I am often struck by the tendency of tarot readers to, in a reading, land on a clear interpretation for a card and then, refuse to see anything deeper in it.

Here’s an example to help you understand what I mean.

Imagine reading for someone who gets Justice Reversed in a past position. You might ask if there had been any unfair situations or dealing with legal matters recently.

Suppose he answers that, yes, he had just spent the weekend in jail and the charges were subsequently dropped.

End of story? It could be; the story fits the cards.

But then, imagine that, as the reading continues, you find out that a bit further in the past he was in an actual war. Not as a soldier, but as a civilian whose homeland was invaded. That would be Justice Reversed in the past as well.

Not every card that appears will reference more than one event, but some will. There are a couple of techniques that can help you discern if a card might be speaking to more than one thing, and therefore maybe even establishing a pattern.

First, you can always ask. “Is there anything else in your past that might show up as unfairness, or a harmful action regarding the law or government?” If the client says there isn’t, just move on.

Second, you can simply pay attention. Remember the cards that appear, even if you pick them up to perform another spread. If something comes up that resonates with a card you have already interpreted, there is no problem with going back and connecting more than one event or meaning with that card.

If you start to see a traumatic pattern you have the opportunity to read on that specifically, and help the client find ways to acknowledge, heal and release that trauma.

By letting the cards speak more fully we are able to give more complete readings.