Things to Consider in a Tarot Reading (Other Than Card Meanings)
Itâs important to look at the meanings of tarot cards, but itâs very possible to pull even more out of a reading that individual card meanings. Hereâs some other stuff you might consider bringing into your interpretation when it feels right:
đThe position of the cards. This is why spread design can be so important! Iâve had instances where all the cards, in their positions, had the subjects looking or pointing towards one specific card. It was wild. What did it mean? Maybe nothing, but maybe something very significant, depending on the question!
đThe visual element of the cards. Sometimes whatâs depicted on the card can give more specific insight than the actual book meanings. The pictures were done that way for a reason, so donât be afraid to give them their own weight! Also, sometimes the spread as a whole will have a flow of design (like when one half is much brighter than the other) or a specific card is WAY more colorful than the other cards on the table. Any of these could potentially carry meaning.
đJumper cards. This is when a card pops out while youâre shuffling! I usually just put them back⌠UNLESS the question has already been presented, and Iâm shuffling with that question in mind. Then, I keep them as extra advice, bonus cards.
đReoccurring numbers. Maybe you do a four card spread for a friend, and you get the four of cups, four of swords, four of wands, and the Emperor! (IV.) What does that mean? What does the number four symbolize? Well, a lot of things, potentially, depending on what you study. Some tarot designs incorporate the Kabbalahâs numbered paths in the tree of life, others go with numerology. Maybe, the number four just means something special to you or the querent in particular.
đA bunch of cards in order. Iâm not talking about when you forget to shuffle. Iâm talking about when you give it a really good shuffle and you still get the ace, two, and three of Pentacles all in a row. This can be seen as a sign of progression, or that the events are all much more closely connected than anticipated. It can also mean it happens over a shorter period of time than normal. Itâs up to you, your cards, and the contexts.
đProportions of different features. Maybe youâre doing an obstacle spread, and your obstacle is something like the nine of swords. Thatâs pretty nasty, but if all the other cards in the spread are Major Arcana, then itâs probably not going to be that difficult to surmount. The reverse can also be true. Additionally, a high number of reversed cards in a spread typically signifies a lot of confusion, conflict, and turmoil.
đReoccurring symbols. Beyond just the four suits, because thatâs a given! But maybe your spread shows a lot of cards with images of fire, people dancing, or birds. Do these mean anything to you or the querent? What do they typically symbolize?
đAny hiccups or unusual events during the reading. Once I had a querent pick up a card to examine it, drop it, then pick it up and put it back reversed. Since it was the overall outcome card, I interpreted that as a heightened ability to change her own fate in this given situation, since she had turned the card from quite a bad omen to a good one. Sometimes little accidents like dropping cards, accidentally shifting them, or laying out the spread wrong are meant to be there and add to the meaning!
I hope this gives you some ideas! Feel free to add more. What do you interpret alongside the cards in a reading?
