Since I authored The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, one of my favorite activities has been creating the various Tarot card combos. When you combine Tarot cards, you can observe how the relationships between the cards interact in a way that may enhance a certain meaning, add some “light and shade” to a meaning, or change the meaning entirely. It gives the practice of Tarot reading an entirely new dimension and may be enjoyed by Tarot novices as well as Tarot specialists. It develops a more comprehensive understanding of Tarot card reading and assists the reader in constructing a real “narrative” from the cards.
In This Article...
Can a couple conduct a joint tarot reading?
Couples reading together can be enjoyable and educational for both the individual and the partnership. In some circumstances, it can also be profoundly restorative because a tarot reading can offer a neutral setting for resolving conflicts and seeing the big picture.
However, there are times when it can also be a potential land mine and make the reader an unintentional pawn in a War of the Roses.
I’ve sat with aggressive couples who were hauled to the reading against their will, controlling parents, and worse.
Some of my clients have even manipulated their partners using the reading by distorting the meaning to suit their purposes.
Even if all of these scenarios are uncommon, they can nonetheless occur occasionally, which is why both the client and the reader should practice mindfulness if a couple choose to visit the office together.
A safe and sacred environment must be established, which calls for healthy limits and mutual respect on both sides.
Here’s my best suggestion for both couples and readers should they decide to invite a partner (parent, child, coworker, friend, etc) to sit in on the reading:
For the customer:
- Ascertain if your companion is willing to try the experience. Don’t bring them if they genuinely don’t want to be there. Likewise, if they distract you from your work or in any other way make you feel uneasy, don’t let them sit in. Ideally, both participants should be respectful and enthusiastic.
- If your relationship is having problems, approach the matter with an open mind to possible solutions rather than expecting a certain outcome.
- Things can always change, and they frequently do.
- Ask questions that will help your circumstance develop in a positive way.
- Avoid asking “should” questions, such as “Should we move in together? “; doing so will rob you of your autonomy and put the reader in the unpleasant position of having to decide for you.
- What can I do to or how can I sort are better queries.
- Before you ask any questions, have a discussion with your spouse about them.
- By doing so, you can steer clear of repetition.
- If your circumstance is difficult, think about using different readers.
- The majority of readers can maintain objectivity, but separate readers guarantee it.
- It can be best to enter the room alone if you want to talk about a delicate subject.
- If you and your spouse decide to split up, avoid pestering your reader to ask if the other person is still coming in for readings or to inquire about their readings. It is not your concern.
- Keep things upbeat and laid-back.
- In case a person changes their mind and prefers seclusion, have a waiting room outside.
- Encourage the use of problem-solving questions that emphasize individual accountability and place the future firmly in the client’s hands.
- You are not a marital therapist.
- If the case calls for it, refer them to one.
- You might need to decline to read for one partner in some circumstances.
- If you are unable to maintain objectivity, you are failing the client and putting yourself in a difficult situation.
- It’s best to tell them straight up and suggest someone else.
- Strict client privacy must be maintained.
- That means if the pair breaks up or one comes in solo, you do not reveal any information to the other person.
- If they ask, cut them off right away and assure them that you won’t reveal anything (that includes whether or not the person inquired about uses your services).
Coming in with a partner has numerous advantages (someone to take notes for you, sharing an experience, support, etc.), but a joint reading also calls for an atmosphere of unity and reverence on the side of both the client and the reader. Establish that tone right away, and everyone will have a great experience.
Many people want to go on the limo ride with you, but what you really need is someone to go on the bus with you if the limo breaks down. Ophelia Winfrey
Do you invite a friend or a family member to the reading?
If yes, what about that do you like?
What more words of wisdom would you impart, if you were a reader, to both readers and clients?
Please share your knowledge and experiences in the following comment section:
How many possible card combinations exist?
Consider the last card game you playedpoker, go fish, whatever. Would you think if each time you properly shuffled the entire deck, you were holding a run of cards that had never previously occurred in all of history? Think about all the card games that have undoubtedly been played since the dawn of civilization. No one has ever held or is expected to ever hold the exact same 52 cards in the same order as you did during that game.
A deck of cards can be sorted in somewhere between 8×1067 different ways, which may sound absurd. That consists of an 8 and 67 zeros. To put it in perspective, even if someone were to shuffle a deck of cards once every second throughout the course of the universe, they couldn’t locate a repeat before the cosmos collapsed. This is how probability with such large numbers operate. Even though a veteran blackjack dealer may feel they have shuffled hundreds of cards in their career, their arrangements are meaningless when compared to this many. There are simply too many different ways to arrange 52 cards for any set of cards that were shuffled at random to repeat itself.
You don’t trust me? Just think of all the combinations you can make with a deck of four aces.
Each following location in the row gets one fewer cards to choose from as the deck is dealt out. There are thus four alternatives in the first place, three in the next, and so on until just one card is left. By multiplying these figures together, it is possible to determine how many different ways a group of objects can be arranged using this mathematical pattern.
A factorial is the mathematical term for this genuinely exciting calculation, which is indicated by an exclamation mark.
Factorials often multiply the total number of items in a collection by successively lower amounts until they reach 1. Since our mini-deck contains 4 cards, there are 4 factorial, or 4!, possible arrangements, for a total of 24 possible configurations. Even though this might not seem like a particularly high number, until you reach the number 52 (or 52x51x50…), you end up with an integer that has 68 total digits, which is far larger than the estimated total number of atoms on Earth.
You might be thinking, “Wait, it can’t be unique,” considering that you’ve undoubtedly done it multiple times in your life while playing solitaire. You’d be correct, too. Decks in card games typically have a standard order, thus you need to shuffle really well (using the “riffle” approach, around seven times) before you have a deck that is truly unique.
How can I figure out my shadow card?
Greetings from #MagicMondays! I’ll publish a piece on All Things Witch every Monday. I frequently get texts about witchcraft, respond to emails about symbols, and have ritual discussions over shared meals. I made the decision to gather all of this information in one location and spread it around. Because magic resides inside of us, we are all capable of using it! Let’s start working now!
I occasionally determine a person’s birth card and shadow card during a reading. The cards even appear in the spread we lay out on the table to emphasize how important they are to people. In astrology, your birth card corresponds to your solar sign. It’s also referred to as your personality card. It represents the kind of person you are. It’s useful to consider astrology at this time. The sun wants to establish its individuality. Your sun sign’s characteristics influence the various ways in which you construct your existence. More of what you need to study is displayed on your birth certificate. Are you prepared to determine yours?
This is something I picked up from my ghoul friend Wolfie in Philadelphia a few years ago, and it has proven useful to me ever since. Okay, you must include the month, day, and year of your birthday. Here’s an illustration:
The next step is to add that number. Continue adding these numbers up until you reach a result that falls between 22* and 1.
1 + 3 + 4 = 8
This card represents your birth and is the Major Arcana card Strength.
This makes it simple to identify your Shadow card, also known as your Soul card by some teachers. In the tarot’s story, this card signifies what comes after you in life and what your soul’s mission or journey might be. You merely need to multiply the original three-digit number (134) by one to find out:
13 + 4 = 17
The Major Arcana card The Star has a counterpart in this shadow card, which is your own.
Here’s another illustration. Let’s use Kanye West’s birthday as an example:
And 11 + 0 Equals 11
It relates to his shadow card, Justice, also known as Accountability in some decks.
Your birth card is The Fool (22 = 0), while your soul card is The Emperor (2 + 2=4), if your initial number is 22.
If your first number adds up to a number exceeding 22, lower that amount to 1 and this becomes both your Birth and Shadow card, which keeps you highly focused on the life at hand.
Additionally, you have three cards if your first number is 19. the Magician (1 + 0 = 1), the Sun, and the Wheel of Fortune (1 + 9 = 10). Similar to the Sunaltimate dynamic, in essence. When the odds are in your favor, you are a rare beast.
It was enjoyable! Before you leave, please be aware that I will be providing readings this weekend in Brooklyn (off the L, M, or B38 bus) in honor of Friday’s full moon and eclipse. I’m available on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. To arrange a meeting and learn more, send me an email or a message. I would adore reading to you!
How are tarot cards used by beginners?
Tarot readings typically proceed in the following manner after that:
- You must first pose a query to the card deck. It ought to be unambiguous and open-ended.
- It’s time to shuffle once you have the question in your head.
- Draw a card (s).
- Lay your chosen card or cards in your spread face down after making your selection.
How does my tarot spread make me feel?
This section is for you if you’ve ever wondered what a “three-card spread is. Tarot readings can be done in a variety of ways, and frequently the instructions that come with the cards will show images of the most common spreads. You’ll soon discover that there is a spread for any circumstance, and you can always come up with your own, too. These include the straightforward three-card spread, the Celtic cross, and a seven-day spread.
After the deck has been shuffled and divided in half by the client, a reader will pull three cards from it for a three-card spread (more on that in a moment). The past, present, and future are typically represented by the first call pulled, second call pulled, and third call pulled, respectively. Depending on the reading and the question being posed, the timeframes can be understood to indicate either tomorrow or ten years from now.
A daily card reading is another popular way to use tarot cards. In this practice, one card is chosen at random from the top of the shuffled deck and used as a reminder or a direction for the day. Anyone wishing to become more acquainted with the tarot deck and the meanings of the cards can find this to be a very beneficial practice.
As vital as it is to think about the specific meaning of each card, it is also crucial to think about the atmosphere and symbolism of the spread as a whole. There is just as much information to be learned from the whole picture as there is from its component parts, especially in bigger spreads. This is an opportunity to collaborate with them if you are reading for someone else. This will be more difficult the more pressure you put on yourself to mind-read. Tarot reading does not make you psychic, which is a relief: It’s acceptable to inquire about the cards with the audience and come up with ideas for how the cards might relate to their initial query collectively. When a customer asks about money, you might pick two cups cards and “the lovers,” but sometimes the cards won’t match up at all. This could imply that their love life was what they truly wanted to talk to you about. Doesn’t everyone?
Tarot reading can be done in many different methods, but they all require practice. It takes effort to learn 78 different cards, especially when many of them have numerous possible interpretations. However, the more you study and handle the cards, the more comfortable you’ll feel using them as a tool to better understand both yourself and others.
There are several books you can buy and classes (online and off) you can take to hone your interpretation abilities if you want to move up in the tarot world. Online courses are occasionally made available by Tarot for Change author and well-known tarot reader Jessica Dore. On a sliding rate, Little Red Tarot also provides an eight-week course. Free courses from teachers like John Ballantrae, who has a very relaxing accent, and spiritual advisor Mystic Rainn are also widely available on YouTube.
The meaning of tarot cards
What do tarot cards generally stand for? As shamans like to say, “medicine around what is happening in your particular orbit: love, money, work, aspirations, and general life path” is what tarot cards are there for.
Does the sequence of tarot cards matter?
Because so many subsequent cards drew inspiration from its iconic artwork, the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck is an excellent starting deck. The deck is referenced in practical tarot publications like 78 Degrees of Wisdom as well. Start with the Rider-Waite deck and then add more decks that speak to you to your collection. Although it is available online, you are welcome to visit your neighborhood occult shop to see what appeals to you there.
What tarot card has the most influence?
The Fool is typically seen as a card from the Major Arcana when performing a tarot reading. Contrary to popular belief, the Fool does not fall under either category in tarot card games. Instead, the Fool serves a function that is distinct from both the simple suit cards and the trump cards. As a result, the Fool has no number assigned to it in the majority of tarot decks that were initially created for playing games. Although Waite assigns the Fool the number 0, in his book, the Fool is discussed between Judgment (number 20) and The World (number 21). The Tarocco Piemontese is the only traditional game deck that numbers the Fool 0. Since the 1930s, the corner index for the Fool in Tarot Nouveau decks has frequently been a black inverted mullet. The Fool is one of the most expensive cards in practically all tarot games.
How can I interpret tarot cards on my own?
I discovered early on in my tarot excursions that knowing the meanings of each card isn’t necessary, even if there is much value and wisdom to be gained from them. Your intuition holds the key to learning how to interpret tarot cards. And this makes sense given that they are instruments for receiving and deciphering messages from the universe or our inner selves. Get the best advice from readers below to learn how to read tarot cards for yourself instinctively and without memorization.