It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, sometimes the damn cards don’t make any sense whatsoever. For goodness sake, I asked a question about romance and you’ve dished this lot up! When this happens to you, do the following:

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Just breathe and look at the cards. Under no circumstances should you sweep them back into their box. There is a message there, and you have simply got to get to it.

Sometimes that’s all you need and the meaning suddenly clicks into place. But if not, keep going. The best way to dig out the sense of the cards is to ask questions. Lots and lots of questions.

First of all – have you drawn too many cards? This is a common beginner’s error. They believe they could get more information from ten cards than one single. But if the question doesn’t warrant it, you are simply going to confuse yourself. If this is the case, just read the first card you turned and put the others to one side. If you are sure the number of cards is appropriate for the question, proceed.

What’s the overall energy of the spread? Positive, negative mixed?

Think of the question and circumstances. How would the first card apply to the situation? Let your imagination roam. Jot down any possibilities that pop into your mind. Ask, ‘what if?’. Do the same with the other cards in the reading.

Look at the first card next to the second. Is there any interaction? Something that leads to something else? Can you see a connection? Do the same with the other cards.

Are there any Majors? Pretend that the Fool is the seeker. Imagine the Fool standing before the first Major – what could he learn? Do the same with any others. These lessons/energetic waves are headed the seeker’s way.

What about Courts? Who is this person? How might the seeker connect to this personality? Does their question involve someone else? If so, could the court card/s represent them? Maybe a friend or relative is trying to interfere? Could the card be them?

Suits and numbers are really important. I love the elegant system in the minor cards. It’s fascinating how the two feminine suits, Cups and Pentacles show energetic growth after the Five while the masculine Wands and Swords show decay and a lessening of energy. So take the time to think about those numbers – perhaps there’s the tiniest thread you can pick up to join to the question?

Grab a book. It’s fine if you can’t remember all the card meanings. Sometimes all you need is a little nudge and you’re away. I recommend a ‘pure meaning’ book such as The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings by Brigit Esselmont. I have the first PDF version of this and it is great for a fast reference. And as I say, often just one word or phrase can get you on the right track.

Avoid clarification cards. I can’t say this enough. Whatever you do, don’t get into the habit. It adds even more layers of confusion. And I say that from bitter experience. There is an exception, well actually two. If you are drawing a single card and get the Wheel of Fortune it makes sense to draw a second card to indicate whether the coming change is positive or negative. The second exception is to take a quick glance at the card at the bottom of the deck. It’s a good card to show you the reason or motivation for the question. Apart from that, eschew the temptation of drawing extra cards.

Lastly, write down the cards and/or take a photo. If you can’t produce a coherent and cohesive reading time will help you. Remember to come back to it in a few weeks and review how the circumstances evolved and try to see how the cards now connect. Time passing is a great tarot teacher.

Cards used for illustration: Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris – Anne

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