, auguring fulfillment and/or successful completion of a goal. It suggests that all will go well and that the “celebration” suggested by 3 of Cups in Position #4 will indeed take place.

 

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I thought it was interesting that 5 of Wands in Position #2 could also be referring to the King of Cups‘ beliefs and expectations. He likely would see pitching the querent’s employability to the company higher-ups as a game — one he was fully confident in winning. The querent quickly confirmed that sounded “just like” her former employer — a caring, trustworthy man who also happened to be a Scorpio (King of Cups)!

I put a three month time limit on this spread prior to casting. If I get future feedback from the querent as to what ultimately happened, I’ll update this post.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

Tarot Guidance: What I Need What I Want Spread

Mid-morning or so, I was thinking random, not particularly productive thoughts, when I caught myself in the act.

I noticed I was feeling somewhat frustrated and annoyed with myself. My to-do list was growing by the moment and I didn’t feel like tackling one thing on it. Other than that, I couldn’t seem to figure out why I was feeling out of sorts. I decided to throw a What I Need / What I Want Tarot spread to cast a little light on the matter.

 

What I Need What I Want Tarot Spread 10 of Pentacles - Knight of Swords - Ace of Swords
What I Need What I Want Tarot Spread
10 of Pentacles – Knight of Swords – Ace of Swords

Universal Waite Tarot Deck (c) 1971, 1991 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

 

10 of Pentacles in the What I Need position indicates financial security. Specifically, a safety net.

Knight of Swords in the What I Want position suggests I should engage in logical, non-emotional action or activities that are clearly focused on my goals.

Ace of Swords in the Advice position tells me a decision is needed.

The Tarot spread suggests that I make a decision (Ace of Swords) to engage in positive, logical, goal-oriented activities (Knight of Swords) in order to achieve my need, which is financial security and the development of a safety net (10 of Pentacles).

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Although I really didn’t have any preconceived notions on subject matter prior to pulling the cards, I must say I was impressed. Recently retired from the work force, my goal is to develop and monetize this blog in order to eventually supplement my Social Security income. This will provide the financial security / safety net I need. The What I Need / What I Want Tarot Spread had succinctly pointed out what I should focus on to get me where I needed and wanted to be.

The cards I drew focused my conscious mind on a game plan that made perfect sense for me. I should take consistent, logical, clearly focused, goal-oriented actions and trust in my eventual success. Knowing the Universe loves symbolic gestures, I followed up immediately by writing this post. Then I printed the spread and taped it near my computer because I don’t want to lose track of the guidance I received.

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It just so happens, in this draw, what I needed and what I wanted coincided, which was serendipitous. If the cards had fought each other, indicating that my needs and wants were at odds, I would probably have wanted to throw another spread to help me clarify how I might resolve the discrepancy.

 

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins