1) You right now – This card represents what is going on for you right now. It indicates what you are thinking, feeling or doing.
2) Strongest influence – what is influencing you right now. This could be a particular energy, desire, person or event.
3) Hidden desires – Oh la la! This is what you really want. Social expectations be damned!
4) Snakeskin: what you’ve shed – what you’ve let go of, what is no longer a part of you or your life.
5) What you think you want – This may or may not be in alignment with #3 (what you really want), but this is a goal that you are actively pursuing.
6) Into the forest! What’s next? – As you go deeper into your life journey, what adventure will await you next?
7) Your relationship to your higher self – how connected or disconnected are you from the higher aspect of yourself?
8) Your role in your community – the role you often play at work, with friends and family and with the people you encounter in your day to day life.
9) The secret key to bliss! – what would make your life more blissful and fun.
10) Wonderful things that will happen – the good stuff that awaits you in the distant future.
What if you get a negative card in a "positive" position?
Negative cards represent blocks that, if dealt with and removed, will bring greater ease and joy into your life.
For example, if you get The Devil in the "key to bliss" position, it could indicate that dealing with your addictions will lead to a more blissful life.
Always keep the positive aspect of the negative cards in mind. If you get Three of Swords in the "role in my community" position, it could mean that you act as the shoulder to cry on when others are feeling down.
Watch this spread in action in my video below:
Please feel free to share your results with this spread in the comments below!
Veronica is my badass alter ego and she is here to give you some tough love advice on a Friday. What better way to kick off the weekend?
Housewives Tarot
“Travel lightly, bitch!” says the coiffed lady of The Fool.
At first glance you may think she’s a real dip-shit, letting the contents of her purse scatter to and fro, but look closely. She is just lightening the load.
Now is the time to lighten your load. Get rid of some shit.
The idiots you know and love will tell you that more leads to a meaningful life – more money, more work, a bigger house, a big family, lots of friends, pets, cars, clothes, stuff, shoes, more crap, luggage, things, fancy kitchen utensils, fake tits, social events, aaaaahhhhh!
These same dicks will ask you things like “keeping busy?” whilst nodding vigoriously. You must answer “yes” or face their awkward, blank look of confusion.
This weekend, think less is more.
Think busyness is crazyness.
Don’t be busy. Clear the clutter. Mmmmm…..zen! Now your free.
Unlike my last two Tarot Challenges, this reading isn’t for a made up, fictitious character. This situation is real, so hold onto your hat!
Note: I have gotten permission from this person to share her reading and ask for interpretations and I have changed her name and any identifying details.
So here goes…
Lola is a 42 year old woman, married, no kids and working in her “dream career”. Everything in her life is wonderful – her husband and family are great and she has lots of money, friends and interests. She is in excellent health and is also quite a sexy lady!
However, these past several months she has felt a certain emptiness in her life. It kind of feels like she is dead inside. She keeps thinking “there must be more to life than this.” She loves her life, but she doesn’t feel fully alive in it. Some days it just feels like she is just going through the motions. And that feeling is only getting bigger and bigger.
She has come to you for a Tarot reading and has asked you “Why did my life loose it’s ‘spark’ and what can I do to inject magic and joyful zest back into my life?”
These are the cards that come up:
The Anna K Tarot
Just to let you know….Lola is a close friend of mine and is one tough cookie – she can take whatever no-frills advice you have for her. So don’t hold back or sugar coat your interpretations! And whatever you do, don’t worry about getting it wrong.
Based on these 3 cards, how would YOU interpret this reading? What advice do you have for Lola?
Feel free to share in the comment section below! I am really looking forward to reading your responses 🙂
Do you ever wonder what your “higher self” is trying to tell you?
Well guess what? Messing around with your Tarot cards is one of the best ways to find out!
But before I get to the real juice, I just want to say this – I really, really despise the term“higher self”. It sounds so snooty!
Whenever I hear that term, I get this picture of a much snobbier version of myself, reclining on a cloud, turning my nose up.
So from here on out, I will instead refer to the“Inner Self”. I like that phrase better, as it doesn’t sound so hierarchical and holier than thou. Plus, it just sounds more intimate and mysterious – like a deeper, truer part of myself.
Okay, so back to Tarot!
Our Inner Self communicates to us through symbols. We encounter symbols all the time – in dreams, waking life and of course in Tarot cards.
If we actively engage with those symbols, we can discover some fascinating things about ourselves.
Now what if you were to think of your next Tarot reading as a letter from your Inner Self to you?
A letter that is direct, to the point and maybe even a little bitchy!
Here’s an example of what I mean…
Me:“Inner Self, what lovely message do you have for me today?”
Inner Self:“OMG! I’m so glad you asked! You need to ____________ and __________ and for God’s sakes, stop __________________!”
When I did this exercise last night, this is what I got:
I felt the message was pretty clear: “You need to make a decision and embrace being an outsider and for God’s sakes stop pretending to be helpless!”
I found this Tarot exercise worked best when I limited my interpretation to one statement/sentence per card. This forced me to really feel for the essenceof the card, rather than get all brainy and over-thinky about it.
Now, it’s your turn!
Shuffle your Tarot deck and as you lay out three cards, do so knowing that this is a letter from your Inner Self. As you turn your cards over, see if you can fill in the blanks:
“You need to _________ and _________ and for God’s sakes stop __________!”
Tip: Forget about the traditional card meanings and pay attention to the symbols that show up, the body language of the figures and of course, the overall feeling essence of the cards.
In the comments below, feel free to share your cards and your interpretation – I can’t wait to read it!!!
Last week, I posed a “Tarot Challenge“, where I asked you to interpret this reading in a positive, empowering way.
First of all, I’ve been LOVING all the comments! I waited until I had written my own interpretation to read everyone’s responses, because I knew it would influence how I saw the cards.
And before I get into my own take on the cards, I just want to say…
Thank you!!!
Big hugs to everyone who participated in this “Tarot Challenge” – it was so much fun to read through your take on the cards. Honestly, I am blown away by the insights and wisdom in all the responses and I feel somewhat intimidated, but also very very lucky to have such brilliant Tarot readers reading my blog!
I think I may do a “Tarot Challenge” each month from now on, as I think its an awesome way to practice and learn 🙂
As promised, here is my own interpretation of these cards:
Universal Waite Tarot
Just to refresh your memory, I am doing this reading for Xavier (a sexy, make believe person) and his issue is this:“my life is not going anywhere. I have been stuck in the same crappy job for the past 6 years, living in my parents basement and have been single for 3 years. I can’t seem to meet the right person, no matter what I do. It feels like I am not progressing in life and I have no idea why or what I can do to change things. Help!”
I ended up reading these cards in a past/present/future framework because that is what seemed to work best for me.
The Ten of Swords
My attention is immediately drawn to the center card and it kind of makes me chuckle that for someone who complains of being “stuck”, the guy in the Ten of Swords is quite literally stuck – with ten swords!
For the most part, I feel that the Ten of Swords is simply illustrating how you feel right now.
But number 10 cards often symbolize an ending of a phase and this shows that, although it may not feel like it now, things will be on the upswing sooner than you expect.
The Tower
The Tower has shown up in the past position, which suggests you had some kind of shock a few years back that has caused you to feel a bit fearful about taking risks and moving forward.
Perhaps this card refers to the end of a relationship, loss of a job or even some kind of upheaval within your family. But whatever it was it made you appreciate and yearn for safety and comfort.
This desire for comfort and safety has often kept you stuck and you may catch yourself thinking things like “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.”
The sooner you can let go of that mindset, the quicker you will move forward with things and create change. Do you have a thirst for adventure? For taking the odd risk? For trying new things?
Try changing just one habit you have or doing just one new thing a week. For example, go indoor rock climbing or to see a movie by yourself – anything as long as its something different from your normal routine. This will help shake things up energetically and get things moving in a new direction.
I suspect there is something you have been wanting to do for a while now, but you keep hesitating and holding back. Now is the time to do that thing!
Also, using the affirmation “it is safe for me to create change in my life” will be very helpful to you as you move forward.
If you can, write those words down on an index card and tape it up somewhere you can see it everyday, like your bathroom mirror. Yes, I know that sounds really lame and self-helpy, but try it!
Death
Death shows up in the “future” position and thank God for that!
Death ultimately means change. The end of something which will always precedes a new beginning. Nothing is meant to last forever. And really, what a relief that is!
So big change is on the horizon for you, but in order for those changes to happen, you really need to let go of many things.
You will most likely need to release old thinking patterns, limiting self-beliefs, the fear of change (which we all have to some degree) and embrace a new way of thinking and being in the world.
This sounds like an enormous task, but don’t let it overwhelm you. What are a couple of things you could do this week that would help you get on the track to changing your thoughts and feelings?
[If Xavier can’t think of anything, then I might suggest a meditation technique, a book or journaling exercise. I find it’s more powerful if he comes up with something on his own, because often we know deep down what things we need to do in order to create change.]
The “Big Picture” view
When I look at all these cards together, I notice that movement is the theme that really stands out. Let me explain.
In The Tower, we have downward movement (the figures are falling) showing a feeling of loss of control. This lead you to feeling stuck, which is shown by the Ten of Swords where there is no movement happening at all. Then, with Death, forward motion is finally happening! And of course, the sun is rising in the distance. It is the dawn of a new day in your life and today is the turning point.
Xavier, what you do today will determine what happens tomorrow, so embrace your own power to create change in your life. Don’t wait around for something to happen. Get out there and do stuff!
A tip for interpreting “negative” Tarot cards
See if you can come up with at least one or two action steps – this adds that empowering element to a reading.
For example, in this reading I used the Death card to come up with some things Xavier could do (journalling, meditation or reading a book) that would help him change his mindset.
Your client (or you, if your reading for yourself) will come away from the reading feeling like they have something they can actually do about things, rather than feel helpless and powerless.
*If you enjoyed this topic, I will be unveiling my brand new e-course The Art of Tarot: How to Read a Negative Card in a Positive Light this month. It will be chalk-full of tips like this, as well as videos, audio lessons, fun worksheets and more!
Veronica Noir is my evil twin who is way more badass than myself. She is 10 x hotter, smarter and crazier than me and every Friday I let her do a one card reading on my blog. Her advice is always dreadful and sometimes even a bit rude. So without further ado…
Cosmic Tarot
Today’s Tarot card is The Magician and this magician in particular has a real panty-melting stare!
He seems to be encouraging you to put intensity into all that you do today. Don’t half-ass it, don’t be soft, don’t shuffle through it. Go full tilt!
The Magician is all about harnessing energy and then directing it to a specific goal.
If there’s something you want, you need to go after it like a sexual predator. No holds barred. Bystanders be damned!
One way to do this is to notice what your “energy drains” are. If your exhausted all the time, you sure as f*ck aren’t going to feel like goal setting.
For me, my energy drains are: boring people, grocery shopping, The John Tesh radio show and reality TV.
What are yours? Tell me all in the comments below!
Veronica Noir is a Tarot reader extraordinaire, serial man-eater and my evil twin sister. She likes telling people what to do, loudly saying the F-word at the grocery store and deeply inhaling sage smoke – its cleansing, right? Here is her weekly dose of Tarot guidance, just in time for the weekend…
Housewive’s Tarot
Success is sweet because once you are high up, you get to look down on everyone.
But then you start to fantasize that everyone’s out to get you, trying to knock you down and stomp on your face.
Success is stressful!
But nothing says zen-bliss like mediocrity. Sometimes its nice to just aim for blandness, middle of the road, average and unimpressive.
Sliding in under the radar is the most underrated, hedonistic pleasure.
“Reach for the stars!” annoying people say.
I like to reach for the glow in the dark stars on my bedroom ceiling that were haphazardly stuck on by the previous resident of my apartment. I know I can reach those!
So my advice for this weekend is this: keep your expectations low and no one gets disappointed!
Veronica is my evil twin. She’s a sassy psychic with a flair for penning filthy short stories, online shopping and peanut butter fudge. When she’s not busy reading werewolf erotica and getting drunk on Kombucha tea, she’s writing this column….
Anna K Tarot
Today’s Tarot card is the Knight of Rods. Tee hee hee! Rods!
This manly man rockin’ the chain-mail seems to be erecting some sort of flag. He’s gearing up to stab in into the ground, penetrating the Earth in his proclamation of ownership. Similar to a dog peeing on a fire hydrant.
What are you proud of? What do you stand for?
Today is the day to celebrate it and own it.
Mark your territory. Pee on something. Make it yours!
This weekend is all about going after what you want with a fiery, blazing, possessive passion. Whether your after a new lover, a fancy-dancy career or something more bizarre, the message is clear:
Picture this: the candles are lit, Nag Champa incense is wafting about the room, a cozy fire is crackling in the background (or if your like me, your “fireplace” dvd is crackling in the background), and your hunkered down at your dining room table, giving your best friend a Tarot reading…
Your friend asks something typical like “Is Gary my soulmate?”
You roll your eyes, draw a card and…WTF?! It’s The Heirophant.
“F*ck!” you think. “What on Earth does that mean?!”
Card image is from The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck published by U.S.Games Systems, Inc.
Of course, you know exactly what The Hierophant means all on its own, but you have no idea what it means in relation to the question being asked.
Reading Tarot can sometimes feels like deciphering hieroglyphics. All you want is a clear answer and instead you end up feeling more and more confused!
This actually used to happen to me ALL THE TIME. And if I am being 100% honest with you, it still happens every now and then 😉 But luckily I have gotten my shit together and come up with some handy dandy ways to get around this annoying issue.
Tip #1: Put on Your Glasses
Have you ever heard that expression “looking at the world through rose-tinted lenses”? You want to look at the confusing Tarot card through situation-tinted lenses. Let me explain…
When you get a Tarot card that just doesn’t make sense, picture yourself calmly sliding on a pair of glasses, like Corey Hart in his Sunglasses at Night video…
Now imagine that these are magic glasses that will help you see the Tarot card in light of the particular issue.
So for the reading I mentioned earlier, you would put on your “soulmate searching” glasses and ask “in regards to finding one’s soulmate, what message does this card have for my friend?”
Look at the Tarot card:
Let go of the traditional card meaning for a sec and just see what pops into your head. Notice what symbol your attention is drawn to. Doing this gives your intuition a chance to come out and play.
Example: When I do this for The Hierophant (above), I suddenly notice that there are two identical pillars, two identical monks side by side and two keys crossed. This makes me think aha! soulmates! but then there’s that pesky Hierophant coming between them. So I might say that there is soulmate possibility, but there is a powerful force keeping them apart right now.
But what if The Hierophant had come up in a reading about career/life purpose?
As I slide on my magic glasses, I notice that this card really exudes authority and tradition. This could suggest your life purpose is to be an authority figure of some type, but it may require years of formal study. Or it could mean your life purpose will be intimately intertwined with spirituality.
Look at the “traditional meaning”:
Now that you’ve unleashed your intuition, it’s time to indulge your intellect! Take a look at the traditional card meaning through your magic glasses and see how it relates to your question.
According to the little white book that came with my Universal Waite Tarot deck, The Hierophant means “marriage alliance, captivity, servitude, mercy and goodness, inspiration, the man to whom the querent has recourse.”
So how could I bend this definition to shed light on the question “Is Gary my soulmate?”
Well, well, well! I might say that marriage to Gary would make sense in a socially acceptable, conform to society kind of way. Perhaps she really wants Gary to be her soul mate because marriage to him may solve many of her problems. But ultimately, this will make her feel trapped. This doesn’t really answer the question, but it does suggest that rushing into marriage isn’t necessary.
Here’s my demonstration of how to read a Tarot card in many different contexts:
Tip #2: Practice Looking at Each Tarot Card in Many Different Ways
Let’s take The Chariot. What might it mean if it came up in a reading about career? About love? About health?
Typically The Chariot is all about moving forward, success, etc, but what if it appears in the “things that are blocking me” position in a reading?
Doing this will require you to really ponder each card, its symbols and even look up the meanings in your book. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Consider both the negative and positive aspects of the card.
Card image is from The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck published by U.S.Games Systems, Inc.
Example: The Chariot: Career – advancing quickly
Love – triumph, success in romance
Health – health is improving, but keep things balanced
Block – too driven, need to slow down and relax
Negatives – too focused on “success” and getting to the destination, parts of the self being in disagreement (especially if the horses are going in different directions)
Tarot is meant to be flexible. When you first learn Tarot, its all about memorizing the specific card meanings, and this can put you in a rigid frame of mind. But as you develop your reading skills, the challenge is in using the context to bend and grow the card meanings.
This exercise helps your mind get used to looking at a Tarot card from all angles and contexts.
Tip #3: Don’t always expect your Tarot cards to give you a clear answer!
Sometimes a Tarot card will be the doorway to discovering your own solutions and answers, but it will not be the answer itself.
The images on a Tarot card may lead you on a trip down memory lane, steer you into a particular train of thought or an idea may be sparked. So don’t go chucking out your cards if they don’t make sense right away! Be willing to explore 🙂
Let me know what you think!
♥ What happened when you tried out this technique?
♥ Do you have a favorite trick for reading a Tarot card in a specific context?
