Tag Archives: XVI-The Tower

Daily Tarot Card Draw: VII-Chariot, XVI-Tower, X-Wheel of Fortune and XIII-Death

I’m sure I’ve mentioned in some post or another that the best way to learn how to read tarot cards (or any card system, for that matter) is simply to do just that — read tarot cards! On a daily basis!

If you’re remotely serious about improving your ability to read tarot cards, you must commit to the practice of casting daily tarot card draws and recording them and jotting down your impressions in a notebook or journal dedicated specifically to card reading. Later, you can review your notes and observe where, why and how you got it “right” or “wrong.”

Just like learning a language, over time, you will learn how your cards speak to you. As you gain “fluency,” your ability to correctly ascertain the cards’ messages in any given daily draw will increase.

That said, remember:

“No matter how talented a reader you may become, you won’t always ‘get it right’.”

 

Three Reasons Why You May Not ‘Get It Right’

 

  1. Taking the information too personally, especially when your draw contains tarot cards that scare you. Your mind might automatically race to worst case scenarios, which, in addition to being a lousy way to start your day, typically don’t manifest in real life.
  2. Forgetting that some daily card draws are fairly mundane. The cards could be showing you something as simple as a weather report (literal or emotional). Perhaps they are describing a local or global event that comes to your attention later in the day or week.
  3. Failing to take “the prevailing winds” into account. Sometimes the energies surrounding a “prediction” shift enough to cancel manifestation at a later time. In those instances you may have correctly interpreted the cards but you probably won’t know it because of lack of feedback.

A Daily Tarot Card Draw with Scary Cards

 

Early last week I pulled some cards in my daily draw that illustrate points #1 and #2 above. I decided to share the reading with you because I think it’s something that card readers experience more often than they care to admit. We get so used to asking for (and expecting!) relevant, personal information that we tend to forget sometimes the cards just want to give a heads-up on a freak thunderstorm or, as you’ll see below, a fatal accident that comes to your attention.

At the time of the draw, having no particular question in mind, I decided to ask one of my go-to generic questions: “Heads up/ need to know/ will happen.” I pulled the following cards:

Q: Heads Up/ Need to Know/ Will Happen:

 

Morgan-Greer Tarot Daily Card Draw: VII-The Chariot - XVI-The Tower - X-Wheel of Fortune http://livingwithcards.com
Morgan-Greer Tarot Daily Card Draw: VII-The Chariot – XVI-The Tower – X-Wheel of Fortune

Morgan Greer Tarot Deck

It took me about a nanosecond to realize that Chariot + Tower is a classic combination for an automobile accident. Having the Wheel of Fortune in the spread (literally, “wheels”) only seemed to solidify the interpretation.

Unsettling at best.

Of course, I took the “prediction” personally. My mind went directly to myself and my family, including a loved one who would be embarking on a road trip later in the week.

As my anxiety levels multiplied, I found myself grabbing another card to represent the Probable Outcome.

I pulled Death, making me wish I’d never done the darn daily draw in the first place…

Morgan-Greer Tarot VIII-Death http://livingwithcards.com
Morgan-Greer Tarot XIII-Death

 

I then proceeded to worry myself half to death (pun intended) for at least two minutes. After getting a grip on myself, I re-boxed the cards and returned them to some storage container or another, amidst the firm resolution of getting on with my day. (I definitely do not recommend fixating on dire predictions!)

I actually succeeded in not giving the reading a second thought until a news story on the next day’s 6 o’clock news came to my attention: a fatal car crash in a neighboring town. Why the previous day’s tarot card draw had pointed that out to me is unknowable. As the Death card indicated, there was absolutely nothing I could have done to prevent the tragedy.

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Could the cards have manifested in some way other than a tragedy? Of course. To a large degree, it would depend on the question. For example, if you pulled these four cards as an answer to a question concerning taking a new job in another city, the cards could be suggesting that this course of action (Chariot) might be interrupted (Tower), thrown off-course (Wheel) and come to naught (Death). The Death card in this example could also suggest you don’t get the job offer in the first place. Regardless of the question, the fact that all four cards in this particular draw are Major Arcana suggests the outcome is out of your control.

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Notes

 

The cards pulled in this daily tarot card draw predicted a fatal motor vehicle accident. While my interpretation was technically correct, I took the information too personally, causing myself unnecessary angst. It didn’t occur to me at the time of the reading that maybe the cards were foreshadowing a story I’d see later on the 6 o’clock news. Should I pull another set of equally dire cards anytime soon, I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to keep this error in mind.

Because this particular reading left an impression, I probably would have been able to bring those four cards to mind once I saw the news story whether I’d recorded the draw or not. But I’m glad I did. You might think you’ll remember your tarot card readings, but unless you have a photographic memory, you won’t. It’s crazy how easily tarot readings slip your mind when you don’t record and notate your readings.

Don’t let your fear or apprehension of “bad Tarot cards” keep you from performing daily card draws and recording them in a notebook or journal. Keep the three points I made above in mind (Three Reasons Why You May Not ‘Get It Right’) and always remember that there isn’t a card in the deck that does not provide useful information, even if it’s something you don’t particularly want to hear or address.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

Tarot Card Reading Reveals Truth of the Matter: 5 of Pentacles, XVI-The Tower, XVII-The Star, 5 of Cups, XXI-The World

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 http://livingwithcards.com
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?

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck: 5 of Pentacles - XVI-The Tower - XVII-The Star - 5 of Cups - XXI-The World
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.

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck 5 of Pentacles
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.

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck XVI-The Tower
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.

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck 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.

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck 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.

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck 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.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Tarot Spreads: The Tarot de Marseille Veil Spread Discusses Job Loss

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
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
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
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
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
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
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

You Don’t Have to be Psychic to Read Cards

You don’t have to be psychic to learn how to read cards. All it takes is intention, some intuition, and a good dollop of common sense.

If you learned how to read English — which I assume you did if you’re reading this post — you can learn how to read cards. This is because cards, like English (or French or German or any other language), speak in languages that you can learn to read.

Each card system (tarot, Lenormand, playing cards, etc.) has its own language. Just like any language, there may be similarities — and there are sure to be differences.

For example, XVI-The Tower in the tarot does not have the same meaning as 19 Tower in the Lenormand. The former has the connotation of a shock or disruption of some sort, perhaps a crisis point. The latter has many meanings including legal matters, bureaucracy, isolation, ego, and official buildings among other things, and absolutely no connotations of shock, disruption or crisis.

 

What you need if you want to read cards:

1. Intention

I-The Magician - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
I-The Magician – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

 

You have to want to read cards, otherwise, why would you bother? It is not a huge investment of money to pick up a tarot deck at a local bookstore or order one online. Lenormand cards are not particularly pricey and can also be ordered online. A pack of playing cards costs less than $5.00 at big box stores and drugstores. If you don’t already own a deck of tarot, Lenormand or playing cards, decide which card system you want to start with and purchase one deck. If you’re already familiar and comfortable with one or more card systems, consider trying your hand at another.

Here are some deck suggestions to get you started:

Tarot decks:

  • Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
  • Robin Wood Tarot Deck
  • Universal Waite Tarot Deck
  • Morgan-Greer Tarot Deck
  • Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck

Lenormand decks:

  • Piatnik Lenormand Jeu de destin No. 194115
  • Blaue Eule (Blue Owl) Lenormand
  • Mystical Lenormand

 

2. Intuition

II-The High Priestess - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
II-The High Priestess – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

 

Everyone has intuitive capabilities. While some people may be more intuitive than others, every person has the ability to “intuit” to some degree — and the capacity to build their intuitive muscle. The more you learn about how your own particular intuitive abilities work, the better you will be able to work with them. Card reading is a great way to uncover and strengthen your intuitive abilities. When you look at a tarot card, you may find certain symbols in the picture capture your attention. You might ask yourself, “why has that symbol captured my attention?” One thought may lead to another and before you know it, you could be stringing together a meaning and/or a thought might occur to you that summarizes the message the cards seem to be giving you. This is intuition in play. You will develop and/or strengthen it by reading cards on a regular basis.

 

3. Common Sense

Queen of Pentacles - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
Queen of Pentacles – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

It helps to have your head set squarely on your shoulders. It doesn’t make any sense to me to get upset, worried or scared outta your mind by a card reading. Come on, people, use your heads. They’re just cards. Cards are rectangular pieces of cardboard with pictures on them. The power is not in the cards. You own the power.

 

Queen of Swords - Hanson Roberts Tarot Deck
Queen of Swords – Hanson Roberts Tarot Deck

 

I’ll share more of my approach to card reading in subsequent posts. If there’s something you’d like me to  comment on or discuss in more depth, please let me know.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins