Quite few people are asking me to interpret cards they have drawn for themselves lately. Here, and on a few other sites where I write. I used to try to do it, but I’m not going to any more… Let me explain why I won’t interpret your tarot cards:
When you do a tarot reading, you prepare yourself, you carefully formulate the question (don’t you?) and then you take a few moments to connect with whatever it is you like to connect with when doing your readings. You have a certain vibration, a certain level of energy and emotion around the question. So you shuffle and draw your cards.
Those cards are responding to you and to your energy. The meaning that you take from them is the right meaning. I promise. If you aren’t sure, then leave the cards where they are and come back later to see if your feelings about them and the situation have shifted.
Now let’s surmise you haven’t a clue about them; you say, “I know, I’ll get someone else to tell me what they mean.” And you come across my site. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to answer questions regarding tarot, but I’m not going to do your reading for you. What would be the point? Aren’t you learning tarot? How would me doing your reading advance your understanding?
I have never, ever asked someone else to interpret my cards because it is a very personal thing. I used to keep a note of them and then wait for circumstances to shift and then look at the list of cards again and say, “Oh… now I understand what the tarot was trying to tell me.”
Now, that’s not the only way to learn. Doing it that way would take forever, and I have loads of suggestions elsewhere on the site to help people understand the cards. But when you are reading for yourself, that really is the only way. To connect the cards back to the recent past. Use a journal, record your readings. You’ll begin to see patterns, you’ll notice how the energy moves—usually very slowly, but sometimes very quickly.
That’s the thing with tarot, if you want to learn it and really understand it, you have to put in the effort. And if you want me to interpret your cards, then let me do a proper, professional, paid reading—because I’ve spent the last 18 years doing my tarot time and I deserved to get paid for my expertise, just as you will expect to be paid for yours one day.
Update: Having just received yet another request for a free interpretation of a 12 card reading, I just want to ask if you would expect your hairdresser/plumber/gardener/pet groomer/local store keeper/supermarket to provide you with what you need for free? Would you?
To the other woman who berated me two days ago for refusing to interpret her cards, and who then chastized me for being ‘only interested in the money’, I would point out that I offer free one-card readings on this site and do so happily. She went on to say that she was ‘taught by her elders that tarot should not be used for monetary gain’. Perhaps she would like to tell my hosting company that they should not be charging me a monthly fee to host this tarot site?
While my main source of income is writing about tarot and related topics, I also offer paid, professional readings. I offer my services with the confidence of many years of study, practice and reading (books). Meanwhile, my family and I need to eat and pay our bills. We have cars, a mortgage, dogs, and a house to run. Doing readings takes time: for instance a 10 card written reading takes me up to three hours–because I like to do a good job. I like to make sure I catch as much information as possible. I also take photos of the cards I use, as well as offering an ongoing Q&A for that reading. I like to provide an excellent service so that my clients come back time and again. And they do. And I appreciate them enormously.
So, if you decide to do your own reading, please don’t ask me to interpret it for you. I simply haven’t got time. I do however have enough time to fit in the odd free ONE-card reading and you are welcome to take advantage of that.
Read this article for another reader’s take on the matter.
What do you think? Am I a money-grabbing witch for asking to be paid for my time and expertise?
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I agree Troi.
It’s important that we’re compensated for our time, no matter how little it is.
I love your writing; the sentences flow so well.
Love and light!
Hi Asmaa,
It’s not really about that for me. I am happy to donate my time, but only under my terms. I don’t like it when people demand that I interpret their readings. I am happy to give short free readings when asked: https://tarot-study.info/readings/
🙂 great article and great insight
Hi Troi I have a question Im not sure where I’m suppose to post my question here or on another post, forgive me if I’m in the wrong post. 🙂 My question is about interpreting a card … example if a question was asked like “What should I do about my co worker who’s a pushover to all his coworkers?” And I pull say a ‘Wands’ card…. I’ve been reading that some tips, one can use the number and the element/suit of the card to help interpret? How would one interpret a card using the SUIT AND OR ELEMENT of that card if it doesn’t make sense in the contact of the reading?
Hi Apriyile, It’s fine, I don’t mind you asking a question anywhere. It’s just the free readings I like to keep on the same page 🙂
You can use whatever aspect of the card you like. Your example would be well-answered by a Wands card because Wands/Fire are about taking action (or not). The suit and element of the card are intertwined. You can’t interpret Wands without considering Fire (although some systems swap it with Air). The numbers are very important and you should learn the basic progression of numbers. You may develop your own perspective of what they mean to you and that’s fine. The tarot will work with you. The thing to always remember is that tarot interpretation is personal. One card might mean something different to you than it does to me. And that’s fine too.
So taking your example question and getting Seven of Wands would indicate that you might think about getting a bit fiery and taking his side. Maybe you get the Two of Wands… that would suggest you take no action right now. Let it smoulder for a little while until the time is right to act.
Always pay attention to the immediate feeling you get with any card. It’s almost always correct. If a memory surfaces, it’s relevant. If some random thought occurs to you, it’s important. Tarot is not just about taking that element and adding it to this element. It’s a synergy of everything, starting with the question.
Does that help, or have I confused you more?
Hi Troi, thank you for answering my question so quickly!! 🙂 I am a bit confused, let me understand if i understand correctly lol…you said it would be answered correctly as it was a ‘Wand’ card which means action, and you also said the numbers play a part in the interpretation as well, ok so using the the Number 2 of Wands to me would mean, “partnerships,balance” could i read it by going ONLY USING the number by saying for me to ‘Partner’ up with the co worker be on his side vs your interpretation ‘as to not to do any thing at this time’. Are you getting your interpretation from the image in the card (RIDER WAITE DECK) That he is just standing there? im not questioning your interpretation im just trying to understand how you got your interpretation. 🙂 what about for just an example if it was another card one not in context of the card…. like a pentacle card?
Okay, if you felt strongly on seeing the card that it meant to team up with your coworker, then that would be the right interpretation. Your initial response always takes precedence. For me, the Two of Wands is ALWAYS about delays, waiting, plans on hold or needing refinement. Twos are pretty static. They are more about consolidating the initial burst of energy shown in the Ace. Like a gathering of clouds before a storm, or a deep breath before jumping. Even the Two of Pentacles is about doing all you can to stay where you are. But, again, those are my interpretations. There are no hard and fast rules – ever – in tarot. The longer you read the cards and study, the more clear the underlying structure becomes. Once you have your meaningful structure, you can then let your instincts and intuition pick out the correct interpretation.
So to go back to your example. You have the Two of wands. Your first thought is that it’s about partnership. So you approach your coworker to see if he is open to the idea of you working together or putting up a united front. He’s either for it, against it, or unsure. You think about the other possible meanings of the card and you think, okay, I’ve offered my help, so now I wait and see what he decides to do.
Two of Swords: Air, communication, thoughts. Two of Swords is static. Communication isn’t happening. Either you aren’t seeing the whole picture or your coworker is not open to talking about it, or even considering taking a step back to examine his part in the situation.
Two of Cups: Water, feelings and emotions. It could mean simply offering the hand of friendship. Letting him know he’s not on his own.
Two of Pentacles: Earth, material concerns. He might be struggling in his work. Could have made mistakes, dropped the ball, or have concerns outside of the workplace that are causing difficulties.
Again remember, they are MY interpretations. They may not agree with yours. It’s all about the perception of the reader within the context of the question. It’s tough when you are struggling to reconcile someone’s interpretation with your own because they are never the same. Hence the post above 😀 It’s like two people drawing the same tree. The drawings will look completely different because A. We don’t see the same details as being important, and B. we are looking at it from two different perspectives. Don’t fret, it will come if you keep working at it. Just relax and have a little fun with it all. Do readings for Donald Trump and various celebs. Draw cards for news stories and then compare the outcomes with your interpretations and other meanings given in books, on the web, etc.
Hope that helps…
Thank you so much it makes sense and you are right i always read others interpretation against my own and when mine doesn’t match i get so frustrated…but know i know that every one reads different and their interpretations will be different than mine i will need to drill that in my head that its is ok that we do not have the same interpretation. And yes i do readings on celebrities, actually Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner i did the reading before reading the article on them and i was surprised and proud of myself that my interpretation was similar to what had happened… and also i noticed my spread, the back ground colors started off in YELLOWS and then the colors started to get DARK! WOW!
Again THANK YOU SO MUCH for your advice,time, and your teachings WE All appreciate it!!
You are most welcome, Apriyile.